All Questions

In SN 12.65, we read about the cyclic relationship between consciousness and name-and-form, which has been asked in this question. However, this sutta also has the curious phrase in bold below. What ...

So I notice that I have what I consider to be intense meditation experiences as a beginner. I still consider myself as a beginner because I am not following any guidelines or books or yoga practices. ...

While even most teacher today are ex-monks (someone who rejected the refuge and went back to the lower life), isn't it clear that such a person has own problems with his faith? How could one ...

What is the duality of body and external name-and-form? What is the difference between the two? What is the relationship between the two? From the Balapandita Sutta (SN 12.19) (translated by Bhikkhu ...

In the pre-Buddhism Brahmanism philosophy, namarupa meant 'name-form' or 'naming-forms', as follows: Nāmarūpa-vyākaraṇa (Sanskrit: नामरुपव्याकरण ), in Hindu philosophy, refers to the process of ...

AN 10.61 says: Thus not associating with good persons, becoming full, fills up not hearing the good Dhamma. Not hearing the good Dhamma, becoming full, fills up lack of faith. Lack of faith, ...

I read the following ideas on the internet by Mahayana faithful: Namarupa means "name-form" - meaning "a concept of form", "an idea of form" - referring to our subjective representations of ...

Recently, Bhikkhu Sujato wrote: It is no coincidence that these elaborate texts are often addressed to the brahmins, who were the self-proclaimed spiritual leaders of the time. The brahmins ...

Surely a convention-philosophy conflicting question: One sad "There's no owner for this Dhamma." Can this be relatedto the Buddhas words as they are known from the Sublime Canon, or is it told ...

According to Buddhism, should one change oneself or change the world and why.

Aside of the trap of self-overestimating, theoretical (abhidhamma in action): When one is asked a question and brings his person, his estimate, into play, is it possible to give an answer which is ...

The first Precept is to abstain from Killing a "living being". Is there a consistent definition of Living Being that we should not kill to avoid violating the first Precept? I have heard of a ...

Starting a new StackExchange site to host Q&As about Enlightenment, Meditation practices, and experiences of Spiritual Awakening not necessarily connected with Buddhism, Hinduism, or any religion. ...

How can I tell the difference between joy bourne of karma that will expire and joy bourne of karma which has turned the irreversible wheel of the dharma?

What does this fetter really refer to? Is it clinging to rites & rituals and thinking that these practises by their own can lead to liberation OR does it refer to clinging to precepts? If it is ...

According to the traditional Buddhist dogma the fourth noble truth or eight-fold path is the way to attain Enlightenment then again some sects in Buddhism accept karma as a factor. Not knowing (gnosis)...

Just expanding on this answer is the Buddhist path one of 'selfless offering of oneself and efforts' or of 'inner kindness' i.e. kindness to oneself. Or is it both or neither. I've come across both ...

In commenting a post, I have just been introduced to the "two bundles of reeds leaning up against each other" Sutta. The comments have just been moved to chat and I hope it would be kept for awhile ...

The Sabba Sutta (SN 35.23) (trans. Thanissaro) states: The Blessed One said, "What is the All? Simply the eye & forms, ear & sounds, nose & aromas, tongue & flavors, body & ...

I have been practising Vipassana for quite a while (2 and half years). Now, I want to also dwell into the teachings of Buddha as presented in Suttas and apply those teaching in my everday life. I have ...

I'm going through a period of meditating every day which is not how I usually practice. Before I would meditate 5-6 times a week then deliberately not do more as I would seem to 'run dry' and lose my ...

If there is afterlife and sentient beings revolving around life after life in 3 different realms, and there is cosmic law that liberates all living beings and actually is eager to do so, then beings ...

I have been practicing Vipassana under the tradition of S.N Goenka for the last 2 and half year. When I scan my body and observe different sensations, I find that my mind is not clear and It's not ...

In this article, it has mentioned that; During the time of the Buddha there were two ways by which one could understand the Dhamma and realise the path to Nibbana. One is called “paratoghosa ...

