Questions tagged [lay-buddhism]
Otherwise known as the householder path, the lay buddhist path is a path for non-monastic buddhists.
179
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3answers
44 views
Suppose World War 3 occurs and manages to wipe out all humans and animals. Is the cycle of death and rebirth broken?
Or will human beings be magically reborn again in order to continue their journey to Nirvana?
3
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5answers
96 views
Conciousness in Buddhism and Advaita Vedanta
I would be happy if someone could clear up a doubt for me.
When Advaita talk about consciousness without boundaries it is said to be the "Self". It is described as combining being and knowing in one ...
2
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4answers
132 views
Mahayana - Advaita - Theravada realisations
Mahayana claims that the realisation of Nirvana in Theravada is dual while Mahayana is non dual.
I have read that Advaita (the universal consciousness theory) is the same as Mahayana.
Does that mean ...
0
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4answers
123 views
Is there any source saying that Buddhists can temporarily form relationship to help people?
There are many good answers in the question Would Buddhists help non-Buddhists continuing their attachments?. I'll summarize some of the points here:
Buddhism only teaches that things don't last, not ...
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6answers
1k views
Would Buddhists help non-Buddhists continuing their attachments?
Let's take 2 examples:
A Buddhist notices a crying girl. After asking it turns out that she lost her mother, and don't know where to find her
Alice and Bob has a complicated relationship. Bob wants ...
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3answers
53 views
Someone making sacrifices outside the Sangha of Savakas, can such be expected as follower?
If people, maintaining a Buddhist identity, are good, they do what ever sacrifices of which they expect benefit or where they feel touched.
Now, when a person gives outside the Savaka-Sangha, outside ...
3
votes
2answers
80 views
Compassion and Motivation
I wondered today whether compassion is an antidote to a kind of lack of motivation, given that it remedies fear in the suttas, and often approach and avoidance are seen as opposite (e.g. fight or ...
1
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3answers
91 views
Buddhism and Novelty of Persons
I realized that, when I meet new people and especially people I have a romantic interest in, to value and idealize them disproportionately. This seems very ingrained in my personality. Here, cemetery ...
3
votes
1answer
61 views
Are the bodhisattva vows better suited to the lay side of Buddhism?
As a practical observation, if one were staying below arhat for the initial aeons, could monastic living limit the efficacy of a bodhisattva? Since that goal heavily rests on seclusion, and both the ...
0
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2answers
88 views
What could go wrong if one misconstrue Buddhism with nihilism?
I see that Buddhism is absolutely not nihilism, but I wonder what could go wrong if one misconstrue one with another. This is especially true with people with psychological issues, because they have ...
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1answer
70 views
Ex-monk reliable Teacher?
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 ...
4
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3answers
151 views
Why is “idle speech” one of the ten unwholesome actions?
According to the Suttas, "idle speech" is one of the ten unwholesome actions which generate bad karma. I understand why the other nine unwholesome actions would generate bad karma, but I have a lot of ...
7
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3answers
267 views
Moderation in meditation for lay people
Vipassana-style meditation has been adapted to treat patients to prevent recurrence of depression and anxiety through MBCT, and to treat chronic pain and stress through MBSR. More info on this can ...
0
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4answers
94 views
Noble Eightfold Path - applicable by lay practitioners?
To my understanding, the 8 factors are of course something that require cultivation (practise/training). However, noble right view, for example, is an experiential part, and not an intellectual one.
...
2
votes
4answers
100 views
What Buddhist babies' names or meaning should be?
My relatives ask me to suggest good names that must be Buddhist.
I tried on internet but there are from other culture I want Indian names so what names or meaning should be?
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1answer
65 views
Is it a sin to organize liqour & meat on cutomer request as a prt of my job?
I'm interested in Event planning & if I take up that job I'll have to make necessary arrangements for liqour & meat to be served at events upon client request.
I'd like to know if that is ...
