23
votes
Disenchanted with Buddhism
Buddhism is not the answer. Buddhism is not the problem, either.
You turned to Buddhism looking for a quick fix to your life, and now that you haven't found that quick fix after 6 years you are ...
- 469
16
votes
Meditation and 'not trying to change anything'
'Not trying to change anything' is a modern idea and is not what is taught in the original Buddhist teachings.
In the original teachings, there are four right efforts, namely: (i) effort to prevent ...
- 43.7k
14
votes
I don't like people but I like buddhism
The topic is too big to do proper justice in one response, but to summarize my thoughts very briefly:
Every crappy childhood is unique and every dysfunctional family is dysfunctional in its own way - ...
- 59k
13
votes
What do you wish you knew when you started down the path of buddhism?
I am a Tibetan Buddhist, and have been for about 50 years.
I don't really know if I can help with that question - but maybe so.
Here are some things that might of use to a beginner.
Learn to develop ...
- 582
13
votes
Unpleasant side effects of meditation
My local Buddhist temple's resident teacher Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo has this beautiful metaphor of the "poop soup", highly relevant to yours (and the rest of ours) situation.
In this metaphor ...
- 59k
11
votes
Meditation and 'not trying to change anything'
Insight or Vipassana meditation is about finding out the real nature of phenomena. Achieving relaxation or some kind of a refreshing feeling is not the goal. The correct method is to note all ...
- 25.7k
11
votes
Accepted
My short story with anxiety problems - could meditation be the cause?
Pleased to meet you Robert.
It is very difficult to answer your question precisely however it is certainly likely/probable that practicing the meditation & the accompanying mental solitude is ...
- 43.7k
11
votes
Accepted
How to disambiguate between various meditation practices?
It appears unclear to you because you have not comprehended the essence of the Buddha's teachings.
The Buddha did not teach any 'techniques'. The Buddha taught to abandon craving & other ...
- 43.7k
11
votes
How to disambiguate between various meditation practices?
I agree with Dhammadhatu in that the different meditations seem confusing when you don't know what it is all about.
When you know the underlying principle, you know how these different meditations ...
- 59k
10
votes
Accepted
New to the site, new to Buddhism
Some quick answers, which I may add to later:
Buddhism is certainly not a religion because it states all of its teachings are to be known & verified by its wise followers. It is certainly a way ...
- 43.7k
10
votes
Disenchanted with Buddhism
Generally things happen due to cause and effect so use that to your advantage by creating the causes for happiness.
You need to work on the grosser aspects before you can work with the subtle.First ...
- 181
9
votes
Accepted
Which is the best posture to Practice meditation?
Bhikkhus, the bhikkhu following the practice of my Teaching, having gone to the forest, or to the foot of a tree or to an empty, solitary place, sits down cross-legged, keeping his body erect, and ...
- 5,609
8
votes
Accepted
Sexual Desire, Masturbating and Asuba Bawana
So basically caught up in the social norms, i used to watch porn videos and masturbate and got a bit attached to it. Kept on doing it
for a few years.
Do not underestimate the harm & addictive ...
- 43.7k
8
votes
Accepted
How should one be mindful of death?
Oh, this is easy. This one I was taught many many times. Here is how it goes:
Regular untrained people live their life as if they will live forever. They 1) worry about small unimportant stuff, get ...
- 59k
8
votes
I don't like people but I like buddhism
When you feel like you don't like people because of their "egotism, vanity, superficiality, stupidness, ignorance", you can use this opportunity to cultivate the brahmavihara of compassion (karuna).
...
- 37.9k
8
votes
Best Meditation for Stress
Unlike the modern "western" medicine, which often treats the symptoms and superficial causes, Buddhism is all about finding and removing the root causes of dukkha (~suffering) including its ...
- 59k
7
votes
Accepted
Meditation and 'not trying to change anything'
It is very important to distinguish what buddhists call threefold training (sikkha), see e.g. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threefold_Training. Each of the training parts has different methods and ...
- 951
7
votes
Accepted
Can't meditate?
Deliberately directing or focusing the mind onto the breath is not the actual practise of Buddhist meditation, despite this wrong 'yogic' technique from the Visuddhimagga being taught so extensively. ...
- 43.7k
7
votes
Accepted
What is 'letting go' and 'detachment' actually?
What are the actual sanskrit and pali terms for 'letting go' and 'detach'?
Quoting from "Re: What is the last thing to let go?":
In the Suttas paṭinissagga and its synonym vossagga are the words ...
- 5,609
7
votes
Accepted
Mindfulness of Breathing, Mindfulness with Breathing
Mindfulness ('sati') means 'to remember'. The breathing as a meditation object cannot be 'remembered'. Instead the breathing is observed, which is called 'anupassi'.
The purpose of 'mindfulness' in ...
- 43.7k
7
votes
Accepted
Priority of Meditation
Bad physical habits are stopped by adhi-sīla, physical observe.
Then, bad mental habits are stopped by adhi-samādhi, concentration-meditation.
Then, whole, future, bad habit's root-causes, avijjā-...
- 6,320
7
votes
Anapanasati (Forced Breathing)
The breathing naturally arises as a "sign" that the mind has right mindfulness & right concentration. If a meditator aspires to fulfill the 16 stages of Anapansati, they should never seek to ...
- 43.7k
7
votes
Accepted
How does *Buddhist* meditation differ from others and lead to awakening?
Very good question.
Buddhist meditation is based on the understanding of the mechanism of arising and cessation of suffering. Suffering arises whenever there is a conflict between "is" and "should". ...
- 59k
7
votes
Accepted
What exacly is the so-called "formless" jhana?
Here is my understanding as of 2018.
When they say "form" (rupa) or "seed" (bija) in context of meditation, it's what we call an object of meditation these days. For example, your breath, an image of ...
- 59k
7
votes
I don't like people but I like buddhism
On the essential level, Buddhist practise brings equanimity. The modern world isn't really a place that inspires much appreciation. While it sounds like you have had difficulties in your life, even if ...
- 43.7k
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