23 votes

What is it like to experience enlightenment?

The answer does somewhat depend on which tradition you follow, and what you mean by "enlightenment". For example, in Theravada Buddhism it could refer to either someone who has let go of everything (...
yuttadhammo's user avatar
13 votes

If one's inner monologue stops forever, is one necessarily an arahant?

Thoughts are one of the six sense objects; there is no reason to think that they stop when one becomes an arahant. It is quite clear that both the Buddha and arahants did indeed have thoughts after ...
yuttadhammo's user avatar
12 votes

If Rebirth is not taken literally then why seek Enlightenment?

I am a Rinzai Zen Monk with a decade-long monastic background so my answer will be relevant within our school's framework. From a Zen POV being 'reborn' exists only within Reality. Reality is purely ...
Wibble's user avatar
  • 121
12 votes
Accepted

How come enlightened people don't have any laziness?

Speaking from the first hand experience, laziness comes from attachment, fear, or ignorance. No attachment, no fear, and no ignorance - translates to no laziness. And how does attachment cause ...
Andriy Volkov's user avatar
  • 57.2k
10 votes

Did the Buddha Meditate?

I can't find the reference at the moment but if I recall correctly, the Buddha continued to meditate after enlightenment for two reasons, according to the Theravada tradition: (1) To dwell in a ...
Adamokkha's user avatar
  • 2,592
10 votes

In short, what is the path to enlightenment? Where to begin?

The shortest explanation of the path to enlightenment is to not crave or cling egoistically (possessively) to anything, which includes meditation & enlightenment. For example, in meditation, if ...
Dhamma Dhatu's user avatar
  • 38.4k
10 votes

Why is there even a way to the end of suffering?

In MN64, the Buddha discusses the conundrum of identity and the presumed immaculate innocence of infants: MN64:3.3: For a little baby doesn’t even have a concept of ‘identity’, so how could identity ...
OyaMist's user avatar
  • 9,238
8 votes

How do animals attain enlightenment?

In short they get reborn as a human being sometime in the future and practice. You could help by reading some dhamma(suttas) to your cat if you wish. There is a precedence in a sutta where a frog ...
Samadhi's user avatar
  • 3,398
8 votes

If Rebirth is not taken literally then why seek Enlightenment?

Let's consider Andrei's definition of Buddhism, for example (because it's a short and easy definition). Buddhists believe that human experiences originate in the mind, training which through ...
ChrisW's user avatar
  • 45.1k
8 votes

If there is no self, why do anything?

It essentially doesn't change anything. If you look hard, that "I" was always an illusion. No matter where you try to draw a boundary - it is artificial: Does the body belong to the self or not? How ...
Hans-Peter Störr's user avatar
7 votes
Accepted

Can we reach enlightentment with recreational drugs?

Conventional reality has an almost unshakeable hold on people leading almost everyone to accept the common game plan of life unquestioningly. For some LSD or other drugs have led them to question ...
Buddho's user avatar
  • 7,433
7 votes

Can all human beings potentially be enlightened in this lifetime?

In the Ugghaṭitaññū Sutta (AN. ii. 135) the Buddha says that there are four kinds of person found in this world: those who are quick in acquiring, those who learn by means of a detailed exposition,...
Sankha Kulathantille's user avatar
7 votes
Accepted

What are Ekabiji?

This is indeed the standard categorization of sotāpanna in the Theravada. The Puggala-paññatti gives definitions for ekabījī and sakadāgāmī: katamo ca puggalo ekabījī? idhekacco puggalo tiṇṇaṃ ...
yuttadhammo's user avatar
6 votes

Is self enlightenment achieved through contemplation of impermanence?

It really depends who you ask, and what you mean by "contemplate". The Buddha said: When one sees with wisdom that 'all formations are impermanent', this is the path of purification. (Dhp. ...
yuttadhammo's user avatar
6 votes

How do animals attain enlightenment?

An animal can't be liberated as an animal; that being itself may be liberated in future births in higher realms of being.
Ryan's user avatar
  • 814
6 votes
Accepted

Do enlighted people cry? Did the Buddha ever cry?

Crying can be caused due to both physical and mental reasons. Physical reasons: Irritation in the eyes. Sickness affecting the eyes. Side effects of strong medication or extremely spicy food. Mental ...
Sankha Kulathantille's user avatar
6 votes

Did the Buddha Meditate?

In fact, the Buddha meditated everyday. All Arahaths meditate whenever they are not busy with teaching or day to day activities. But it is not to get rid of any defilements like ordinary beings. ...
Sankha Kulathantille's user avatar
6 votes

Why can't we reason or logic our way to NIrvana?

I have read at various places that Nirvana can't be described or reached by logic or reason. I think that's two questions: 1) described, 2) reached. I think Nirvana is defined as being the end of ...
ChrisW's user avatar
  • 45.1k
6 votes
Accepted

Is Enlightment ultimatelly up to you (Karma and Freewill)?

Enlightenment comes as a natural result of the meditation practise. When you practise meditation with proper effort you'll realize very quickly that this is path of freedom from suffering. So with ...
Murathan1's user avatar
  • 1,048
6 votes

Non-Self vs. depersonalization disorder

In depersonalization and derealization disorders one recognizes a self that one is not, and that one believes one should be. This creates stress and anxiety, along with distortions of one's perception ...
Ted Wrigley's user avatar
  • 4,792
6 votes

Hate myself more and more wish to die

You should keep on living, sorry. I have to deal with what my karma has to deal me as well. This is me now. Live forever! I am, I have no legs. I know that is nothing compared to a stroke. But you ...
Justin 's user avatar
5 votes

Can we reach enlightentment with recreational drugs?

Well I feel that it is extremely naive to think that taking recreational drugs can help the mind build empathy. It is almost the same as saying that watching pornography helps build empathy towards ...
Dilshan De Silva's user avatar
5 votes

Is Satori the same as Enlightenment?

Mahayana Teachers speak of awakening or enlightenment in two meanings: Awakening as liberation from delusions. Complete awakening. The first one is the experience of "seeing the true nature". I ...
chang zhao's user avatar
  • 1,493
5 votes

What is it like to experience enlightenment?

An account of Je Tsongkhapa's enlightenment, from The Central Philosophy of Tibet, by Robert A.F. Thurman, pp. 84-85 Finally, in 1398, the long years of effort came to fruition. The seed planted ...
David Lewis's user avatar
  • 1,171
5 votes
Accepted

Dealing with angriness or sadness that comes up with "meditation"

How to deal with it without being ashamed of such feelings? There's nothing wrong with feeling shame. How to deal with it? From a Buddhist point of view, you should practice meditation, and in my ...
Ryan's user avatar
  • 814

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