16
votes
Accepted
Which is the Buddhist holy book? Where can it be read?
There isn't exactly one short Buddhist bible (see Why isn't there a Buddhist Bible?).
The Tripitaka is the Pali canon, possibly the earliest (or at least, among the earliest) of the surviving ...
- 46.3k
10
votes
Accepted
What are the suttas in which the Buddha provides instruction on how to meditate?
To straighten view before meditation: Samma,ditthi Sutta
Anapana
Anapanasati Sutta
Satipatthana
Satipatthana Sutta and Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna Sutta
Kayagatasati Sutta
Saṅkhitta Dhamma Sutta
Elements / ...
10
votes
What is the meaning of the Zen quote: "Before Enlightenment chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment chop wood, carry water"?
I am not sure about the origin of this quote but possibly as it used as a Zen message it may have come from Bodhidharma. I am sure about its meaning however. It relates both to Enlightenment and ...
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10
votes
Accepted
What is the meaning of the Zen quote: "Before Enlightenment chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment chop wood, carry water"?
Before Enlightenment, you hate your life. You chop wood and carry water, but secretly wish to get out of it all. You bear with these activities through habit and out of hopelessness, but you really ...
- 58.3k
9
votes
Accepted
I would like to become Buddhist
I've heard that they don't believe in any god.
It depends on what you mean by God. Buddhism does not have the concept of a almighty, creator (deism), sustainer, creator plus sustainer (theism), ...
9
votes
Accepted
On what basis does the 'right' in Buddhism come from?
The 'Right' in Buddhism (Samma or Samyak, literally "done well" or "properly done") is that which is causally connected with peace (and Peace). It is causally connected with peace ...
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8
votes
Which is the Buddhist holy book? Where can it be read?
The main Buddhist holy book - The Sutta Pitaka - is many times larger than the Bible, consisting of more than 10,000 discourses.
However, the essential teachings the Buddha compared to a 'handful of ...
- 40.5k
8
votes
Accepted
Buddhist Verse Closest To Christian/Jewish Verse
How can I inflict upon another what is displeasing and disagreeable to me? Veludvareyya Sutta
And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise. Luke 6:31
*
In the same ...
- 40.5k
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 ...
- 1,378
7
votes
Law of Karma in the Buddha's own words
Ven Bodhi discusses this matter and quotes relevant suttas in his "In the Buddha's Words" chapter V "THE WAY TO A FORTUNATE REBIRTH".
The following list, which was posted on SuttaCentral, is a ...
- 1,683
7
votes
I would like to become Buddhist
You don't believe in any God. Ok. You don't believe in rituals. Ok. Very likely you already don't. So why Buddhism? I'd like to make an important point here stating that Buddhism is anything but a ...
- 2,234
7
votes
"Human Dignity" in Buddhism
Dignity in Buddhism is not built-in, it is to be earned. A realized person is respected because they deserve to be respected. If someone can control one's emotions, does not fall victim to one's ...
- 58.3k
7
votes
What does Buddhism say about how to manage other people's anger?
A very apt verse in the case of anger is this one from Dhammapada - Na Hi Verena Verani - Hatred is never appeased by Hatred. It is appeased only by loving kindness.
Here is the Dhamma talk by Ven. ...
- 1,209
7
votes
What is the meaning of the Zen quote: "Before Enlightenment chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment chop wood, carry water"?
It means your liabilities are before and after the enlightenment the same ones. You have to live a life, to meet responsibility and to master challenges. You still have to follow the Path.
Edit
I ...
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7
votes
What is the meaning of the Zen quote: "Before Enlightenment chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment chop wood, carry water"?
"Chop wood and carry water"
This was first told to me as a story. Here is an abbreviated version.
A young boy became a monk. He dreamed of enlightenment and of learning great things. When he got to ...
- 71
7
votes
What is the difference between an arhat, bodhisattva and a buddha?
According to the Prasangika-Madhyamika Mahayana school of Tenets,
A Hinayana arhat abandoned afflictive obscurations by way of realizing emptiness, but has not abandoned knowledge obscuration. He as ...
- 5,206
6
votes
Text request--Tibetan Buddhism
The Gelug tradition expounds on the following five types of meditation.
You find here teachings (for free) related to Tsongkhapa's Middle-Length Lam Rim. They must cover the first, second and third ...
- 5,206
6
votes
Accurate translation of "Satipatthana Sutta"
In my opinion, one of the best translations is the one in Analayo Bhikhu's "Satipatthana: The Direct Path to Realization".
see https://www.buddhismuskunde.uni-hamburg.de/pdf/5-personen/analayo/direct-...
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6
votes
Accepted
Shouldn't we take Lord Buddha's word above the all others?
A good Dhamma teacher would frequently refer to sutta/vinaya references to back up his point. If s/he doesn't do that, there's no guarantee their point is valid or that it really comes from the Buddha'...
- 9,707
6
votes
Accepted
Jhāna, seeing the welfare of self and other
Sangaravo Sutta: Sangarava -- The Hindrances (SN 46.55) says that.
It says that ...
he cannot know or see, as it really is, what is to his own profit, nor can he know and see what is to the ...
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6
votes
Accepted
Sutta with firefly simile
Ud 6.9 - Adhipataka Sutta: Like Moths to the Flame
translated from the Pali by Andrew Olendzki
“The insects are drawn irresistibly in the dark night to the shining
lamps, but in their zeal to ...
- 9,695
6
votes
Accepted
Did Buddha ever met Mahavir(Jain GOD)?
No. There is no known record of Gautama Buddha meeting Mahavira (also known as Nigantha Nataputta in the Pali Canon). Jains are known as Niganthas in the Pali Canon.
It appears however that Mahavira ...
- 37.4k
6
votes
I'm trying to find a specific sutta I think
Upaddha Sutta: Half (of the Holy Life)
Don't say that, Ananda. Don't say that. Admirable friendship, admirable companionship, admirable camaraderie is actually the whole
of the holy life. When a ...
- 40.5k
5
votes
Does Zen Buddhism have canonical texts?
I am from a Chinese Buddhist organization with Chan lineage but is non denominational. They use the entire Chinese Mahayana canon as their basis, but in practice only popular passages like the Heart ...
- 1,705
5
votes
Is rebirth a delusional belief?
"Anatta" does not mean "no-self". It means "not-self". Therefore, the Buddha did not deny the arising of the "self" concept in the mind. In fact, the Buddha taught extensively about how the idea of "...
- 40.5k
5
votes
Accepted
What does venerable Sariputta mean by "dwelling withdrawn"?
Piya Tan's comment for AN 8.2:
The third factor that conduces to developing wisdom in an individual is aloneness of body and of mind (kāya,vūpakāsa citta,vūpakāsa), that is, cultivating aloneness of ...
- 9,707
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