12
votes
Accepted
Buddhist (Theravada) cure for "Insecurity"?
1.One of the ways to deal with anxiety,insecurity or lack of self confidence is by developing Sila (Morality,Integrity,Virtue,Ethics).
"Five blessings, householders, accrue to the righteous person ...
- 3,092
12
votes
Did the Buddha speak Pali? Are the suttas his word verbatim?
The Buddha likely spoke in several dialects that were quite similar to Pali. He was immensely well traveled for his time, so in his travels he likely adopted the native dialect to be better understood ...
- 7,423
12
votes
Accepted
Did the Buddha speak Pali? Are the suttas his word verbatim?
The short answer is no, and no. The Pāḷi Canon is a translation. Although people in Central Ganges Valley all spoke closely related dialects at the time we think the Buddha lived. The problem of ...
- 4,277
11
votes
Tripitaka Section Numbering
(UPDATED)
After some digging, it seems that indeed there is no one standard that can be truly relied upon to work for all version of the tipitaka, at least for the Samyutta and the Anguttara. For ...
- 23.9k
11
votes
Accepted
Are there examples of the Buddha showing humour in the Pali Canon?
You could say the Buddha and arahants had a peculiar form of humour, as Konrad suggested in his comment above. The hasituppādacitta (smiling-producing mind) is a citta unique to enlightened beings. ...
- 23.9k
10
votes
Searching for a Pali sutta where Buddha said "Enough!" to rebirth speculations
SN 42.3 (To Yodhajiva The Warrior) and SN 42.2 (To Talaputa the Actor) both contain the phrase,
"Enough, headman, put that aside. Don't ask me that."
The reason why he says "enough" seems to be ...
- 44.8k
9
votes
Evidence of Pali Canon's Origin
I encourage you to read the following: Bhikkhu Sujato & Bhikkhu Brahmali. The Authenticity of the Early Buddhist Texts.
In this work, their project is to investigate the question of authencity ...
- 5,178
9
votes
Can anyone explain Sanskara / Sankara indepth?
There's an article in English titled Anicca Vata Sankhara in which Bhikkhu Bodhi describes the various meanings of the word. Here are very brief extracts from that article, a summary:
The word ...
- 44.8k
8
votes
Is there any benefit in learning Pali or Sanskrit?
I agree with those who praise learning Canonical languages. Studying Pāli texts in Pāli is very rewarding. I have found my understanding of the Buddha's teaching blossomed through reading Pāli texts. ...
- 4,277
8
votes
Accepted
What Buddhist materials explain how to understand one's irrational feelings?
According to Buddhist dependent origination, depending on contact feeling arise, depending on feeling craving arise, depending on craving clinging arise, etc...
The feelings that arise is a result of ...
- 3,388
8
votes
Accepted
Returning to the marketplace - examples
Does the Theravada canon have such ideas anywhere at all?
This is a far-fetched example which barely answer your question but IMO the Buddha himself kind of returned to the market-place: not as a ...
- 44.8k
8
votes
Accepted
Why does the Buddha always answer a question if asked three times?
It's fairly clear that three times was a social convention for crossing some sort of line; either that or just a convention of the Buddha. See also DN 3:
‘Reverend Gotama, there are four castes: the ...
- 23.9k
8
votes
Accepted
Why did Mahayana leave out the Pali Canon?
It did not. The Canon is an integral part of Mahayana, has always been.
In Chinese Mahayana, the Canon is included in the form of Agamas (translated to Chinese). In Tibetan Mahayana, the Canon is a ...
- 56.9k
8
votes
Why does the Buddha, in the Pali Canon, periodically engage in harsh speech?
The answer to this comes in the Kesi Sutta:
As he was sitting there, the Blessed One said to him: "You, Kesi, are
a trained man, a trainer of tamable horses. And how do you train a
tamable ...
- 36k
8
votes
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Don't teach Dhamma to those who can't appreciate it or aren't interested
The Buddha not only stressed the importance of right speech but also the right time and occassion to say it:
"So too, prince, such speech as the Tath›gata knows to be untrue, incorrect, and ...
- 9,648
8
votes
Accepted
How does the Buddha subdue fear in MN4?
Good question! Not everyone finds this episode interesting - and yet it illustrates a very important point.
Buddha subdues his fear by bringing all of his attention to the present moment.
As I was ...
- 56.9k
7
votes
Accepted
Where's the story in which the Buddha praised a non-returner for keeping the knowledge of his attainment private?
"I hope, sir, that there were no white-clad householders there."
"No, friend, there were no white-clad householders there."
"It's good, sir, that there were no white-clad householders there."
http:/...
- 1,663
7
votes
Accepted
Where did the Buddha say that the minor rules for monks could be ignored?
The sutta is DN 16, where the Buddha is giving his last instructions. He gives four injunctions in total:
Now the Blessed One spoke to the Venerable Ananda, saying: "It may be, Ananda, that to ...
- 23.9k
7
votes
Accepted
In the Anapanasati Sutta, what is the difference between mind and mental processes?
From the Anapanasati Sutta
"Mindfulness of in-&-out breathing, when developed & pursued, is of great fruit, of great benefit. Mindfulness of in-&-out breathing, when developed & ...
- 9,492
7
votes
Accepted
Arahants and suicide
There might be something along those lines in SN 4.23 Godhika Sutta.
Page 85 of The Patimokkha Rules
Translated & Explained says,
Case (b) is apparently derived from SN 4.23, where Ven.
...
- 44.8k
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 ...
- 23.9k
7
votes
Accepted
Were different parts of the Pali Canon intended for different audiences?
Each Sutta was intended for a specific audience to address a specific issue. This is one of the reasons why there was a need for an Abhidhamma that consolidated the messages from all of the Suttas ...
- 1,368
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 ...
- 5,608
7
votes
Why did the Buddha contradict about His teachings in these two different suttas?
The key phrase, I think, is: "those things that I have known with direct knowledge..." (emphasis mine).
Some things must be experienced as direct knowledge. Teaching or discussing them with ...
- 4,762
6
votes
Buddhist (Theravada) cure for "Insecurity"?
Not sure in which sutta, but I remember Buddha having been asked a similar question, about timidity, I think in Anguttara Nikaya.
His answer was, basically, that confidence comes from skill. If one ...
- 56.9k
6
votes
Accepted
Specific sutta in the Tipitaka: Where did the Buddha compare leaves in the forest to his knowledge?
You are probably after the Simsapa Sutta
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.031.than.html
- 1,663
6
votes
Accepted
Is there a commentary for the Dhammapada?
Yes, there is indeed. The commentarial text includes both these stories and word-by-word commentary on the verses themselves.
The story parts were translated into English long ago by Burlingame as &...
- 23.9k
6
votes
Equanimity in the Aghatavinaya Sutta
Looking at the text, it does not recommend reflecting on the ownership etc of kamma as a method of developing equanimity (upekkha). Here it is specifically for removing resentment (āghāta). As far as ...
- 4,277
6
votes
How does the Dhamma reconcile slavery?
I think you are mistaking servant for slave.
In five ways should a master minister to his servants and employees
(i) by assigning them work according to their ability,
(ii) by supplying ...
- 25.7k
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