Questions tagged [the-buddha]
For questions about the Buddha (Siddartha Gautama) as a person - his life, sayings, actions, etc.
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14answers
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Can the Buddha ever be a woman?
Is it true that the Buddha will never be a woman? If so, why is this?
To be specific, I am particularly asking whether or not the Buddha itself can be female. I am not asking whether a woman can ...
9
votes
4answers
813 views
Why is the Buddha described as trackless?
In the Dhammapada, within the Buddhavagga section, the Buddha is described as being trackless.
By what track can you trace that trackless Buddha of limitless range,
whose victory nothing can undo,...
13
votes
10answers
4k views
Does God exist in Buddhism?
I'm new to this site. So I'd like to ask a question about God.
Do Buddhists believe in the existence of a God?
Does Lord Buddha mention anything about this?
3
votes
3answers
526 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 believer/theorist/...
0
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2answers
376 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 ...
3
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1answer
2k views
Did the Buddha give any advice on how to manage economy?
I was wondering if the Buddha did give any advice on how to manage personal economics?
I assume that the advice would be the middle way as applied to everything else in Buddhism. To stay away from ...
5
votes
2answers
2k views
Buddha meditation under the bodhi tree
Buddha meditated for days under the bodhi tree. Does it mean he sat and did not move for days? Or does it mean he did normal things (like drinking water, urinating etc), but in a total meditative ...
4
votes
5answers
484 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, ...
2
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5answers
4k views
Why the Buddha abandoned asceticism
It is commonly known that the Buddha decided that asceticism does not lead to enlightenment, but less common is the reason why given. From Ajahn Brahm's book Mindfulness, Bliss, and Beyond, it appears ...
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12answers
5k views
How do you tell a 4-year-old who the Buddha was?
I'm in the process of organising a family day at my Local Buddhist Centre. I'll be taking my 4-year-old daughter with me and she will once again ask me who is the Buddha? Previously I have always ...
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15answers
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Why do Buddhists believe there is no creator?
Why do Buddhists believe there is no creator?
Do Buddhists in general also believe there is no supreme being, or do they settle on that there is no intervening supreme being?
Are these the Buddha's ...
3
votes
4answers
598 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 ...
2
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4answers
577 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?
2
votes
1answer
369 views
Where is the description of the vow and the Bodhi tree?
There's a famous story that, eventually, the Buddha vowed not to move until he gained enlightenment.
The story can be found for example here:
Still seeking a way to understand the meaning of life, ...
8
votes
3answers
1k views
Did the Buddha Meditate?
This may come off as a very strange question. From small days I have been taught Buddhism, not in the way it should have been, but in a way which took most stories and teachings for granted. Those ...
6
votes
4answers
3k views
Why did physical representations of the Buddha only start to appear a few centuries after his death?
Prior to around the 1st century CE, Buddhist art tended not to depict the Buddha himself, instead preferring to depict relics/symbols of the Buddha, such as his footprints, or the Bodhi tree. That ...
4
votes
2answers
362 views
Did the Buddha try to effect social change?
This month is Buddhist Action Month in the UK when we try to be a bit more socially engaged. To quote from the website
Despite Buddhism's reputation for stillness and withdrawal from the
world, ...
3
votes
5answers
165 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": ...
2
votes
3answers
264 views
Similarity between creation in Abrahamic religions and beginning of life in Earth mentioned Agganna Sutta?
I was recently listening to a sermon on Agganna Sutta that was on Youtube. I will share my thoughts and questions on the Agganna sutta in a different post. Let me share few passages first and then get ...
4
votes
6answers
1k views
Is there such a thing as craving for enlightenment and would it be unwholesome?
I was wondering if for example an obsession or craving that someone has for attaining Nirvana would be considered something unwholesome. On one hand it seems to me like it would, since that person ...
26
votes
6answers
16k views
Did Gautama Buddha exist?
Is there any historical third-party evidence that the Gautama Buddha actually existed?
Is there historical third-party evidence that Prince Siddhartha or the Gautama Buddha existed outside of the ...
3
votes
1answer
1k views
14 questions left unanswered
I am questioning myself and my practice of answering questions and was stopped by the following website.
http://www.berzinarchives.com/web/en/archives/sutra/level4_deepening_understanding_path/...
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8answers
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Did the Buddha ever mention the Upanishads or the Vedas?
I don't know a lot about those two, but I hear that they are full of wisdom. Since they date farther back than buddhism, I was wondering if the Buddha ever mentioned them.
What did he think of them?
...
8
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1answer
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Who is the laughing Buddha?
Given that Gautama Buddha was an ascetic until shortly before his enlightenment and several Dhammapada verses reflect a moderate attitude toward food, such as:
Verse 7: He who keeps his mind on ...
8
votes
3answers
708 views
Attainment of enlightenment without desire
The Noble Truths make us aware that the cause of suffering is desire. Isn't it a desire to become enlightened and attain Nirvana; thus, causes suffering? If you drop the desire, will it be possible to ...
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6answers
2k views
Are there examples of the Buddha showing humour in the Pali Canon?
Leading on from this question - are there any examples of the Buddha showing a sense of humour or a certain lightness in his teachings within the Pali Canon? I was once told that it is possible to ...
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votes
10answers
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Why should we worship statues of Lord Buddha?
Why should we worship Lord Buddha statues with flowers, lights and food, even when we know Lord Buddha is not alive and does not exist? Did Lord Buddha instruct us to do so or is there any other ...
