Questions tagged [theravada]
The oldest of the two big branches in Buddhism. Theravada tries to follow the original teachings of Gautama Buddha as closely as possible
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Complex lifestyle and leads us to get on the correct path
Today, we are living in very complex world. Various lifestyles inspire us greatly. So as being a modern layperson, it is difficult to know good karma and bad one. How would I will be on good path and ...
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170 views
Can someone be literally reborn in lower realms due to unskillful thoughts and emotions?
I often wonder myself if the buddhist teachings says that realms are mental states, realities based on external conditions or a combination of the two. Why is that? For example:
"There's the ...
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66 views
If the chain of dependent origination (Pratītyasamutpāda) ends, then isn't the last part independent?
Dependent Origin or Pratītyasamutpāda is defined as
It states that all dharmas (phenomena) arise in dependence upon other
dharmas
And then there are these 12 causes one after another, each depending ...
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49 views
Does the dependent origination leads to becoming? If so, will then the reversal of the same i.e Dependent cessation brings the cessation of becoming?
Buddha talks of becoming have a cause, is dependent on something other. Like Lamp's flame and light, shadow and real object, The sun and it's aura, object and mirage.
The dependent origination ...
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147 views
How difficult is it to be a foreign monk in Asia?
I wonder about the practicalities of being a foreign monk in Asia, especially Theravada-majority countries.
In particular;
About the Visa arrangements, can this at all be handled without much stress ...
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76 views
I am trying to find the correlation between theravada jhana, rupa/arupa and the 9 levels of calm abiding in tibetan buddhism
Title really.
I am reading the tibetan lamrim version of the 9 mental abiding and trying to correlate it to the theravada 8 jhanas, I can't seem to find which jhana/abiding is which in regards to the ...
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95 views
Why did Sakka steal the Visuddhimagga three times?
Why did Sakka steal the Visuddhimagga three times according to the legend -- was it because Visuddhimagga erroneously stated that it couldn't be done by a sotapanna??
Quoting from the Introduction to ...
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83 views
What is the difference between Theravada "papanca" with regard to objects and Mahayana "selflessness of phenomena"?
In a previous question I asked whether the Theravada posits the selflessness of phenomena?
Where the best answer I understood to essentially state that it does not. At least, it did sound like there ...
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4answers
182 views
After right concentration, how does right view change?
After right concentration, how does right view change?
Do you become completely convinced by right view, or was that already the case? Is right view in some other sense more pervasive? Or is it just ...
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65 views
Questions Regarding Venerable Ānanda's Overview of Meditation
I SUGGEST & REQUEST THAT YOU READ DN 10 (LINKED) BEFORE READING AND/OR ANSWERING THIS POST.
After contemplating DN 10, several questions have arisen in me pertaining to the clarification of the ...
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149 views
What were the Original Methods of Meditation and their Instructions as Expounded by the Buddha?
In Theravada, I know there is union in understanding that the Buddha taught two types of meditation: vipassana (insight) meditation and samatha (tranquility) meditation. However, I have come across ...
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108 views
Is Anagarika procedure a necessity in Thai Forest Tradition?
I wonder if the Anagarika period is always a pre-requisite to samanera & bhikkhu ordinations in this TFT tradition?
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1answer
49 views
Who was Anuruddha's father?
In the Pali commentaries, there is a contradiction regarding the name of Thera Anuruddha's father. Somewhere he is said to be the son of Sukkodana, and somewhere of Amitodana. Both Sukkodana and ...
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88 views
Different types of vipassana meditation?
I am interested in vipassana meditation.
What are the different types of vipassana meditation?
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4answers
184 views
Why Become Buddhist?
I am interested in Theravada Buddhism.
What are some concrete reasons as to why one should become a Buddhist?
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3answers
106 views
How do we perceive pitch-dark?
According to Abhidhamma, following four conditions must be satisfied for the arising of eye-consciousness.
Eye-door should be good
Visible object must be present
Light must be present
Attention must ...
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2answers
56 views
What are the prescription regarding a bhikkhu or a monastery having a lay-attendant?
I am curious about vinaya regulations & accounts otherwise relevant to a householder's attending to the bhikkhusangha.
