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 ...
- 58.3k
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 ...
- 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 ...
- 40.5k
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 ...
- 9,336
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 ...
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. ...
- 25.7k
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 ...
- 46.3k
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 ...
- 1,058
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 ...
- 5,015
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 ...
- 91
5
votes
Does any canonical sutta say you can attain enlightenment *while* chanting?
I posted an answer here, over at Sutta Central Forum:
... in the Aṅguttara Nikāya The Book of the Fives, Sutta 26, "Liberation", the "five bases of liberation" are listed.
Number ...
- 91
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 ...
- 1,493
5
votes
Accepted
What does Buddhism say about creativity and spiritual development?
In Asia, the various forms of Buddhism have inspired uncountable number of art objects created over the centuries: statues, monuments, temples, icons etc. Some art forms, particularly Japanese ones, ...
- 58.3k
5
votes
Accepted
How should I stop thinking that I am even slightly enlightened?
The appropriate response to such a thought of personal enlightenment is: "fart".
Su Dongpo was an avid student of Buddhist teachings. He was
quick-witted and humorous; as a Zen Buddhism follower ...
- 1,705
5
votes
Which Living Ajahns are considered to be Arahants today?
I'm asking this not to arouse curiosity of others, but to find good monks' Dhamma talks
An accomplished practitioner may not be a good teacher and a good teacher may not be an accomplished ...
5
votes
Fear of enlightenment
As Buddha said:
Just as faeces always have bad smell, even a tiny bit of, so does the [illusory] existence. I do not recommend even a tiny bit of [illusory] existence, not even for so long as a ...
- 58.3k
5
votes
If there is no self, why do anything?
No matter if we do or do not have a self
The view that we "surely have a self or soul",
drives our desire to propel through life.
We want to be & to do & to exist.
So the goal of the ...
- 7,144
5
votes
If there is no self, why do anything?
It is not that you existed and then you ceased to be after learning Buddhism. You never existed. You did no action. Your identity of self was an illusion. If you did not do any anything in the past ...
- 4,368
5
votes
If there is no self, why do anything?
It is not that there is no self. There is no self in the way you think of a self. That is, there in nothing inherent in what you refer to as "I".
When you understand this, you free yourself and your ...
- 151
5
votes
Accepted
Need some pointers about the current phase
Good story. Maybe a bit too focused on your life (almost no mentions of other people) – but good nevertheless. My overall impression can be summarized with this allegory:
Imagine, Mowgli always ...
- 58.3k
5
votes
Is Enlightment ultimatelly up to you (Karma and Freewill)?
Yes christian intellectuals cannot get out of their awful dichotomy free will-determinism, so when they get curious about the dhamma, they completely fail to understand it.
First since you care ...
- 1,614
5
votes
How do enlightened people think?
Enlightened people do not overgeneralize.
(This can be supported by both Pali Canon as well as Mahayana sources.)
Concepts like "enlightened", "person", "I", and "thinking" are all ...
- 58.3k
5
votes
Is it even possible to attain Nirvana?
Indeed, attaining Nirvana is the Ultimate Challenge.
There is nothing higher, so I'm surprised you are surprised that it's difficult. Did you expect it to be easier than e.g. becoming an Olympic ...
- 58.3k
5
votes
What is known about enlightenment before the lifetime of the Buddha? Are there any claims that he was the first?
Good householder,
there had been serial Buddhas before our Gotama Buddha. In a world/cosmos-period there might appear a Samma-Sambuddha who is capable to point out the way out of suffering, Samsara. ...
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