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votes
3answers
1k views
Meditation for higher concentration
What kind of meditation can help one to have a higher concentration; maybe lasting for hours or days? I am a Buddhist, specifically Theravada, and I am trying to keep my mind on one thing. Buddha kept ...
3
votes
6answers
343 views
Did the Buddha leave room for the possibility of a self?
Did the Buddha teach that a self or soul (whether permanent and fixed or impermanent and changing) cannot be found, did he teach that it cannot exist, or what?
0
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2answers
215 views
Why worship Buddha?
How do Buddhists worship Buddha. What is the purpose of Buddhists in worshiping and making Buddha images?
5
votes
3answers
4k views
Why does the Buddha appear androgynous in some depictions?
In quite a few depictions of the Buddha in artwork, he appears androgynous.
Does this represent something significant in terms of a Buddhist message or ideal, or is this just an artistic style?
5
votes
5answers
637 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 ...
4
votes
2answers
175 views
What exactly were the parks that the Buddha spent time in?
Whe I read the Pali Canon the BUddha seems to spend a lot of his time in parks in various locations. Often in the suttas these 'parks' are mentioned in the introduction to the text. For instance the ...
3
votes
6answers
271 views
Shouldn't we take Lord Buddha's word above the all others?
I have seen many answers to questions referring teachings of modern teacher in this SE.
But as i have learned
Lord Buddha's understanding is above any other,even above an arahant.
Dhamma/Dharma ...
2
votes
3answers
233 views
Anti-natalist overtones in Buddhism
Buddhism has anti-natalist overtones according to the writings of Hari Singh Gour below. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antinatalism
Buddha states his propositions in the pedantic style of his age. ...
2
votes
2answers
3k views
What exactly was the difference between Alara Kalama & uddaka rāmaputta teachings?
Correct me if I am wrong.
Siddharth went to Alara Kalama, who told him to focus on his breath in order to get rid of Feelings, (Buddha achieved Alara Kalama level in 2 months), Now he told his ...
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vote
3answers
213 views
Delayed speech as right speech
I was once told a story by the abbott of a monastery about how the Buddha once decided to delay his speech and said it only when it was the right time. Paraphrasing, the story is like this -
Two ...
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vote
3answers
281 views
How to Focus consciously?
I have been trying to read while being conscious about myself or breathe but it seems impossible: I can think about only one thing at a time, and even if I do it "consciously" then I have to go ...
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vote
3answers
132 views
Is the title of tathagata ever literal?
I think it translates as e.g. "one who has thus gone".
My question is whether any historical being has ever really and in entirety "thus gone".
Perhaps in spirit, or in expression, but if e.g. ...
0
votes
4answers
646 views
The “empirical self” in Buddhism
Is it right to say that all Buddhists both do and don't believe in the "empirical self", as in the conscious mind and its concomitants?
And in order I might make sense of your answer, can the latter "...
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4answers
1k views
Can anyone explain non-self or Anatta of Buddhism in simple terms with example? [duplicate]
Recently I got to know about 'Non-Self' or Anatta term but online material was not comprehendible. Below are my questions:
1) Can anyone explain it in simple terms with example?
2) If there's no ...
4
votes
3answers
17k views
What did the Buddha teach about aliens?
What are the teachings of the Buddha about aliens or other planets that have lives?
Is this the only place that can have life or human beings?
Is it possible to be born a Buddha in some other ...
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votes
12answers
1k views
Attachment is a poison. Why is attachment to the Buddha and to Buddhist philosophy not a problem?
Attachment (aka craving or greed) is one of the Three Poisons. Why is attachment to Buddha not a poison? Perhaps it's related to the Tibetan Buddhist lojong "Don't make gods into demons"?
3
votes
1answer
154 views
To what level can be said that Buddha 'followed' the dzogchen?
The Dzogchen-tradition first appeared in the first half of the 9th century. According to tradition, the Dzogchen teachings were brought to Tibet by Padmasambhava in the late 8th and early 9th ...
2
votes
3answers
410 views
Is 'Neo' the Buddha?
In the Matrix, is Neo's character just Sidhartha in a new life? Does the movie have any implication to whether Neo is actually the Buddha? I know the movie is chalk full of notions of being Buddhist ...
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4answers
584 views
Teachings from Buddhas other than Gautama
I asked this question earlier: What "religions" did previous Buddhas practice?
Now I'm wondering if any teachings from earlier (or later) Buddhas have been passed down to our time. And if ...
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6answers
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Why the Buddha didn't originally allow ordination of women
Is it true that the Buddha didn't allow women in the Sangha? If this is true then why is that?
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2answers
501 views
What “religions” did previous Buddhas practice?
I recently found a book called "A Buddhist Bible".
In it, Buddha refers to that there have been many Buddhas before him.
If Buddha was the one to put the foundations of Buddhism, what "religions" did ...
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votes
3answers
3k views
Do monks not have responsibility towards parents and family?
In this age, getting enlightened is not sought after by many as in Buddhas era. So I assume it must be harder for parents to accept such a decision. But monks who decide to ordain also have ...
6
votes
3answers
674 views
Buddha's advice regarding meditation practice
It seems clear to me that the Buddha's only intention throughout his life (after becoming a Buddha) was to help as many people as possible to reach Nibbana. But I think he gives different meditation ...
