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
517 questions
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2answers
84 views
Offering water to a buddha statue?
Does offering water to a Buddha statue increase merits? Can I get more merits from offering food or drinks to a buddha statue than from giving money to beggars?
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4answers
88 views
What is wrong speech according to Buddhism?
Is something a lie if I don’t have bad or evil intentions but what I said turns out to be false? I’m trying to protect my five precepts but sometimes when I say something it turns out to be false but ...
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3answers
91 views
Do Arahants have Vinnana and Namarupa?
Do Arahants have Vinnana and Namarupa?
According to Dependent Origination, Namarupa is the result of Vinnana. It appears Vinnana is the contributory factor for six sense base which eventually leads to ...
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5answers
523 views
+50
What should a 11-17 years old buddhist do?
Can a 11-17 years old meditate and become arahant? Is Buddhism only for adults?
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4answers
143 views
What's the karmic cause for shyness?
What did we do in our previous lives to become a shy person in this life?
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1answer
66 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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2answers
137 views
Are there different types of enlightenment?
I came across this article by Jack Kornfield in which he says that it is better to talk about enlightenments, since there are different versions of it. (So, this is not about different levels of ...
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5answers
107 views
What is actually Nirvana — what are some Tripitaka sources?
What do you know about the Nirvana?
Most of this community people are from all around the world, and may have different teachers, and level of knowledge may vary.
A brief explanation, with reference ...
4
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6answers
199 views
Too much Dhamma in modern age
Ajahn Brahm’s quite interesting position on "too much Dharma" and studying Abhidharma might be conveyed in this citation:
I think of our modern age is that too much Dhamma. So much Dhamma that
...
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4answers
83 views
Effects of modern culture (Movies/Gaming) on karmic reactions
Having read the following:
Are actions in computer games bad for karma?
Background: I have watched the latest Doom Eternal gameplay, its brilliant in terms of Graphics and dynamics. The actions and ...
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5answers
189 views
Is it true that arahants don't have sati?
A couple of months ago someone tried to convince me that arahants no longer have sati.
He said that sati is like a raft in the sense that it should be given up as soon as the goal, arahantship, has ...
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3answers
80 views
What does MN 18's “delineate a delineation” phrase mean?
What is the meaning of the phrase "delineate a delineation" from MN 18?
What is its message?
Is it connecting papanca (objectification-classification or reification) with dependent origination?
"...
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6answers
90 views
How does Theravada practice to obtain the direct knowledge of anatta?
In this comment it is stated that the Pali Suttas contain the correct method for manifesting direct knowledge of anatta. I agree, but I wonder what Theravada adherents would regard as the precise ...
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3answers
96 views
Suffering due to non-self-related preconceived notions in Theravada
According to this answer:
However, there is another type of suffering that cannot be fixed with
anatta! This type of suffering comes from attachment to forms other
than oneself, forms that have ...
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2answers
52 views
Do the words, Dharmakaya, Nirmanakaya or Samboghakaya appear in any Teravada Buddhist Scriptures?
I read some articles and saw some references to the words , Dharmakaya, Samboghakaya and Nirmanakaya used by Buddha , as mentioned in the Theravada scriptures , at least a few times during His ...
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7answers
157 views
Is the self an illusion or is it *like* an illusion?
Recently, in explaining the relative unimportance of the question whether phenomena lack true existence it was claimed that, "the self is definitely an illusion" and lacked true existence. This seemed ...
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6answers
76 views
Reference for Thoughts like rain drop bubbles
There is reference in the Thai Forest tradition to a teaching given to sāriputta by Buddha of thoughts like rain drop bubbles rising the mergie into the body of water.
Dose anyone know of this suta ...
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6answers
253 views
If Theravada doesn't posit the selflessness of phenomena, then how to interpret SN 22.95?
This question is closely related to this question and this question and this question.
There is a Sutta in the Pali Canon that seems to explicitly reject that any of the aggregates is real or ...
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3answers
130 views
Does Theravada posit the selflessness of phenomena?
It is generally taught in Mahayana monastic universities that Theravada does not posit the selflessness of phenomena. There it is taught a dichotomy exists between the tenet systems employed by ...
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3answers
186 views
Difference between Theravada's self and Mahayana's intrinsic essence
With reference to this comment:
An intrinsic nature, essence or characteristic that is unique to some
phenomena that can be described as that phenomena's self. The self of
chair would be that ...
2
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4answers
196 views
Does any real existent or genuine person end with parinibbana?
Does modern Theravada accept that no real person ends with the break up of the body of a realized one? That the moment after the break up of the body of a realized one is the same as the moment before?...
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5answers
183 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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4answers
146 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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1answer
77 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
85 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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1answer
57 views
What is the difference between Citta contemplation and Dhamma contemplation in Satipathana?
What is Citta?
What is Dhamma?
What is the difference between above two in Satipathana?
