13
votes
What is the best way to forget bad choices in the past?
Short answer is, you should not forget bad choices. You should learn from bad choices.
Long answer:
Kukucca is characterized by regret. It's function is to grieve about what has or what has not ...
- 57.2k
13
votes
How does one explain consistency within phenomena if the mind generates phenomena?
I too had this question for a long time. Then I read Gil Fronsdal's translation of the Dhammapada, which begins (emphasis mine):
All experience is preceded by mind,
Led by mind,
Made by mind.
...
- 1,099
8
votes
Accepted
Clenching teeth and pressing tongue against roof of mouth
In Mahayana, we take such things as expression devices - not literal instructions. In this case clenched teeth are a pointer to great effort, great application of willpower.
The objectives of samatha ...
- 57.2k
8
votes
Is Mind in Buddhism connected to Brain (the physical organ)?
There is a nice analysis in this article here. But basically, the Buddha said:
This body of mine, made of material form, consisting of the four great elements, procreated by a mother and father, ...
- 57.2k
8
votes
How does one explain consistency within phenomena if the mind generates phenomena?
Citta, Cetasika, Rupa, Nibbana are the four ultimate realities. Everything else is just conventional or conceptual truths.
When you see the moon, it's basically the eyes sensing the secondary rupa ...
- 25.7k
8
votes
Does mind ever stop?
The mind occurs in both passive and active modes. The passive gives
way to the active when a stimulus is received through one of the sense
doors. The passive state of mind is called bhava"nga, ...
- 25.7k
8
votes
What is volition?
Volition is an act of will or decision to act. The volition may be produced from both ignorance (not-knowing) & wisdom.
There are three kinds of actions born of volition: (i) thoughts; (ii) ...
- 38.4k
8
votes
If someone have experienced supernatural abilities through meditation, than why don't he shows it to world?
The objective of Dhamma is the work yourself out of stress and misery which is to follow the Noble 8 Fold Path. These kinds of practices diverts from this focus. If someone start practicing being ...
6
votes
Clenching teeth and pressing tongue against roof of mouth
According to Thich Nhat Hanh's "The Heart of the Buddha's Teachings" this is a mistake in transmission:
page 13-15 on google books.
In reality he was asking us not to do this!
The book quotes the ...
- 922
6
votes
Accepted
Who am 'I'? Verification as to the demarcations of 'Sankhara'
who is the 'being' within our minds, who travels through this eternity
of existence?
'being' is simply a label given to nama-rupa. There's no being within the mind. It's like asking "what is the ...
- 25.7k
6
votes
Accepted
Beings who are not aware of their own existence?
In some realms there are some beings who are not aware of their own existence (Some place in Brahma realm). How do their aggregates work when they themselves aren't aware of their existence?
...
6
votes
Why does my mind naturally wander?
Every life form is born in the world due to craving. Within life forms, there are seeds, such as sperm cells, which are propelled by craving. Parents of children engage in sexual intercourse & ...
- 38.4k
6
votes
How is it possible to change habits cultivated over lifetimes
Easy. Well, easy in theory :) -- you need to get fed up! You need to get really sick and tired of your conditions, so sick that you cannot live like that anymore. You are so fed up that you are either ...
- 57.2k
6
votes
Accepted
What is volition?
What is Volition?
‘It is volition, bikkhus, that I call kamma. For having willed, one acts by body, speech, or mind.’ – Buddha
Kamma is not fate. It literally means action, that is volitional ...
- 9,587
6
votes
Neither-pleasant-nor-unpleasant feeling vs not feeling
This is a classic dilemma for almost every new practitioner of Buddhism. The question goes into so much depth and even lead to Nibbana if studied in proper detail. Apologies for the long answer, but ...
- 583
6
votes
Buddho : The one who knows which is above the mind? A Dhammatalk by Ajahn Chah
The key idea here is not whether there is "someone" who is above the mind. The key point is that it is possible to go beyond mind or above mind.
We are so caught up in the experience created by the ...
- 57.2k
5
votes
Is Mind in Buddhism connected to Brain (the physical organ)?
According to Abhidhamma commentary it seems that the seat of consciousness is in the heart. However, in the suttas Buddha seems to have only mentioned ‘yam rupam nissaya’—depending on that ‘rupa’.
98....
- 4,233
5
votes
How does one explain consistency within phenomena if the mind generates phenomena?
Basically, the Buddhist approach to understanding reality is for each one of us to aim our attention at our individual present moment experience. This is "experiencial reality", meaning we need to ...
- 7,072
5
votes
Does mind ever stop?
So does mind ever stop?
When you attain Nirodha Samapahti and Phala Samapathi your mental process stops. In the case of Phala Samapathi the stop is only momentarily but the mental process come to a ...
5
votes
Burst bubble : How to deal with a traumatizing event?
Know that they are only actors and don't watch it if it's going to traumatize you. Don't watch any movies unless you like distraction.
- 7,072
5
votes
Accepted
How to understand a patient's coma status in Buddhism
Whether a person can hear, see, smell, taste etc. while in a coma is probably a question for medical science.
From a Buddhist perspective, it can be seen as a case of senses being shut off as in ...
- 25.7k
5
votes
How is it possible to change habits cultivated over lifetimes
It is not at all a simple task to reverse the habits cultivated over umpteenth lifetimes. It is next to impossible without gaining a good knowledge of the Dhamma and putting it to practice diligently. ...
- 9,587
5
votes
Is the Mind (Citta) the Self? If not, what is it?
1. If this mind is already not-Self, why it needs to be emptied and what is to be emptied?
The mind is only 'not-self' from the viewpoint of enlightenment & truth. But for the unenlightened mind, ...
- 38.4k
5
votes
How do you master (control) your mind with Buddhism?
Buddhism teaches to see the causes of problems.
Then we can see what can be done to change those causes. Changing causes, we will change the results. Thus problems will be solved.
Buddha Gautama ...
- 1,493
5
votes
Accepted
Satipathanna Sutta and contemplating mind externally?
Abhidhamma Vibhaṅga Khandhavibhaṅga:
Therein what is internal consciousness? That consciousness which, for this or that being, is personal, self-referable, one’s own, individual and is grasped (by ...
- 6,096
5
votes
Accepted
Mindfulness when playing chess
In contrast to the other answers, it is my perception that mindfulness and deep intellectual thinking complement each other.
Sports are not about defeating the other team but rather raising your ...
- 166
5
votes
Liberation is possible because of the transcendent quality of awareness beyond the Five Skandhas?
There is no awareness beyond the khandhas.
There is no such thing as the "Thai Forest Tradition" having a uniform set of teachings. The "Thai Forest Tradition" is just a variety of different jungle ...
- 38.4k
4
votes
Could a software model of Abidhamma ( human thought Process - citta) help in Psychology?
I am an Abhidhamma teacher and used to be a software programmer. Your suggestion is very noble and innovative. I am not sure that the sensing process / thinking process found in the commentaries is ...
- 1,368
4
votes
What is the best way to forget bad choices in the past?
If you remember something, note it as remembering, remembering, remembering... until it stops. If you remember something and have already become upset or sad, note it as sad, sad sad... until the ...
- 25.7k
4
votes
Accepted
Are dreams good or bad?
Venerable K. Sri Dhammananda Maha Thera:
According to Buddhist psychology dreams are ideational processes which occur as activities of the mind.
And:
Dreams are mind-created phenomena and they ...
- 1,099
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible