0
votes
0answers
3 views

Is intercessionary prayer prohibited in Jodo Shinshu (Japanese Pureland?)

So I just read "Waking the Buddha" by Strand and he had a comment: "It is unlikely that those who attended them would have felt within their rights, to demand that the Jodo Shinshu teachings showed ...
2
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1answer
29 views

“Anyone can be enlightened”

To my limited knowledge, in Zen, it is believed that anyone can be enlightened(if dedicated enough). Does everyone have this potential in other branches of Buddhism? Can everyone achieve this ...
3
votes
3answers
27 views

How does chanting work in Nichiren Buddhism?

This question came up in my book club. Chanting is a central practice in Nichiren Buddhism. How does it work, what effects or benefits come from it? Has this changed much between from historical and ...
1
vote
3answers
39 views

Purifying Karma using mantras and/or prostrations

I would like to know if, in the pali canon, there is any practice for purifying karma, such as: Using mantras, prostrations etc... I know there is the concept of using good Karma, like dana, to ...
1
vote
1answer
43 views

What happens if a Person spent money on good things which are earned from bad ways

He is selling liquor , He has bars and restaurants , Now he has done the business for nearly 10 years and now he is a very rich person . According to Buddhism Selling liquor is a bad business . Now ...
2
votes
2answers
52 views

Group meditation vs. Solo meditation

Other than personal preference, are there known to be advantages or disadvantages to meditating in a group instead of alone?
2
votes
1answer
98 views

Why do Bhikkhunis have so many extra Vinaya rules?

The Vinaya contains 227 rules for male monks and 311 rules for female monks. Is it known why so many additional rules were put in place for Bhikkhunis?
1
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4answers
146 views

How would one begin practising Buddhism?

It is very easy to find lots of information on the internet about Buddhism and the concepts. However I struggle to know where or how to start becoming a Buddhist, if that is the correct way to state ...
3
votes
2answers
46 views

What are: Lamrim, Dzogchen, Mahamudra

Could someone provide a brief (good-SE-answer-size) description of the three terms: Lamrim, Dzogchen, and Mahamudra. Specifically, are they different examples of one particular thing, are they ...
2
votes
1answer
52 views

What does this mantra Om Ah Hum Sarba Amrita Siddhi Hum Dze mean?

This is some sort of meal gatha. ОМ А ХУМ САРБА АМРИТА СИДДХИ ХУМ ДЗА Om Ah Hum Sarba Amrita Siddhi Hum Dze I'm stumped on translating it. Source.
1
vote
1answer
46 views

Self like a diamond

I read a parable once, a long time ago: The Buddha meets someone else, some kind of yogi, who is maybe a supernatural being or has supernatural powers. They have a duel, involving swords. The yogi ...
2
votes
2answers
64 views

Conflict between Brahmajala Sutta and current Buddhist practices

I'm very confused about this sutta ( http://suttacentral.net/en/dn1) specially in the part "Mahāsīla" Many of what the Buddha stated as wrong livelihood is very common in some Buddhist centres these ...
2
votes
4answers
83 views

Ignorant mind and Buddha nature

I read in a Mahayana Buddhist book (insight into emptiness) 2 concepts that I find hard to reconcile: 1- Our minds used to be pure, only Buddha nature, and got contaminated with ignorance that led to ...
2
votes
1answer
34 views

Does morning and evening chanting follow a set pattern in the Theravada tradition?

I attended a meditation event that included morning and evening chanting at a Theravada monastery/temple. It was a wonderful event but I couldn't follow the chanting book as it was written in Lao ...
2
votes
2answers
352 views

Is turning off a patient's life support system encouraging to kill?

If a person is on a life support system due to the failure of one or more organs and not able to return to normal life without them again, if the family consents to the doctors' recommendation to turn ...
2
votes
2answers
74 views

What is Death? What did Buddha say regarding the experience of Death?

What is death according to Buddhism? When does it occur? Why do so many people die simultaneously in natural calamities? What did Buddha say about death? Please give references of Buddha's teachings.
1
vote
2answers
53 views

Is this an accurate introduction to different paths and traditions?

