Buddhism Stack Exchange
Buddhism Stack Exchange

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1500 questions
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9 answers

Can a person live by the Dhamma and have another religion as well?

As Buddhism is growing in the west, we see this "conflict" a lot. In Asia I met some Buddhists-Hindus, Buddha, Shiva and Ganesh were equally important to them. Here in the west there are some Christian-Buddhists, people who believe in the Dhamma,…
konrad01
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10 answers

Ultimate Lack of Discipline

I noticed that despite all my resolutions and intentions, I am still not much better than when I attempted to change. Therefore, I ask the following: What could a person particularly lazy and unmotivated, who cannot stick with things long term, and…
user7302
12
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9 answers

How/Why to be moral without believing God or any supernatural entity?

Being believer or dependent on God so far in my life, I'm clueless how exactly can I become independent without turning morally Bankrupt? Being devotee I'm automatically moral & lovingly but When I start believing in experience I become somewhat…
user10804
12
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14 answers

Secular Buddhism and Suicide

I have a limited understanding of Buddhism, but let me first explain my perspective. More traditionally, Buddhism is concerned with achieving enlightenment and ending the rebirth process. From a more modern perspective, Buddhism is primarily…
David
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8 answers

Sexual Desire, Masturbating and Asuba Bawana

I have been wanting to ask this question for some time. So basically caught up in the social norms, i used to watch porn videos and masturbate and got a bit attached to it. Kept on doing it for a few years. And 2 years back I met a girlfriend and…
MicroVision Co
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12 answers

Attachment is a poison. Why is attachment to the Buddha and to Buddhist philosophy not a problem?

Attachment (aka craving or greed) is one of the Three Poisons. Why is attachment to Buddha not a poison? Perhaps it's related to the Tibetan Buddhist lojong "Don't make gods into demons"?
user50
12
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4 answers

What is the proper understanding of "taking refuge" in Buddhism?

Many years ago, a Zen Roshi said in a class that "nobody else is your boss except for you. Only you can make the decision and apply yourself to practice, nobody else can." So, I've heard this many times from various Buddhist traditions. However,…
DharmaEater
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5 answers

How can I know that I am clear of thoughts while I am meditating?

While meditating, one might try to be aware of their surroundings, to be present in the moment. But how can we become aware of it without thinking that we are aware? Another example is when one can listen to sounds or silence, and even if one is…
raukodraug
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6 answers

Meditation, compassion: How to handle people who dominate you in the office?

I have been doing meditation for long time and have felt a change in me. I have started developing strong compassion, and due to this I am speaking very politely to everyone and always agreeing with the views of others. In fact, I am helping others…
buddha
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11 answers

Does God exist in Buddhism?

I'm new to this site. So I'd like to ask a question about God. Do Buddhists believe in the existence of a God? Does Lord Buddha mention anything about this?
user8753
12
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4 answers

What is the oldest text/sutra of the Mahayana tradition?

I'm often interested in the history of Buddhist texts and, being a Theravadan, I'm not very familiar with the Mahayana texts. Please help to educate me in this manner.
Sāmaṇera Jayantha
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What/Who is 'Mara' in Buddhism?

Is there any definition for 'Mara' in Buddhism? Islam has a concept called Shayṭān. They explain it as the devil inside a human (Islam explanation). There is something like this in Christianity too. Does Mara represent the bad side of humans or is…
kalan nawarathne
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3 answers

Can someone explain about children monks?

I've seen pictures online of young children dressed in monks robes in Buddhist countries. Does someone make the decision on behalf of the child that they will become a monk? Do they eat only one meal a day as adult monks do? Are very young monks…
Robin111
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4 answers

Is it possible to "over-train" in samatha meditation?

Every morning I set aside one hour for meditation -- primarily just counting breaths, but occasionally abdominal noting. My overall aim is to achieve some kind of basic tranquility so I can then decide if I should move onto something else. That is,…
tkp
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What is the difference between relative and absolute truth in Buddhist philosophy?

Many Buddhist texts and teachings make a distinction between absolute and relative truth. Please explain the difference and give some examples.
likethesky
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