Questions tagged [the-buddha]
For questions about the Buddha (Siddartha Gautama) as a person - his life, sayings, actions, etc.
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What do “Buddhist” in modern world do on the highest fest-day in the year?
Not only as a reminder of Vesaka Puja, birth-, awakening- and day of depart of the Sublime Buddha:
What to "Buddhists" do on this great day to be reminded on the lineage of goodness, having nourished ...
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2answers
81 views
Clarification on a different notion of Prince Rahula's parentage said to be in Mahayana buddhism
If we refer to Buddhist literature there are several versions of the same story. It differs between the branches Theravada and Mahayana and even within one branch the interpretation varies.
Recently ...
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3answers
66 views
Does skillful means include meditation?
I've tried a few different Buddhist groups and they are quite prescriptive when it comes to meditation practices. They have their own system and everyone does it. But the Buddha used skillful means ...
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3answers
98 views
How do you pray correctly in Buddhism?
I have been calling myself a Buddhist for as long as I can remember, but I have never done it right. I notice that my mom would chant the mantras from the book, while usually I would just say anything ...
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4answers
168 views
Why does the Buddha blame Ananda asking him to remain living forever?
in the Digha Nikaya 16 The Buddhas Final Nibbhana , the Buddha blames Ananda for not requesting that the Buddha live for aeons, three times. he had only asked him twice. Why does the Buddha blame ...
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2answers
90 views
Lovingkindness and Compassion of the Buddha?
In an effort to understand the concept of lovingkindness it would help me to see how the Buddha explicitly described lovingkindness and specific acts of his unconditional compassion. I've heard from ...
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1answer
86 views
Caste of Sujātā
What was the caste of Sujātā, the woman who offered the Buddha a bowl of rice milk? I am trying to check a reference to her as a Brahman. She is described as a milkmaid, daughter of a landowner.
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4answers
372 views
What is the ultimate goal of Buddhism? Is it nirvana?
What is the ultimate goal of Buddhism? Why should a person practice Buddhism, what will it provide to him? Various religions have various goals. For example, the ultimate goal in Christianity is ...
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1answer
78 views
I'm trying to find a specific sutta I think
I remember there being a passage where a monk says to Buddha that he thinks the Sangha is at least 50 percent of the teaching and Buddha says something along the lines of 'it's all of it'. Can anyone ...
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3answers
100 views
Who was the Buddha's teacher?
When Asita muni had told to King Shuddhodhana that
" If he
becomes a householder, he will become a universal monarch.
But if he goes forth from the home to a homeless life, he will become a ...
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4answers
120 views
Is the arising of Buddhas a cosmological evolutionary occurrence?
...if not, then who or what is governing these occurrences?
In the Diamond Sutta (see excerpt below) Buddha mentions the previous Buddha as being called Dīpankara Buddha possibly existing around ten ...
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1answer
76 views
“Take joy! I am your guarantor for getting 500 dove-footed nymphs.”
The Nanda sutta seems contrary to what the Buddha teaches with regard to sensual desire. Therefore, I don't understand how this was a wise approach in the case of Nanda even though Nanda acquired ...
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2answers
69 views
Why wasn't the Buddha a solipsist?
Don't get me wrong, I'm not asking because I consider myself a great person etc., Chakravartin, but why didn't the Buddha take solipsism seriously, perhaps before his complete enlightenment? If he's ...
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4answers
92 views
Did Gautama Buddha endorse the caste system?
Did Gautama Buddha endorse the caste system?
Buddhism: An Atheistic and Anti-Caste Religion?
Modern Ideology and Historical Reality of the Ancient Indian Bauddha Dharma
by Edmun Weber
Hans ...
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2answers
106 views
Why are exceptionally tall statues of the Buddha and Guanyin built?
When I read this article on the tallest statues in the world, I was struct by how many of them were of important Buddhist figures: of the fifteen tallest statues six are of Guanyin (Kannon/...
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1answer
58 views
The Buddha and the Jhanas
This is a continuation of an original question I asked, linked here: Buddhist Jhanas, how best to describe them?
My question is: can any of you link me directly to the instances in primary sources (...
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6answers
191 views
Is there any God or Satan in Buddhism? Is there any heaven or hell in Buddhism?
Every religion has a God and Satan, heaven and hell. Religion by definition means deification of a Supreme Being or worship of any deity. Monotheistic religions, like Islam and Christianity, have a ...
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5answers
112 views
What are The Buddha's most compassionate acts?
Source could be from sutras or anything else. Thank you.
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1answer
73 views
Did the Buddha believe in the existence of soul? [duplicate]
Did Gautama Buddha believe in the existence of soul in human body? If not, why?
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5answers
118 views
Buddha's self-declaration without identity view and without conceit
In this question, the OP asked:
In the context of the four stages of enlightenment would it be right
to say that, without identity-view, there's no such thing as an
"enlightened person": ...
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5answers
242 views
Ignorance and the root of suffering?
Searching the Pali Canon for the "root of suffering", we find the direct definition only occurs in a few suttas:
delight is the root of suffering (MN1)
attachment is the root of suffering (MN105, ...
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1answer
225 views
Did the Buddha believe in rebirth and reincarnation? [duplicate]
The Buddha didn't believe in a Supreme Being, or a universal soul. The Buddha didn't even believe in a soul. Then how could he preach rebirth and reincarnation when he didn't even believe in a soul? ...
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2answers
121 views
How to refute the claim that the Buddha was an “avatar” of Vishnu? [closed]
We as Buddhists know that Gautama Buddha didn't believe in a Supreme Being or an universal soul. We also know that the Buddha criticised the Vedic/Astik shastras, rejected the Vedic religion and the ...
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4answers
236 views
How do I refute the claim that the Buddha was actually preaching Vedanta?
Some people are obsessed with making a great personality and revolutionary like the Buddha a follower of their own faith by making baseless, historically inaccurate and factually incorrect claims. One ...
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5answers
302 views
What is the opinion of Buddhism on the caste system and untouchability of Hinduism?
The Varnashrama dharma (caste system) is the backbone of Brahminism (Hinduism), untouchability is a part of that social order. We all know that Gautama Buddha was against Varnashrama dharma, and ...
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2answers
129 views
Was Gautama Buddha's wife Yesodhara in any way instrumental in Him becoming a Buddha?
Considering the story we know about the life of Buddha as Siddhartha and also considering that Yesodhara was Buddha's partner in His many previous lives, can we say that Yesodhara was somehow ...
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4answers
145 views
How did the Buddha subdue fear and terror while standing, sitting, etc.?
The Bhaya Bherava Sutta (MN4) states the following:
...I stayed in the sort of places that are awe-inspiring and make your hair stand on end, such as park-shrines, forest-shrines, & tree-...
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2answers
66 views
From which text is the quote by Buddha “My practice is the nonpractice, the attainment of nonattainment” taken?
I was reading an article on Tricycle written by Thich Nhat Hanh, in which he quotes Buddha as follows:
“My practice is the nonpractice, the attainment of nonattainment.”
From which text is this ...
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1answer
113 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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6answers
229 views
Why does the Buddha, in the Pali Canon, periodically engage in harsh speech?
Throughout the Pali Canon you can find instances where the Buddha appears to engage in harsh speech that seems to be contrary to the noble eighfold path. There are several important points/...
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6answers
662 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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3answers
736 views
What is the fastest way to reach enlightenment?
I am asking for reference request and sutras where a person can cut through samsara quickly and obtain liberation.
I have heard a story when Buddha was asked this question and he replied "Sound". ...
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3answers
205 views
Buddha's past lives in the Pali Suttas outside of Jataka
According to this answer for the question "Does Theravada Buddhism accept Jataka Stories?":
The Theravada accepts the Jataka stories as commentarial literature;
they are not canonical, but are ...
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1answer
154 views
What Nichiren Buddhism says about rebirth and reincarnation?
What is the view of Nichirenism/ Nichiren Buddhism on rebirth and reincarnation? What was the opinion of Nichiren on rebirth and reincarnation? What was the opinion of Gautama Buddha on rebirth and ...
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2answers
202 views
Importance of making and sharing merit
What are the benefits of transferring karmic fruitfulness and how is this done by Buddhists?
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3answers
148 views
What is opinion of Nichiren Buddhism on the concept of a Creator or Supreme Being?
What is the opinion of Nichiren Buddhism on the concept of a Creator or Supreme Being?
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3answers
245 views
Buddhism and miracles
Do all Buddhists believe that miracles happen in the real world? Are the miracles described in scripture such as the Buddha being able to walk after birth literal or symbolic?
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3answers
79 views
Is there a difference between the 32 physical characteristics and the the 32 physical marks?
Why does the Buddha ask the same question twice, and why does Subhuti answer it two different ways? In Diamond Sutra Chapter 13
“Subhuti, what do you think? Can the Buddha be perceived by means of
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1answer
38 views
What is real meanning of Prathipathi poojawa?
I know best poojawa is prathipathi poojawa. Does it mean follow the Lord Buddha's instructions? However what is a depth meaning of it? And how can I achieve it?
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1answer
115 views
Was the Buddha a vegetarian?
Was Sakyamuni Buddha a vegetarian? I've heard that he ate some pork and got poisoned by it when he died? Yet the precepts say that he was vegetarian.
Which one is correct?
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4answers
292 views
Can Buddha be insulted by disrespect? [closed]
I found a video about Leshan Giant Buddha and was watching it with my family. In that video some workers were cleaning the statue's head while walking on it (it is a giant statue) - and my family ...
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0answers
43 views
Do transformation bodies appear before a buddha reaches enlightenment?
Do transformation bodies appear before a buddha reaches enlightenment?
So that the many bodies of Shakyamuni that the fan Wang ching (Sutra of Brahmas net) claims Vairocana manifests may have ...
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1answer
231 views
Do we believe psychic and supernatural powers of Buddha?
I have read from scriptures about psychic and supernatural powers of Buddha and arahats: for example, just after birth the Buddha walked some steps on lotus flowers, elevated during meditation in his ...
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5answers
110 views
Assuming empathy is a worldly thing (which i believe it is), why does/would a buddha try to help others find the way?
I've always believed that empathy/feeling for others is a biological feature of evolution in social animals. So, why does/would an enlightened being go to lengths to help others reach enlightenment?
...
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4answers
417 views
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2answers
158 views
How come Devdutta is also Buddha's brother-in-law?
In this wiki article it says Devdutta is his Brother in law but how?
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2answers
98 views
Why do we still don't know exact birth & date year of the Buddha?
I just want to know:
1)Why do we still don't know exact birth & date year of the Buddha?
2)What are the factors that is limiting in knowing Buddha's birth & death year?
3)Why many people/...
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6answers
427 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 ...
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2answers
317 views
Why did Buddha passed away in fourth Jhana?
I just wonder why Buddha attain Parinibbana in fourth Jhana.
Why not first or say second Jhana?
Maha-parinibbana Sutta: The Great Discourse on the Total Unbinding
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1answer
65 views
Is there a canonical reference for the story about the war between the Buddha's relatives?
I've been looking for a reference for the story of the conflict between Kosalan king Vidubhara and the Sakyans, that the Buddha tried to stop. There are several versions of this on the web, but none ...