The accepted answer to What teachings do all schools of Buddhism share? includes Compassion, the Triple Jewel, the Four Noble Truths, the Eight-fold Way, Dependent Origination, the Three Marks of ...
0
votes
1answer
24 views

Sutta pitaka in plain English [duplicate]

Where can I find sutta pitaka translations in plain English preferably from an author that has practised meditation. If the English is relevant to today's problems and sufferings, even better. Word to ...
2
votes
3answers
382 views

Mindfulness Vs Void

On researching meditations I find several different aspects. One side tells me to be aware of all my actions ( Breath, Stepping, Thinking ) Then I see another type where basically you remove all ...
1
vote
4answers
115 views

What are the Core Teachings of Buddhism?

What are the Core Teachings of Buddhism? I know my other question was closed for being too broad, but maybe this will be more specific. I want to know what Siddhartha taught. As far as I can tell, ...
1
vote
6answers
258 views

Experiencing physical pain

What advice (or techniques e.g. of meditation) does Buddhism (of any tradition) have for people who experience physical pain (caused by an illness and treated by a doctor)? Or for the people (friends, ...
3
votes
2answers
293 views

Buddhist “code of ethics” on talking about other religions

I took a friend interested in Buddhism to a centre. This person is Catholic and doesn't want to change that; she is very satisfied with her religion. However she was curious about Buddhism and ...
3
votes
1answer
53 views

Money to monasteries

Is it right for a monastery or a temple to take money donations, having donation boxes and selling a lot of different things to worship or get luck from? Or shouldn't a monastery use money just like ...
2
votes
1answer
44 views

What are Bhavanga and Javana?

Will someone explain Bhavanga and Javana in simple way? At times, they seem non-comprehensible.
2
votes
4answers
540 views

Can someone regain a Beginners Mind when it has gone?

Shunryu Suzuki famously said in Zen Mind, Beginners Mind In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s there are few But if one's beginners mind has gone is it ...
3
votes
5answers
123 views

Is there a compassion only Buddhist path?

In a recent version of the Buddhist Geeks podcast Rick Hanson said that recent academic research is showing that in the Pali Canon there were teachings indicating that compassion is enough to progress ...
1
vote
3answers
95 views

Did the Buddha ever 'thunder' during a Fire Sermon?

If I recall correctly, I once read (in a book which I no longer have) that: The Fire Sermon happened (soon) after the Setting the Wheel of Dhamma in Motion The Buddha spoke it to a ...
1
vote
1answer
37 views

How should a theravada centre approach the lay people for support?

I was planning to visit a centre, so first I checked their webpage, I thought they are a lit too pushy when it comes to donations, asking for money in a very explicit way to pay their bills. OK, let ...
1
vote
2answers
115 views

Rebirth versus genetic recombination

Humans like nearly all other species have their genetic base as a mixture 50:50 from the genes of their father and from the genes of their mother. Each generation represents a new combination of genes ...
3
votes
4answers
154 views

Chronological or other sequence for beginners

At least one of the "introductions to Buddhism" that I read included elements from, some biography of, the life of the Buddha, including: Early life Searching for enlightenment Sermon at Benares ...
4
votes
2answers
150 views

If A is killed by B due to A's past karma of killing B, will B suffer from this karma of killing A?

I am trying to deepen my understanding of the law of karma. Let's say: A killed B. B killed A in next life. Is this particular karma of A considered "completed", that B will not suffer since this ...
3
votes
1answer
50 views

English (or other European) translations of Pali Canon

Perhaps this should be closed as a 'shopping' question, but maybe translations take a long time to make and therefore there are not too many of them, and they don't go out of date quickly. The ...
0
votes
1answer
31 views

Comprehensive Guide to Mindfulness [closed]

Background I have stopped to acquire possessions for 3 years now under the label/movement "Minimalism" and it has positively impacted my daily life and habits. I wish to go further and I crossed over ...
3
votes
4answers
239 views

Isnt the desire for giving up the desires, a desire?