Of interest are lay attendants in particular, how far one can go in being ...
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2answers
96 views
Are there stories in the suttas of people experiencing the fruits of their karma in their lifetimes?
In my reading of the suttas in the Pali canon, I've only found one story that's an example of someone experiencing the results of deeds committed in the life they are currently living, in that same ...
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334 views
Is kasina meditation based on the suttas or was it invented in the Visuddhimagga?
Is kasina meditation and other such meditation techniques not found in the suttas (i.e. not taught by the Buddha) and only invented in the Visuddhimagga?
Or does it have basis in the Pali suttas?
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1answer
332 views
Was Sariputta alive during the time of Buddha's death?
I have found two Suttas and I am a bit confused about Sariputta's death.
In DN 16, there is a part about Sariputta being alive at the time of Buddha's death. (look at 4. Sāriputta’s Lion’s Roar in DN ...
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144 views
What is the meaning of the word 'Emptiness' as it was used in the oldest texts?
Want references/excerpts and inference pertaining to the references & etymology for the designation[s] of "Emptiness" as it is used in the Pali Sutta.
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How can the Buddha (after he was enlightened) reflect that he was not at ease and then became at ease in seclusion?
This is from the Theravada Vinaya:
While he was staying by himself, the Buddha thought, “When I was
previously surrounded by people, I was not at ease because of those
monks at Kosambī who were ...
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3answers
322 views
The Buddha spoke to many individuals. Did the Buddha ever tell an individual who did not believe in rebirth, that they must in order to be liberated?
I have yet to read the entire Pali canon, but I've read a lot of it. It is a source I trust is fairly accurate. I'm still looking for an anecdote from the Buddha's life where he tells a non-believer ...
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87 views
Was Devadaha a Sakyan town and were the Buddha's maternal relatives Sakyans?
In the literature we generally read that the Koliya clan, a neighbouring clan of the Sakyans, had two capitals - Devadaha and Ramagama. Moreover, the Buddha's mother Mayadevi and foster mother ...
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167 views
How should Buddhism be introduced to a country?
What has historical precedent to teach and what is your opinion?
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3answers
179 views
Why did the Buddha not answer Vacchagotta (SN 44.10), but did answer the monks (MN 140)?
It has been said that the reason the Buddha did not answer Vacchagotta was because the discussion was not about the doctrine & terminology of the Buddha, but rather about the illogical doctrine of ...
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96 views
What did the Buddha mean in MN 140 about what happened to clansman Pukkusāti after a cow killed him?
Bhikkhu, ‘I am’ is a conceiving; ‘I am this’ is a conceiving; ‘I shall
be’ is a conceiving; ‘I shall not be’ is a conceiving; ‘I shall be
possessed of form’ is a conceiving; ‘I shall be formless’ is a
...
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51 views
What is the real meaning of the Pali-word adukkhamasukham in the Mahasatipatthana-Sutta?
In the Mahasatipatthana-Sutta are mentioned three kinds of sensations: pleasant sensations (dukkha vedana); unpleasant sensations (sukha vedana) and adukkhamasukha vedana.
What is the meaning of ...
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129 views
After the Buddha's enlightenment, did he receive any teachings?
There's not much background to this question. Did the Buddha ever receive a teaching after his enlightenment; a teaching that he accepted and made use of, either his own or another - or perhaps a ...
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66 views
What is the origin or history of the concept of 'Buddha Sasana"?
There is some information here at wikipedia
I am curious to know if that came from Buddha himself or mentioned in any suttas. The 'sasana' concepts restricts appearence of solitary buddhas or ...
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193 views
What is (re)born? Did the Buddha explicitly state that it is "the mental idea of the self" that is reborn?
It's been asserted by some knowledgeable individuals that the Buddha explicitly identified "the mental idea of the self" as what is (re)born in samsara and has done so in suttas spelling out ...
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220 views
How does an enlightened mind distinguish itself from all other phenomena?
How does an enlightened mind distinguish itself from all other phenomena?
There is one such person amidst a crowd of other people. Somebody shouts their name, and they say, "yes, that is I. I am ...
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135 views
Is it ok to watch a media that promote homosexuality?
this is my first post
I have researched what the buddhist sutra says about Homosexuality...I found Saddhama Smrty Uposttana sutra and Upasakasila sutra that said homosexuality is sexual misconduct and ...
