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Within Tibetan Buddhism, are the Lamas always the same "soul"?
It's my understanding that the belief in Tibetan Buddhism is that when a Lama is reborn he (not meaning to be sexist, but I know of no female Lamas - please let me know if I'm wrong) becomes that same Lama again. From a western viewpoint, it might…
GreenMatt
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It is said that arahants never dream. What are the textual sources for this claim?
On various web pages relating to the Dhamma I have read the claim that arahants never dream. A few examples:
Buddhist scholar Lily de Silva writes:
We may also note the tradition maintaining that arahants never dream, maybe because they have…
gooiditnietweg
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What is non-duality in Buddhism?
I noticed some questioners on this site using the term "non-duality".
What is non-duality in Buddhism?
This is a well-known idea in Hinduism i.e. advaita. But does it exist in Buddhism?
Is it an official term in Buddhism, or just a convenient…
ruben2020
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I feel uncomfortable about jury duty
I have been asked to do jury duty. As I follow a Buddhist philosophy of Ahimsa, no-harm, I feel conflicted. If I vote guilty, and the defendant is not, I would feel guilty myself. If he/she is guilty, and I vote to acquit, likewise I would feel…
Tom Ramsay
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Why is Buddhism followed mainly outside of India when it originated there?
India is the original land of Buddhism, but it is followed/practiced more outside its country of birth. Are there any reasons for this?
Narasimham
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Meditation techniques for beginners?
As a beginning meditator, the techniques I typically use are:
Counting breaths, restarting at 10 (learned in Japan).
Envisioning, with warm feelings, all of my friends and family around me in a large circle (learned in Florida).
Attempting to feel…
Chris Mueller
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How to 'Let Go' in Meditation?
"And what is the faculty of concentration? There is the case where a monk, a disciple of the noble ones, making it his object to let go, attains concentration, attains singleness of mind.
Indriya-vibhanga Sutta (SN 48.10)
What is exactly meant by…
Mr. Jabato
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Is Nibbana a state of mind or an element (dhamma)?
I have four parts of this question,
Is Nibbana a state of mind or a dhamma?
If Nibbana is a state of mind, is it merely the uprooting of craving?
If the answer for the second question is "Yes", then why it's said "Nibbana is the object of eight…
Damith
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Help locating a widespread quote attributed to Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche
This quote is widely attributed to Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche:
The bad news is, you’re falling through the air, nothing to hang on
to, no parachute. The good news is, there’s no ground.
Among the many instances on the web, the only pointer to an…
David Lewis
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What kind of harm can koan answers cause to one's practice?
In a recent meta discussion some people expressed the opinion that giving koan answers may be detrimental to one's practice. In what way, exactly? And if it is so, why did many Buddhists publish koan commentaries for many hundred years?
michau
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7
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3 answers
How to deal with criticism?
How should one properly handle cases of insults, criticism and discrimination, according to the Buddhist teachings?
Jordy van Ekelen
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The Buddha-nature of a dog
I keep seeing the following koan:
A monk asked Zhàozhōu, "Does a dog have Buddha nature or not?" Zhaozhou said, "Wú".
What does this mean and why is it important?
More specifically: Does "Wú" mean "no" in this context, or does it mean "the…
michau
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7
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What is Nirodha?
I came across the concept of Nirodha in the book The Meditative Mind by Daniel Goleman. I think it's originally from the Visuddhimagga. In the book it seems to be placed above Nirvana in the path of insight. I have never heard of this term anywhere…
Crab Bucket
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I explain why I prefer discuss Buddhism intellectually but others don't seem to accept my point. Why is that?
In this Reddit post Is Buddhism about cognitive linguistics and cognitive psychology?, I am advised that practice is far more important than intellectualizing. I understand that the core teaching of Buddhism is to stop clinging on dharma, and I…
Ooker
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What kind of mistakes can a new meditator in his/her early 20's avoid?
I am currently in my late twenties and I began meditation in my early twenties. I often think that the path that I am on being correct as it is and it has provided it's justification through practice- I am unsure what I will think of me in my…
user3743672
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