It looks like a loop. We know desires cause us suffering, however the desire to abandon desire looks like a desire too, right? I'm sure there is a trick, something to explain why it is different, ...
2
votes
3answers
73 views

Is there any explanation on why only humans and animals do not remember previous life?

I have heard from a Buddhist monk that hungry ghosts usually return to their familis searching for food, which makes me believe they have easy access to memories of their previous life. Some hell ...
1
vote
4answers
241 views

Nirvana with benefits?

Is the state of Nibbana the state of "not existing at all in any way" or is it nonexistence with benefits that are too deep to understand from the perspective of samsara? Does the only "bliss" ...
1
vote
3answers
77 views

How can Nirvana (Nibbana) be permanent?

If everything is impermanent and this is used as a reason why Buddhists do not believe in a creator and eternal God, how can Nirvana be permanent? Did the Buddha ever explain this point?
0
votes
2answers
34 views

Friend who is the same in happiness and sorrow

Sigalovada Sutta: The Discourse to Sigala The Layperson's Code of Discipline includes, "These four, young householder, should be understood as warm-hearted friends: (1) he who is a helpmate, ...
0
votes
2answers
47 views

Where is the sutta that mentions the Five Niyamas?

I am trying to find Buddha's word about Five Niyamas in Sutta. Or does it exist only in commentaries?
2
votes
3answers
125 views

Could Lobha(craving) and Dosa(aversion) be working in tandem?

Is wishing for a pain to go away an instance of aversion(Dosa) or an instance of craving(Lobha)? Or both working in tandem? ex: leg pain while doing sitting meditation. Aversion is obvious, if the ...
4
votes
6answers
272 views

Compassion to friends: stepping in vs. letting them learn on their own

There is a story about how the Buddha will knock on your door if your house is on fire, but he will not kick it down because you have to answer the door yourself. This is analogous to the Four Noble ...
2
votes
1answer
53 views

Patimokkha Rule On Bathing

I recall having read somewhere that monks are allowed to bathe only once every 15 days. What is the actual Patimokkha rule behind this ? Also, what is the reason behind this rule and what are its ...
2
votes
5answers
450 views

Praying to God - What are the consequences?

I was raised in a Catholic environment, however I'm adding more and more Dhamma in my life, currently I spend much more time with Buddhists practices than Catholics. the point is that I still keep ...
3
votes
1answer
56 views

Samatha, Vipassana, Shikantaza scientifically compared?

Is there any scientific studies that have observed through different bias the differences and similarities between those three type of meditation? For exemple difference in EEG or brain plasticity in ...
4
votes
2answers
80 views

Sleep, references to the buddha and other arhats

I have heard on various occasions that the Buddha slept very little. I was wondering if there is any theory out there that explains this. I was also looking for some specific reference in the ...
1
vote
2answers
57 views

What's the difference between Samma Sambuddho and Buddho

Both are in the nine qualities of the Buddha but I can't see a distinctive difference. Is there supposed to be a distinctive difference or are these qualities an example of repetition?
4
votes
2answers
121 views

Details when practice vipassana

i have a few question: -How far do i need to be mindfull? In the satipatthana Vipassana by mahasi, he said: "On meeting with a person in the imagination, it should be noted as "meeting, meeting", can ...
2
votes
1answer
85 views

Help locating a Jataka Tale

In this interesting take on Buddhism and modern psychology via the Jataka Tales and the DSM, is this passage: The Jathka storyteller elegantly portrays the clinical picture of a monk (in ...
5
votes
7answers
885 views

Buddhist view on letting the anger out. Any problems with that?

Many people claim they feel better, like a strong relief, after letting the anger out, so they scream at the open air or punch a sand sack. Of course I'm referring ONLY to cases where there is no ...
1
vote
3answers
62 views

Which buddhist traditions are typically viewed as most liberal? [closed]

Yes it is asking for opinions, which i will investigate further on my own. opinions would be helpful in this particular circumstance.

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