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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Source of Ajahn Chah quote
I'd like to read the context for the following quote from Ajahn Chah:
I want those who train with me to see the truth, not just read the
scriptures. I want them to see if their hearts have been ...
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Do all Dhamma teachings aim us at release?
I read the statement recently that all Dhamma teachings aim to produce disenchantment, for the purpose of release / unbinding.
Any thoughts on this subject are welcome, but my question is: Which ...
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Is the Tipitaka considered infallible in Theravada Buddhism?
Would most Theravada monks consider the Tipitaka infallible?
For example, would most agree with these statements?
All Scripture is... useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in ...
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I don't understand bodhicitta
I have difficulty with the notion of bodhicitta and the concept of Boddhisattva, and the difference with the concept of Buddha. If I understand correctly, the idea is to have an altruistic intention ...
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Aren't ahirika and kukkucca contradictory defilements?
If I'm understanding correctly, kukkucca refers to the lack of guilt in the face of wrongdoing and ahirika translates to remorse or guilt. If that is the case, when someone does something bad he's ...
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Ritual in buddhism (preferably theravada) for lay people
Perhaps ritual isnt the right word but hopefully I can explain. So I am attracted to orthodox Christianity and its culture but I dont believe any of it. I like its fasting ritual many of its holidays, ...
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What is meant by awareness-release, ...?
In "The Sublime Attitudes" the word "release" appears multiple times.
What is meant by "awareness-release"?
What is meant by "release of awareness"?
Do both ...
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looking for a particular sutta
i'm after the sutta where the Buddha says something like 'you can get to know another person if you have some awareness and wisdom, but even then you must live close by and observe them in all their ...
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What is meant by "a profound knowledge of words" in dhp 352?
dhp 352
A master is one who has let go
of all craving and clinging to the world;
who has seen
the truth beyond forms,
yet is possessed of
a profound knowledge of words.
Such a great being can be said
...
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Do we have to commit sins because of another's karma
I have a big question since my childhood and everyone I asked, failed to answer. Please help me.
Imagine that there are three men A, B and C.
A kills B and commit a sin in a previous bhava. Now A have ...
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Can you break the five precepts (except for lying) if the need arises?
I have come across someone stating that you can break any of the five precepts with exception of lying if the need may arise. Is this true? In Theravada Buddhism.
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What is the last reward in AN 6:103 ("The Teacher will have been served with goodwill.")?
I'm not sure how to understand the sixth reward, or even who is rewarded. Can someone explain it?
(AN 6:103, from https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/AN/AN6_103.html, complete sutta quoted below)
“In ...
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Am I "studying" too much and practicing too little?
I am new to practicing Buddhism. I was first introduced to it through reading "What The Buddha Taught" by Walpola Rahula. Since then I've begun practicing Ānāpānasati and zazen, as well as ...
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Is S. Dhammika's book The Broken Buddha, a misleading angry reaction?
Recently I happened to read the following review and comments about the book "The Broken Buddha."
The Broken Buddha and its Implications
The Broken Buddha: The revenge of the unfaithful monk
...
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how do I let go of everything?
Is there practice that I can do that will help me dissolve my attatchment to the world, my family, my life any hopes and dreams, its all transient and causes massive suffering for me. How can I let ...
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What is mainly uncovered by Analyzing Causes? Anicca or Dukkha or Anatta?
The Abhidhamma Commentary says:
Anicca-characteristic is hidden due to "Non-contemplation of the Rising and falling."
Dukkha-characteristic is hidden due to "Shifting of the Postures.&...
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Where does the Buddha say, There is no happiness without calm?
Where in the canon does the Buddha say, There is no happiness without calm?
I've heard the statement only second hand, and paraphrased.
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Kalama Sutta only about Kilesas?
I found an explanation of Kalama Sutta in a website which is said to be from a Tipitaka teacher in Sri Lanka. Is Kalama Sutta only about Kilesas?
Kālāma sutta is only to be applied for Lobha-dosa-...
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What are the "Four Vinayas"?
The Mahāpadesa Sutta describes about the "Four Great Authorities (Mahāpadesas)" that a disciple should refer, if any one claims some new thing to be the word of the Budhha.
Mahāpadesa Sutta ...
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Are "Concepts about Real" Concepts?
In Theravada, the Concepts are considered unreal ("person", "chariot" etc.). Then what about the "Concepts about Real" ("red", "perception")? Are they ...
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Why are Concepts not Impermanent?
Why are Concepts not Impermanent? I found the below explanation in another forum. Are they Permanent? or not both?
Conventional reality (sammuti sacca/ pannatti) is just a concept and
not real. Non-...
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If the Tathagata exists after death, is there anyone to witness it?
This is different from asking, "does the Tathagata exist after death? or not? or both? or neither?"
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Where is the most knowledgeable Abhidhamma Community?
Who are the most knowledgeable Abhidhamma masters today? Where are the active Abhidhamma communities?
country
lineage
monastery
institute
teacher
group
website
forum
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Why Buddhanussati practitioners seem so special?
Hardly a person practice Buddhanussati well. Yet those rare people seem very virtuous, wise and faithful than many others. I have seen few of them. What is the reason behind them to be so special and ...
