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1500 questions
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7 answers
Methods for reaching Jhana
I have read some books and web resources that deal with reaching access concentration and from there the first Jhana. They all used mindfulness of breathing and mentioned but never described 'other methods'.
Methods I have found mentioned were body…
Dawnkeeper
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How compatible are the beliefs of atheists and Buddhism?
I looked around and found a couple of questions and answers on the site that discuss atheism in Buddhism, What is the difference between learning the Buddhist way and simply learning from life? & Do Buddhists believe in gods? it looks like belief in…
James Jenkins
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Is zazen practised for its own sake, or as a means to end suffering? Experts seem to say different things
It is confusing to me that what what the goal of zazen is (and is not), as proposed by various people with more or less authority on the subject, varies so greatly. Some say no goal, and others identify various goals.
Rationally speaking, no goal…
MetaEd
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What is the precise meaning of anatta?
This is focusing in on one specific aspect of what was asked here: What are the three marks of existence?
I often hear "anatta" explained as being an expression of the non-existence of the self. However, various places add an adjective first. For…
tkp
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15
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6 answers
How does one practice mindfulness during thinking - e.g. thinking about how to solve a problem?
This question is in context of practicing mindfulness in one's day-to-day activities (e.g. walking, talking, washing dishes etc.), where one is supposed to be "aware of" / "observe" / "be mindful of" these activities.
But how does one be "mindful"…
A.K
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14 answers
What is the meaning behind different robe colors?
I have seen the same monk in two different color robes and am wondering why. They were dark red and of course orange. Ihave also seen brown, but that was zen, and if any other colors have relevance i would like to hear about them as well. I practice…
Anatta34811
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What is the meaning of the Zen quote: "Before Enlightenment chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment chop wood, carry water"?
In the question "A question regarding the level of worldly participation for a buddhist monk", Bhante gave an answer containing a Zen quote.
The quote is;
"Before Enlightenment chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment chop wood, carry…
user2424
15
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16 answers
Is Buddhism a religion or a philosophy?
A claim which is often heard in connection with Buddhism is that it is not a religion. From a scientific point of view, is it a religion, or is it not?
zwiebel
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Is it okay to seek financial gains as a layman?
I work in a highly competitive market, and often people around me only talk about money or finances or the global economy day in and day out. A few of my friends/interns were attracted to Buddhism after I told them about meditation recently. Some of…
Maxwell T.
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Why are Jhanas controversial?
I have heard that some teachers do not teach the Jhanas, others do. Yuttadhammo mentions the great debate about Jhanas. What is the controversy about? Whether they are useful towards realizing Nibbana/Nirvana? Is the debate relevant to all Buddhist…
FullPeace.org
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What determines whether actions are good or bad?
In a large number of religions, 'good' and 'bad' are defined by some all-powerful diety who either sends a representative or himself to tell us about what exactly they want us mortals to do.
In Buddhism, instead an enlightened individual basically…
Haedrian
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12 answers
Is Buddhism "opposed" to striving, or working towards a goal that you really want
I've found that it is pleasant and exciting to work towards a goal, for example: wanting to run a 21km race, imagining the crowds, imagining the personal accomplishment. This requires a certain amount of dissatisfaction with your current situation…
willem
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How concerned should Buddhists be with the actions of others?
Even as I find peace and contentment in observing the 5 precepts and following along the 8 fold path, I realize I sometimes unintentionally benefit from those who don't live in this manner. For example a friend takes something that wasn't freely…
Robin111
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15
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4 answers
Why did the Buddha suffer before he died?
I understand that the Buddha became severely ill prior to his death as a result of eating bad food. I also was under the impression that perfectly enlightened beings have obliterated, or rendered ineffective, all of their karma. If this is the case,…
Ian
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Enlightened Lies - Can lying be the correct action in certain situations?
Can lying be the correct action in certain situations? Bhikkhu Bodhi gave an example of a situation where lying might be appropriate:
In World War II some nice people would hide those oppressed by the Nazis. If Nazis come and ask these nice…
Lowbrow
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