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44 views
Can a lay person observe the ten precepts on uposatha days?
Can a lay person observe the ten precepts on uposatha days? I ask this because I want to observe the eight precepts on uposatha days and I don’t need to use money on those days anyway so I might as ...
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219 views
What did the Buddha mean in AN 5.38 with the fifth benefit to a person of faith?
What did the Buddha mean in AN 5.38. when he said:
“Mendicants, a faithful gentleman gets five benefits. What five?
The good persons in the world show compassion first to the faithful, not so much to ...
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78 views
Your mind accusing you
How do I deal with my mind accusing me of something I’m not doing?
For example, if you are walking, and your mind tells you that you are killing insects or bacteria, how do you deal with it?
Or
For ...
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198 views
The five incurable actions
"There are these five inhabitants of the states of deprivation, inhabitants of hell, who are in agony & incurable. Which five? One who has killed his/her mother, one who has killed his/her ...
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3answers
250 views
Is it bad karma if you say something that turns out to be false?
In DN 27, the Buddha said that the Brahmins make bad karma for speaking falsely.
“Actually, Vāseṭṭha, the brahmins are forgetting their tradition when they say this to you. For brahmin women are seen ...
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4answers
135 views
Did the Buddha break his promise?
In MN 138, the Buddha said this:
The Blessed One said: "Monks, I will teach you a statement & its analysis. Listen & pay close attention. I will speak."
"As you say, lord,"...
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Does karma have effects, only if they are done physically? Or also mentally? [duplicate]
I know Theravada Buddhism has 5 precepts:
killing other beings
stealing, or taking by force what is not given
no sexual relations other than your married soulmate
lying and incorrect speech
consuming ...
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1answer
37 views
What are the things to do get large amount of merits? [duplicate]
I'm new to this forum.
What are the most merit receiving things in Buddhism?
I already know donating or charity is a good way to earn much merits.
What are the other ways to earn merits?
Thank you.
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Vajrayana, Mahayana, Theravada, "Magic", Using breath control as an anchor to meditation? Where are the boundaries of Bhuddism that merit down votes?
Let us rock the boat for a moment, in intellectual detached discourse, free of the emotions, if this is possible?
My question:
Is this a group tailored and friendly only to Theravada /Pali Canon?
Are ...
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185 views
Dwelling Upon Seeming Levels of Emptiness?
Note: the term sunyata here is being used from the Mahayana context.
Not too long ago, I asked this question about concentration and openness where I suggested that concentration was a hindrance to my ...
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78 views
Madhyamaka, theravada and mahayana [duplicate]
Why is Mahayana Buddhism not a form of solipsism (epistemological, methodological, metaphysical) if the first school of Mahayana Buddhism was the Madhyamaka school from which then yogachara originated,...
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Why is Buddhism not solipsism? [duplicate]
Why Buddhism Is Not Solipsism (Methodological, Epistemological, or Metaphysical) I read on the Internet that Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism are all forms of solipsism. But that's not true, right? ...
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The Various Theravada Traditions
What are the various specific traditions in Theravada Buddhism?
If you could please describe, compare, and contrast each of them
that would be greatly appreciated.
May you be well.
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2answers
146 views
Is it bad karma if you are waiting for someone to die?
I was just wondering if it’s bad karma if you were just waiting for someone to die? For example, let’s say you asked your parents for permission to become a monk but they declined so you decided to ...
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322 views
So what is a Buddhist and what makes a person a Buddhist?
In brief Devadatta was Buddha's cousin and a monk. He could fly, tried to kill the Buddha, did many bad things and went to hell.
Devadatta did not understand dependent origination correctly; essence ...
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105 views
Understanding Rūparāgo and Arūparāgo
In the Theravada tradition, the fetters model makes reference to rūparāgo and arūparāgo found in the higher fetters.
I've never been a jhana follower, but I can clearly recognise that the rupa jhanas ...
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866 views
Vaccination, Ethics and Morals
During the present times, there is an excessive need to vaccinate people, but what I have noticed is that when one wishes to scrutinize this action, when one wants to ask viable, pertinent and ...