4
votes
3answers
133 views
When to let things let go and when to fight for them?
I find myself in conflict with the Buddhist idea of letting go.
If someone insults you, is rude to you, insults a loved one, harrases you or a loved one and so on. According to Buddhism, we should ...
3
votes
4answers
164 views
Samatha Meditation
This summer I got the chance to spend 20 days at Pa-Auk Tawya forest meditation center in Myanamar and I did Anapana-Sati for 20 days. Now I'm back at my university but when I look back I see than ...
3
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3answers
329 views
Did the Buddha teach the four noble truths to laypeople?
Sometimes I see comments like, "the Buddha never taught the four noble truths to laypeople".
Is that so?
If so, why didn't he?
Aren't the 4NT the best, most succinct and most helpful, part of the ...
3
votes
3answers
77 views
What to do when music gets played in the mind
I get the idea of recognizing mind states .Knowing their existence separates them from self but sometimes .I get this addictive Music like a recording in my mind that constantly restarts diverting my ...
5
votes
3answers
90 views
A noobs balance. Where to go on my journey?
I’ll keep this short and sweet. Recently I’ve been pondering the idea of becoming a professor of Eastern Religions, particularly Buddhism. I can’t put my finger on it exactly, but something about ...
6
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2answers
83 views
What is a skillful way to meditate in the midst of a migraine headache?
When the Bod-hisattva Quan the Am, who has been such a source of
inspiration of peace workers in Viet- nam, saw into the reality of the
five aggregates giving rise to emptiness of self, she was ...
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3answers
114 views
Can a girl & a boy be friends
I didn't use to have much boys as friends but with time I made several boy friends from which some were really close. I want to know what has Lord Buddha chanted about a girl & a boy being friends?...
3
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4answers
176 views
Are there any recollections of past lives in the more grievous realms?
While "animal" past lives seem to get a fair amount of attention I can't seem to find any about people recalling being in the hell realm or that of hungry ghosts. Aside from Mahamogallana's ...
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3answers
183 views
Buddhism on vasthu shastra
Vastu shastra (vāstu śāstra) is "a traditional Hindu system of architecture".
Did Lord Buddha debunk vasthu shastra? If not, what are some teachings made by Lord Buddha on the same? If Buddhism does ...
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10answers
6k views
What is the best strategy to confront Non-Buddhist ideology?
I am sure everybody in this world thinks that 'my religion is the only true religion' etc and its variables. As we live in a diverse society, in today's age of information we invariably bump into ...
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8answers
5k views
As a Buddhist how do I get over hatred towards my previous religion?
I am filled with genuine hatred towards my previous religion. My hatred is not directed towards other religions it's just towards my past. And this constantly bubbles up during meditation.
I don't ...
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votes
5answers
209 views
Need some pointers about the current phase
I know this is a big letter but it is important. Would really appreciate your help.
My spiritual path very much goes along with my career.
I knew since my school days that I never wanted to be part ...
0
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1answer
118 views
Buddhist views on transgender issues [duplicate]
The Buddha or the scriptures do not state specifically if an individual being a transgender is right or wrong. So how would a Buddhist interpret this in a modern light and why?
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4answers
120 views
The “awakened” outside of a monastic/retreat setting?
Most people cannot live in the secluded setting of a monastery or retreat. Some Buddhist traditions nonetheless affirm that laypeople can become enlightened. Are there (inspiring) examples of such ...
2
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5answers
551 views
Is samatha meditation more suited to lay people than vipassana?
Does the Piti Sutta imply that it is better for lay people to start with cultivation of jhana through samatha meditation, instead of starting with vipassana meditation?
Also, the use of the term "...
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6answers
702 views
Conscience in Buddhism
Conscience is described as being the moral sense in which an individual makes decisions. Do Buddhists believe there is a conscience? If so how is it defined
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2answers
240 views
Importance of making and sharing merit
What are the benefits of transferring karmic fruitfulness and how is this done by Buddhists?
