Buddhism Stack Exchange
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1500 questions
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6 answers

What could I say to someone when they ask me "why do you meditate?"

I was talking to someone about my morning routine, which includes meditation. They asked me why do I do it. I didn't know what to say. Finally I said "you should find out yourself" with a smile. I don't know how to answer this question. I don't want…
jason
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Clenching teeth and pressing tongue against roof of mouth

This may sound similar to this question, but it's not the same. This practice appears to be similar to the Khecari Mudra of Hindu yoga, but it's not the same, because the tongue need not be inserted into the nasal cavity. It is sufficient if it is…
ruben2020
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Did the Buddha speak Pali? Are the suttas his word verbatim?

Was Pali the language spoken during the time of the Buddha, and would he have spoken this language? Are the suttas contained in the Pali Canon verbatim what the Buddha said, or would things have been changed due to centuries of oral transmission?
Ian
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4 answers

Found items and the Second Precept

There was a crumbled up dollar bill on the stairs when I was coming out of work today. I looked around and didn't see anyone who might have dropped it. I picked it up and walked away. Pretty soon I went back and laid it back on the steps again. I…
Robin111
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Are there pictures/paintings of Nirvana?

I´m writing an article about pictures of the afterlifes/havens in different religions. But I wasn´t able to find pictures/paintings/artworks that picture Nirvana on the internet. So my question is: Are there pictures of Nirvana?
Amelie
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Why would anyone ever want to go to the heavens?

References to a rebirth in the heavenly realms seems to be viewed in a positive light in Buddhism. It's easy to see why it would be considered more favorable than a rebirth in the hell realms of course. But my understanding is that beings in heaven…
Robin111
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Does being in a commited married life make it impossible to attain Nirvana? If not, how can one progress towards Nirvana?

Married life is a form of attachment. If one is in a commited relationship he/she is bound to have a multitude of attachments like a wife, children, personal belongings, wealth etc. But Buddha has once said : Costumes Do Not Mar Virtue: "Even…
Dilshan De Silva
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Does Zen have a concept similar to stream entry?

Stream entry feels like a milestone where some very significant things happen and the practitioner cannot slide backwards from it. Do Zen sutras describe the concept of stream entry by that or any other name?
Parag
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Is there an Orthodox Buddhism?

Orthodoxy in Christianity is the holding to the oldest beliefs. It is of course impossible for the religion not to evolve at all as new questions and there answer have to addressed. The "Orthodox" version is often considered to be the least evolved…
James Jenkins
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Buddhist (Theravada) cure for "Insecurity"?

While the Pali scriptures address (or at least reference) a number of specific sufferings that a human being can be subject to (Jealousy, Anger, Fear, etc.), do any of the teachings deal with the specific suffering of Insecurity (and how to overcome…
Richard R
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Logic of Emptiness still unconvincing. Please help explain

I've been a practitioner of Vipassana and Mahamudra for 2 years now. One thing quite bothering me is various explanations from different teachers on emptiness logically disturbing... Usually, it goes like this: The flower before you seems real. Now…
Seeker
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How to wake up properly after a nights sleep?

My mind tends to be more unbalanced after waking up than before going to bed. I try to observe breath and sensations but the mind is pretty muddled. This raises the question if the mind is making sankharas in deep sleep too? How is that possible…
user3743672
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Is technology making us less mindful?

In terms of availability of technology, the modern world is very different from the world in which Buddhism arose, and the Buddhist suttas were written As a result, these days, people do things differently from the past, for example: performing…
konrad01
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Physical Exercise as a Monk?

Is a monk allowed to exercise the body in order to keep it fit and healthy? I reckon both 'healthy' and 'fit' as attachments, but is there an overall rule/teaching that explains this?
Jordy van Ekelen
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Loneliness: Rhinoceros-Horn Sutta from a Lay person's perspective

How can a lay person benefit from this beautiful sutta? It is about being reclusive as a key for good insight and enlightenment. Does this sutta apply for short period of loneliness like Retreats? Or should it be taken literally and is only for…
konrad01
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