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1answer
74 views
About the vipassana jhana
When the mind cease and breathing appear automatically ;means the experience of knower ?in which jhana the consciousness is expanding?
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0answers
58 views
Does the kind of samadhi change when the fetters are destroyed?
Samadhi (including jhanas) appears and can be experienced, both after the fetters are destroyed and/or even before then, isn't that so?
So what is the difference in the samadhi before and after, and ...
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2answers
143 views
What is the difference between mindfulness and concentration?
Does the concentration occurs during first jhana?or is it relates to the samadhi which involves in second jhana?What is actually one pointed of the mind means?
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0answers
33 views
Vipassana meditation with samadhi
In vipassana meditation either samadhi or insight comes as the vehicle .When samadhi comes as a vehicle it's called Samanthayanika vipassana .In Samanthayanika meditation how yogi see the ...
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4answers
194 views
Do arhats exist after death?
I was just looking at the connected discousres (Bhikkhu Bodhi) and it said
Sorry for the rushed question, but I wondered if arhats can be said to exist or not after death? Does the Buddha say the ...
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1answer
62 views
What is the middle way?
When there is reduced thinking in a one door out of five sense doors ,which means if you have seen a pleasant thing and if no thoughts arise regarding them,Whether that apply to the other doors as ...
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3answers
75 views
References for not receiving alms in exchange for Dhamma teaching
According to this comment:
I think that monks and laypeople are meant to depend on each other
(e.g. as described in Iti 107) however monks must not sell their
dhamma talks for food. So there ...
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2answers
54 views
What is “Patigha”, and how does it differ from “Dosa”?
I would like to know what is defined as "Patigha" (Skt. "Pratigha"), and how it varies from "Dosa" (Skt. "Dvesha").
Thank you.
2
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2answers
60 views
What do you say to share your deeds after you have donated something?
I'm wondering do you say "sadu, sadu, sadu" in theravada buddhism, after you have made donation and want to share your good deeds with others.
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2answers
54 views
Mindfulness during walking meditation
During walking meditation and day to day activity if sees the mind intention of doing something is earlier than that of bodily action. Is that mindfulness enough to generate right view in a person and ...
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4answers
94 views
Eradication of identity view is a cause or effect of stream entry?
I am asking this question due to this answer.
Is the removal of identity view (sakkāya-diṭṭhi) required before stream entry can be attained? Or would identity view be removed only with the ...
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3answers
66 views
How personality view disappears?
Personality view disappears at once at the stage of stream entry or is it gradual ?
1
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1answer
60 views
What effect does mindfulness have on dependent origination?
What is the relationship between the three poisons of attachment, aversion, and delusion (Pali: lobha, dosa, moha) on one hand and the three links of ignorance, craving and clinging (Pali: avijja, ...
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3answers
71 views
In satipatthana, how does mindfulness lead to nirodha?
What is the difference between "cessation" and "nirodha"? How would it be experienced during meditation?
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1answer
30 views
Personal practice of vipassana meditation
no rise of ill will towards other beings and sankhara disappears after samadhi nimitta has been seen. Sometimes when other person have scold ,dukka appear as a cloud and disappeared. What is the ...
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4answers
112 views
Can we apply the bundle of reeds simile to all limbs of Dependent Origination?
"Suppose there were two bundles of reeds leaning up against each other. In the same way, name and form are conditions for consciousness. Consciousness is a condition for name and form. "
https://...
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2answers
69 views
In which context did the Buddha say this, about ordaining women?
A quote:
" in whatever religion women are ordained, that religion will not last long. As families that have more women than men are easily destroyed by robbers, as a plentiful rice-field once ...
0
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1answer
90 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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2answers
53 views
Ten fetters in saṃsāra during meditation
How are the 10 fetters being destroyed?
Can the chain of fetters be seen during vipassana meditation?
3
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3answers
70 views
Kakacūpama Sutta and Mistress Vedehika
I'm not sure sure if this is opinion based or not but my question is. is it fair to judge Vedehika, poorly (and does the sutta really do this). It seems like she was pushed to the breaking point (...
0
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2answers
46 views
Anatta during meditation
When doer and knower disappears is that the state where anatta found? Have reached the state experience of a mirage in appeared on doing work. Which samadhi has involved?And mind restlessness ...
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2answers
70 views
Does sankhara disappear in Samantha meditation or insight meditation?
If the doer disappears, all the external objects disappear, what remains is the knower. Knower is known and knows. Knower is consciousness,inner aspect.
Knower,outer aspect,objects.
Sankhara ...
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4answers
179 views
What is the difference between Tanha and Upadana?
What is the difference between Tanha and Upadana?
Why Buddha did not say Tanha Paccaya Bhava (instead of Upadana Paccaya Bhava)?
And there are three kinds of Tanha in Sutta (Kama, Bhava, Vibhava): ...
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6answers
540 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