4
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9answers
293 views
How to mitigate the negative karmic effect of killing
I'm a graduate student studying plant-insect interactions. My research, necessary for my degree, requires me to collect (kill) a few hundred insects. Are there any suttas, or general Buddhist ...
1
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1answer
38 views
Is there any online serious community of Dhamma practitioners to join?
Not counting this site are there any communities where I can talk about the Dhamma with serious lay practitioners in facebook? Most of the groups I have been have been riddled with really toxic and ...
4
votes
5answers
113 views
Spiritualism VS layman's path
I have followed the Dharma for the last ten+ years, and have been married for thirty. l have reached a stage where my progression is noticeably obstructed by the Layman's world. I've talked to my ...
0
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1answer
38 views
What are the requirements in order to happen a complete sin?
Imagine someone perform an action. What are the requirements should be completed for it to be a complete sin?
Explain it by using killing an animal as an exaple
2
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4answers
217 views
Do Buddhists believe Buddha to be God? Do Buddhists practice idolatry?
I have seen Buddhists worship Gautam Buddha, a great personality, a great philosopher, a great social reformer and spiritual master, with incense and candles. They would offer flower to his idol made ...
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votes
2answers
78 views
Can a buddha communicate with someone in far away places?
Buddha says that he hears some god having foolish thought. I think it's the story of Bakka Brahma.
He "transfer" himself to the god's presence and lectures. And his disciples too.
That seems like ...
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1answer
55 views
How to increase my potential in daimoku?
What if i cant chaant on a regular basis ? I want to increase my number of hours and i don't understand how to do it ?
2
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4answers
465 views
Did the Buddha teach meditation to lay people?
During his lifetime, did the Buddha teach meditation to lay people, or did he teach meditation only to monks?
Are there any references to this in the Pali Canon or commentaries?
It's clear that all ...
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2answers
226 views
Going forth into homelessness [closed]
I am considering how to leaving home life as i would like to train Buddhism.
Does anybody know about garbage dumps with lax visa policy?
Garbage is easy to get, like discarded rags. I do not see ...
2
votes
2answers
80 views
Where and what to study - Buddhist compassion and business communication
I have a background in business studies and communication. I believe that what the Buddha taught about how we should communicate with each other compassionately can change the business world. I want ...
3
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2answers
90 views
What else do people who have realized Nirvāṇa do besides teach?
There are numerous references in Buddhist literature to men and women living ordinary, normal family lives who successfully practised what the Buddha taught, and realized Nirvāṇa.
--What the Buddha ...
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5answers
148 views
How does one know the difference between aversion and danger?
How does a Buddhist know when to tolerate a situation, and when to exit a situation? For example, a lay Buddhist in an abusive relationship: is it correct to accept the abuse, or avoid it?
Disclaimer:...
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3answers
92 views
Why don't animals(animal realm) commit suicide?
We all know that suicide has been totally refused in Buddhism as unwholesome act.
suicide can be observed in human realm but why not in animal realm?
1
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1answer
74 views
How to exercise goodwill in social circle?
Knowing that people in our social circle are not versed in the Dhamma, they seek gratification through the sense spheres (sensuality).
For example, most people like to be praised and engage in idly ...
1
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6answers
95 views
Leave pain while enjoying life?
I'm really interested in Buddhism, but I have a hard time motivating myself to follow the five precepts. I don't particularly want to stop eating meat, let alone stop drinking and/or smoking.
Can I ...
3
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4answers
433 views
Permission of your parents in your renunciation
I have thought about this since a long time, and now I am ready for renunciation, accept teachings and practise Buddhism in a monastery. I told my parents about these future plans. They said they were ...
3
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6answers
428 views
Questions of Faith
Which sects or schools of Buddhism make the least reference to reincarnation and memories of past lives ?, also the least likely to talk about deities ? Which texts are the most accurate records of ...
