18
votes
Accepted
Does God exist in Buddhism?
Unfortunately, this is one of the first questions people ask, especially if they are coming from a theistic background. As a result, many who require the belief of a 'God' as a precondition, turn away ...
- 25.7k
17
votes
Why do Buddhists believe there is no creator?
For most people God is a dualistic concept. Meaning, for a typical person the unspoken assumption is: "I am here and God is over there". So when I think about God, when I speak to God -- I inevitably ...
- 58.3k
15
votes
If there is no soul or self, why did the Buddha speak of his past lives?
How is it possible that he had past lives?
Because until he became the Buddha he hadn't eliminated craving.
Craving leads to clinging, clinging leads to becoming, becoming leads to birth.
how did ...
- 25.7k
12
votes
Accepted
Why do Buddhists believe there is no creator?
First, some canonical background:
According to the Acintita Sutta, speculating on the origin of the cosmos or similar topics will lead one to confusion i.e. it cannot be understood.
According to the ...
- 37.4k
11
votes
When do I realize that I am free from rebirth?
From Milindapanha:
The king said, “Is there anyone who is not reborn
after death?”
“Yes there is. The one who has no defilements is not
reborn after death; the one who has defilements is ...
- 58.3k
11
votes
Accepted
Are there Goddesses in Buddhism? If yes, who are they?
I'll answer in two parts-- what sort of looks like a god in Buddhism and which of those are female.
Early Buddhism didn't see gods as important to solving their fundamental problem of ending ...
- 7,121
10
votes
Why do Buddhists believe there is no creator?
"Monks, I will teach you the All. Listen & pay close attention. I will
speak."
"As you say, lord," the monks responded.
The Blessed One said, "What is the All? Simply the eye & ...
- 25.7k
10
votes
Was the Buddha misogynistic?
Buddha said women can be Enlightened.
In an unprecedented move for the times, Buddha allowed women to ordain as Buddhist wanderers.
Buddha added numerous rules to Vinaya to protect women practitioners ...
- 58.3k
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
Did the Buddha have special instructions to deal with masturbation?
he didn't prohibit it for secular people, it's not even subsumed under sexual misconduct
but since it's a lustful urge and act it is unwholesome and unskillful, and those need to be handled using the ...
- 1,683
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
Life of Buddha, to be taken seriously?
the Buddha taught that there is unsatisfactoriness in this world and the way out of it which is more systemised as the 4 Noble Truths.
If these stories help you understand unsatisfactoriness and help ...
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 ...
- 5,206
9
votes
Is the Buddha God?
The Dona Sutta might be helpful:
On one occasion the Blessed One was traveling along the road between
Ukkattha and Setabya, and Dona the brahman was also traveling along
the road between ...
- 2,592
9
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 ...
- 37.4k
9
votes
Would Buddhists object if Gautama Buddha were seen as a Prophet by Islam
You see friend, it's a sad state of affairs. Even the Buddhists of this site reject your respect of our teacher on the grounds that your faith is wrong in their eyes. And if your faith is "wrong&...
- 58.3k
8
votes
Accepted
Did the Buddha ever weep in his days of Enlightenment?
A Buddha would never ever weep while in his days of Enlightenment. It is because of the quality Akampita. It means unshaken; calm; resolute; that which does not tremble; not to be shaken.
The ...
- 9,695
8
votes
Life of Buddha, to be taken seriously?
Three months after Shakyamuni's death the first Buddhist Council was convened. There was no written method to record his teaching so a group of monks, many with eidetic memories, were chosen to commit ...
- 942
8
votes
Accepted
What does "Namaste" mean in Buddhism context and why is it even associated with Buddhism?
Namaste is a greeting in the Hindu custom and does not have a context in Buddhism.
Namaste (/ˈnɑːməsteɪ/, Hindi: [nəməsteː] (About this sound listen))), sometimes spoken as Namaskar, Namaskaram is a ...
8
votes
Is it true that Lord Buddha was born in Sri Lanka?
Lumbini, Nepal has been recognized as the birthplace of Siddhartha Gautama since a stone pillar was placed at the site by the emperor Ashoka circa 245 BCE.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...
8
votes
Accepted
Is it true that Lord Buddha was born in Sri Lanka?
Prince Siddhartha was raised, according to Buddhist texts, in Kapilawastu (I will not present sources for this as I think this would be undisputed).
The modern name for Kapilawastu is unknown: I will ...
- 236
8
votes
Accepted
Who was the Buddha's teacher?
Between Gayā and the Place of Enlightenment the Ājīvaka Upaka saw me
on the road and said: ‘Friend, your faculties are clear, the colour of
your skin is pure and bright. Under whom have you gone forth,...
- 25.7k
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 ...
- 58.3k
7
votes
Accepted
What is happening to Lord Buddha after "parinirvana"?
Nothing
Because there is no person to happen anything, and there is no samsara. So that's The End. When a person achieves nirvana , there is no person anymore. Death is not the end of a person, ...
- 558
7
votes
Accepted
Can Buddhism help me find my passion?
The "passion" you talk about sounds like a craving for something which you haven't defined. Your question seems to be asking, "I crave something (I crave something to feel passionate about), but I don'...
- 46.3k
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