Kalama Sutta is a key part of the Buddhist teaching that tells you to question everything, not to blindly follow any dogma or teacher. This is one of the features that make this religion/philosophy so ...

I am hoping for help as I’m feeling really horrible right now. I’m not a Buddhist but I have OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder) that is focussed on religion. I am sorry for such a long post but I don’...

Or is it just to maintain ones home, dwelling, without any fruits toward liberation? Given one is in debt, is it wise to seek advices by those in debts or wouln't it be smarter to ask those having ...

When the Pali suttas say that it is not the "same" bundle of psycho-physical properties that is born and dies what do they mean: do they mean that conventional desginators like "I" only refer to ...

There are the six types of consciousness (viññāṇa) based on MN 38, namely those related to the six sense media: eye, ear, nose, tongue, touch or mind. In MN 49, there was a "consciousness without ...

The doctrine of karma is all about one's own psychological attitude toward outer world and not to blame the action of others. When people try to understand samsara or rebirth as a result of action ...

It might have been from easiest cultivatable brahmavihara to the most difficult. Such that equanimity is the hardest and metta being the easiest. Is there any indication in the sutta to answer this ...

As explained here Buddhism does no belong into pantheism because God can be interpreted no as oneness but a creation of the mind as the fourth aggregate explains (eg. "an invisible man who lives in ...

If brain cease to function all phenomenon also cease to function as well. Body including brain is so vulnerable to break up and Buddha emphasized that no one should cling to this body and its function ...

I start with some quotes, to show how I got to two specific questions about Buddhism, then a question that is more philosophical and general. Batchelor's translation of Nagajuna's MMK: I bow down ...

Similarly to pop psychology, do we have the same effect for Buddhism? I have a feeling that many people subscribing to Buddhism because it seems to explain psychological phenomena that they (...

A while ago I attended a Tibetan Buddhist group. They were very nice but I just couldn't get on with the visualisation practices. I find it reasonably clear how mindfulness of breathing becomes an ...

I recall a story that goes something like this A Buddhist monk was giving a lecture on Buddhism. At the start he said 'Who hasn't yet started on the Buddhist path?' Half the audience stands. He ...

I've been searching around forums for the maximum time that is productive to do a single meditation sit. There are lots of comments around over 20 minute mark for effectiveness and sitting for the ...

I have few doubts in buddha teaching. Just wondering my mind since i start reading the various teachings. Lets assume we all achieve the enlightenment then what will happen to world? No one will ...

Supposed that respect, veneration and any kind of wisdom has gone missing; and that the Sangha has become a group of householder wearing robes; and the leaders of the Sasana are all but householders. ...

There are single freind of mine who visit brothels, due to he has no any girlfriens and also he was not handsome so its hard to him to find a gf. But not everyday but very rarely he is going to have ...

What is exactly meant by "Material rebirth lust", and how is it properly abandoned?

I've been reading up on cosmology and am curious if Lord Suyama of Yama heaven and Lord Yama as judge of the recently deceased are the same figure. The latter is often said to reside in either the ...

Thích Quảng Đức was a monk who immolated himself to protest against the repression by the Viet Cong in 1963. It was filmed how he adopted the full-lotus posture an fire was set on him. The picture ...

"Idea of reincarnation(rebirth) is due to craving for existence" I'd like to listen to your opinion about this.

I was raised in an area where the usual answer to the question of what Buddhism is was "I don't know, hippy stuff", and any religion outside Christianity was considered "the work of Satan". That said,...

There is the case where a monk is content with any old robe cloth at all. He speaks in praise of being content with any old robe cloth at all. He does not, for the sake of robe cloth, do anything ...

I've quoted below from Ratana Sutta (The Discourse on the Jewels). Ye ariyasaccāni vibhāvayanti Gambhīrapaññena sudesitāni Kiñcāpi te honti bhusappamattā Na te bhavam atthamam ādiyanti Idam ...

Avidyā and moha which can be translated as confusion or ignorance are sources of suffering. The western term for the study of reality and knowledge is called "philosophy" which an be translated from ...

The third visuddhi of the Satta Visuddhi is "ditthi visuddhi". But what is the exact meaning of it ?