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Why didn't the Buddha mention about the omniscience of "future of other beings", in suttas?
In many suttas, the Buddha affirms his omniscience about the past of all the beings.
Why didn't the Buddha say something about his omniscience about the future of all the beings, in suttas?
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Is this the meaning of one practice samadhi in the fukanzazengi?
Is this the meaning of one practice samadhi in the fukanzazengi (sorry for the convoluted language, it may be unncessary)?
stop labelling thoughts / consciousness / anything
Two points
I was ...
user19950
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What is the source of this information about "underground serpents"?
I've seen this glossary entry in a couple of places:
Hīnayāna: “Inferior Vehicle,” a pejorative term, coined by a group who called themselves followers of the Mahāyāna, the “Great Vehicle,” to denote ...
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How does decisive supporting cause (upanissaya paccaya) work? (and some related questions)
According to Theravada Buddhism:
1.How does Decisive Supporting Cause (Upanissaya Paccaya) work? For example, when Venerable arahant Anuruddha asked Sangha what to do to attain divine-eye in Lord ...
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Is goodwill necessary in order to make progress on the Path?
It seems impossible to have goodwill in certain situations. Is it enough to be tolerant and forgiving of other's faults?
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How to achieve magga nana?
During meditation practice have experienced mind was stopped. But some says it is samadi,not the magga phala.but now I don't have thoughts over myself. They say magga phala is shut down .so what is ...
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What is adaptation knowledge?
How to recognise adaptation knowledge during personal practice? If Someone experiences,breath is impermanent by seeing it's quick ,gap between inbreathe and out breathe can it be taken as ...
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What is stream entry?
While doing meditation I had experienced sudden stop of mind for a second. Then restart again reflecting that is peaceful. What was that experienced?is it stream entry?
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What is access concentration?
When sit for the meditation ears were blocked. Just like sink into the water. But sounds were heard. With the time it's heard in less intensity. Is that access concentration? Before this developed ...
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What is the different between first path attainer from a meditative commoner?
During meditation can path attainment be identified? How ? Is it gradually progressing of the path in first path attainers?how this is differ from a meditative commoner?
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Is repeating words in mind necessary to some meditations in Theravada? Why or why not?
According to Visuddhimagga, focusing on breath does't require repeating "inhalation, exhalation..." in mind (at least it seems that the book doesn't explicitly tell that) . However, the 10 ...
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Looking for the source of a story about the Buddha and a lady who looked the other way
I'm searching for a Sutra (or possibly a commentary) but it has escaped me. My recollection is hazy, but it is about one of the Buddha's monks (most likely Ven. Ananda or Ven. Sariputta) asking the ...
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Is the Pali Canon the final authority in the Theravada tradition?
In the Theravada tradition is the Pali Canon viewed as the final truth? In other words, are the Buddha's teachings viewed as the final authority which cannot be revised or are his teachings subject ...
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Walking meditation which has happened automatically
After meditation practice experience there is no thoughts as a I.Is it a stage of a samadhi or insight lead in to enlightenment?This has happened after experience of automatically happened of ...
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Proper way of offering
I'm trying to clarify something I believe I heard a while back. I think I heard the monk instruct the lay person to say "Bhikku Sanghassa Demi" which I believe was later translated as "...
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Why do Sotapannas need faith?
I have read that the Stream Enterer needs to develop all the 5 faculties order to become enlightened. One of these facilities is faith. It is also said that they are beyond skeptical doubt of the ...
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Unwholesome Sankharas Emerging From Dhamma Practice
What unwholesome sankharas can be created from too much focus on dhamma concepts, reading and intellectual pursuits, and practice?
What kind of results do those sankharas produce?
What blockades are ...
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Why and how is Theravada and Mahayana Abhidha(r)(m)ma different?
I know this could potentially be a huge question: if abhidhamma/abhidharma differs in Theravada and Mahayana, how does is it differ and why?
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Can reincarnation be proved with using a mixture of logic, science, and philosophical belief?
Let's go through the logic first. The following statements are suppositions that must be chronologically accepted.
Matter is neither created nor destroyed.
Matter is made up of atoms.
I am made up of ...
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Spirits and heaven
My two pet cats recently died in my rental house. Long story short, we sold our old home but we have no where to move yet so we rented a property while our new house is being built. Before I ask my ...
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Multiple meditation practices
Would there be a conflict if I were to practice meditation from various schools? For instance mahasi insight meditation, Tibetan Samantha meditation, as long as the skills are kept separate?
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Mindfulness in lay work
Mindfulness requires being non judgemental, but what should one do when the work requires judgement where a standard needs maintained? Is there a form of objective judgement that that can be used like ...
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Theravadian encyclopedia/ dictionary
Is there a reference text for the theravada tradition that contains a lists of concepts for quick reference? Such as a text that allows for reference of ideas found in the pali canon when reading, ...
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Can i be reborn having my father again?
I lost my father when I was a kid. Can I be reborn with the same father?
I didn't know him well, as I was very young, but from people's words, he was a great man, and I'm dying to know him, to love ...
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Starting buddhism in the Theravada tradition
I am not entirely new to Buddhism, but I am new to it from a perspective of an academic path. I have an academic background in another field (Ph.d level) and where I live there is zero buddhists ...
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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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