7
votes
Is an 'Existential Crisis' a necessary condition to start on the path of Dhamma?
AN 3.38 describes Gotama having an existential crisis.
Even though I was endowed with such fortune, such total refinement, the thought occurred to me: 'When an untaught, run-of-the-mill person,
...
- 42.8k
6
votes
Is the experience of suffering or enjoyment completely reducible to physics e.g. such as in materialist views i.e. materialism?
Your question is quite interesting because it starts out with an openness regarding identity view. Awesome! You ask about what is and are puzzled at the rise of feelings pleasant, painful or neutral. ...
- 9,479
5
votes
Apparently stream-entrants are destined to attain Nibbana but what about non-stream-entrants?
Say, you wanted to lose weight and stay healthy. If you have no idea about Calories, Carbs, Fat, and Exercise - you may spend years randomly trying all types of foods, fasting, etc. - your weight ...
- 58.9k
4
votes
Is Buddhism Free will or Determinism
In my opinion, the Dhamma is in-between those two extremes. The Dhamma teaches us Dependent Co-arising.
One's mind is not free from the influence of past conditions. What affects the aggregates in ...
- 2,085
4
votes
Accepted
Does Western Philosophy Have Conceptual Overlaps with Buddhism?
If there are overlaps, what are possible explanations?
It's natural that when you learn something new, you compare it with what you know already.
Not just "compare", but "see parallels" and "see ...
- 47.1k
3
votes
Is the experience of suffering or enjoyment completely reducible to physics e.g. such as in materialist views i.e. materialism?
The way I understand the present physics teaching does not address the consciousness.
- 5,607
3
votes
Possible Potential Buddhist
My teacher always insisted, there's no conflict between Buddhism and the rational world, no conflict between Buddhism and the scientific method. He said, one can be saint and a successful businessman. ...
- 58.9k
3
votes
Possible Potential Buddhist
If you're just starting out then I'm not sure you need to make any strong choices. You could go on a temporary retreat where the teacher guides you to learn how to guide yourself.
Everyone needs ...
- 7,240
3
votes
What is the substantial cause of an instance of consciousness?
Since you asked for personal responses with reasoning, I feel I can just answer in my own words, not quoting scripture or teachers. And yet I believe my position is in line with the view of the ...
- 58.9k
3
votes
What's Buddhism view on choice, choicelesness and causality?
In my opinion, determinism is a feature that appears in all conditioned phenomena (at the very least, in all phenomena of our subjective experience), which makes those phenomena follow inconditionally ...
- 2,085
3
votes
Do Buddhists talk about insides?
I think you must be thinking of 'middle'. Things have beginnings, middles, and ends. And yes the suttas are filled with discussions of all three.
"It was not until I had thoroughly understood the six ...
- 31
3
votes
What is prajna?
Prajna is direct practical realization of Buddha-Dharma.
It is when you 1) clearly see in front of your nose (and everywhere around you) all that cool stuff being spoken about in Buddhist books, and ...
- 58.9k
3
votes
Is there a distinction made in any Buddhist texts between Religion and Philosophy?
The Buddha once spoke about a philosopher who talked about religions:
AN10.116:3.2: “Mendicants, do you remember this philosopher’s points?”
And the Buddha proceeds to point out the importance of ...
- 9,479
2
votes
Is there evidence of a Buddhist influence on Greek Stoicism?
Well there was the Indo-Greek kingdom and many of the Greeks living there were Buddhist. This kingdom existed before stoic philosophy came about, so there is a possibility.
https://en.wikipedia.org/...
- 21
2
votes
Accepted
Are philosophers today misunderstanding 'emptiness' because of a new metaphysics?
Many people in general misunderstand the terminology the Buddha used, including Buddhists & even translators. If these people misunderstand the terminology then what is to be expected of Western ...
- 42.8k
2
votes
What is the difference between Yogacara Buddhism and Idealism?
Here's one additional point. The other very astute answers have dealt with possible philosophical distinctions between these two. The only point lacking as a difference between these two in the other ...
- 21
2
votes
What would Buddhists say about 'pantheism'
I think that Buddhists don't assume that there's a "one God". So there's no need to explain the relationship between God and World.
Wikipedia's Pantheism in religion mentions many religions, but not ...
- 47.1k
2
votes
Are philosophers today misunderstanding 'emptiness' because of a new metaphysics?
The term 'misunderstanding' does not has the same meaning for a philosopher and a Buddhist. From the Buddhist perspective misunderstanding something means not seeing with one's own mind, not being ...
- 1,775
2
votes
Possible Potential Buddhist
Sometimes a highly intelligent, or highly developed mind could find it hard to sustain in the mundane world. The antidote is cultivating compassion. It's impossible for a mind keep striving for higher ...
- 2,307
2
votes
Is an 'Existential Crisis' a necessary condition to start on the path of Dhamma?
There are two types of existential crisis. One makes a person extremely corrupted, harmful to themselves and others. The second type of existential crisis leads a person to a spiritual opening. The ...
- 1,068
2
votes
Is an 'Existential Crisis' a necessary condition to start on the path of Dhamma?
Siddhartha led a privileged life and was an intelligent and curious person. The story of he and his attendent seeing the three marks of living- illness, old age and death created an existential crisis ...
2
votes
Is an 'Existential Crisis' a necessary condition to start on the path of Dhamma?
Yes, dukkha is the pre-requisite for Saddha, samvega, for pasada. No fear, no dhukka perceived, the path for escape the truths in the world is neither desired nor seen.
2
votes
Does Western Philosophy Have Conceptual Overlaps with Buddhism?
I think I've noticed some overlaps between Buddhism and Western Philosophy and Science. I'm wondering if I'm misreading.
In human attempts to examine reality, obviously there are overlaps. However, ...
- 42.8k
2
votes
Is there a scientific consensus on meditation?
If you are still interested, you can check this:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Meditation/comments/9dx45g/can_we_please_have_a_pinned_thread_with_all_the/e5qcic6/
It's a comment with about 15 benefits of ...
- 383
2
votes
What is prajna?
Kusala (ku=bad, sala=cutting off/away) is doing which getting at least 2 values, now and then (6 values--present value, next value, nibbana, own value, others' value, each others' value. See the last ...
- 6,230
2
votes
Can i be reborn having my father again?
Close Family and friends tend to rebirth into the same family and circle of friends again and again, just as those in the living world tend to like to stick to their close ones. Your father could ...
- 1,983
1
vote
Apparently stream-entrants are destined to attain Nibbana but what about non-stream-entrants?
First off, although determinism was established by the Greek philosophers, during the 7th and 6th centuries BC, so around the life time of the historical Buddha, it is unlikely that this Greek concept ...
- 1,811
1
vote
Is an 'Existential Crisis' a necessary condition to start on the path of Dhamma?
In Therigatha 6.1 (quoted below), the nun Bhikkhuni Patacara had an existential crisis over her son's untimely death. Recalling the Buddha's words, she had a deep realization, perhaps even ...
- 37.5k
1
vote
What is the substantial cause of an instance of consciousness?
What is the substantial cause of the wetness of a wet cloth?
Is it water? Or is it the cloth? Or is it your hand touching the cloth and ascertaining that it is wet?
There is no single substantial ...
- 37.5k
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible