Buddhism
Q&A for people practicing or interested in Buddhist philosophy, teaching, and practice
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What is the meaning of “miccha dhamma”?
I heard that “miccha dhamma” means homosexuality, especially in Sri Lanka, where the Tripitaka was written.
I heard that “miccha dhamma” means homosexuality, especially in Sri Lanka, where the Tripitaka was written.
Nina Harriet
(401 rep)
Oct 7, 2025, 12:43 AM
• Last activity: Oct 7, 2025, 03:30 AM
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Does the Buddha talk about focusing on breath outside meditation?
I currently try to get better at returning focus and attention from thoughts to breathe. I do this in daily life. I would appreciate if there were suttas on focusing on breathe in daily life outside meditation. I would see it as encouragement. I know that the Buddha focuses a lot on craving and ill...
I currently try to get better at returning focus and attention from thoughts to breathe.
I do this in daily life.
I would appreciate if there were suttas on focusing on breathe in daily life outside meditation. I would see it as encouragement.
I know that the Buddha focuses a lot on craving and ill wishes and cruel thoughts. These things helped me a lot, they help to return to breathe. Then there is a sort of lightness, as opposed to the heaviness of suffering.
I identify a shifting of focus from thoughts to breath as a victory of having applied Buddha's teaching. Unfortunately, I don't have clear wording of the Buddha that this is a sign of cessation on suffering.
I'm like a son that needs validation.
Are there suttas that talk about breath, as opposed to just talking about contemplating on thoughts?
Gondola Spärde
(357 rep)
Oct 6, 2025, 04:52 PM
• Last activity: Oct 7, 2025, 01:01 AM
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I have forgotten how to live
The previous years of my life feels like a dream. I was happily living, consumed with studies, learning things, watching youtube and stuff, enjoying a lot, mind was busy in various entertaining stuffs. But, I don't know how it started, but all those passions are waning. Its almost as if I've forgott...
The previous years of my life feels like a dream. I was happily living, consumed with studies, learning things, watching youtube and stuff, enjoying a lot, mind was busy in various entertaining stuffs. But, I don't know how it started, but all those passions are waning. Its almost as if I've forgotten how to live. Live as in the previous ways of my living. I am now trying to find a way to live as I've lived in the past but can't seem to go back to the old ways. I mean I want to find something fun for my mind as I had in the past but I just cant bring up enough passion.
What is happening to me ?
user16308
Apr 28, 2020, 01:55 PM
• Last activity: Oct 6, 2025, 06:02 AM
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Eyes moving upwards - mild lights - sense of space - pleasure
Hello Beautiful People, I have a quick question. After years of meditating with a mixture of Mahasi and Goenka style, I would like to ask the following. Very often when I sit to mediate, it is a matter of seconds to experience a subtle sense of pleasure and/or spaciousness. But more interestingly, i...
Hello Beautiful People,
I have a quick question. After years of meditating with a mixture of Mahasi and Goenka style, I would like to ask the following.
Very often when I sit to mediate, it is a matter of seconds to experience a subtle sense of pleasure and/or spaciousness. But more interestingly, is that after meditating a bit more there comes a feeling that my eyes want to move upwards, almost like if they want to see behind my head/brain.
The first times this eye movement happened, years ago, there was fear in me because this was unusual and unexpected - it was even a bit painful. But after letting this movement happen I realized that the traditional lights, pleasure, and spaciousness became more present. Sometimes this leads to a very focalized pleasure spot at the top of my head and sometimes to the feeling that from that spot a very strong and interesting sense of pleasure would come from it (like if there is a cascade of pleasure emanating from the top of my head).
The eye movement I am describing is not like REM. It is rather slow and it is directed upwards.
So, I guess my question is: what is this eye movement thing? Is it anywhere described? Is it a Jhana thing? a symptom of any stage of the path?
Thanks!
user3275957
(483 rep)
Apr 2, 2024, 03:15 PM
• Last activity: Oct 5, 2025, 07:09 PM
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Specific ways/practices to help die with equanimity, (less "self") and perhaps even awakening at death-time?
In general all Buddhist practice seems to help with the concerns mentioned in the Title. Equanimity helps with all unwanted, changing conditions (from minor challenges to "aging, sickness and death". Lessening (or even losing) the sense of "self" also seems powerful each day and especially on the la...
In general all Buddhist practice seems to help with the concerns mentioned in the Title. Equanimity helps with all unwanted, changing conditions (from minor challenges to "aging, sickness and death".
Lessening (or even losing) the sense of "self" also seems powerful each day and especially on the last one.
If anyone, especially anyone currently preparing for the eventual laying down of the body has: insights, dharma, experience (thus far)...please reply.
Kyoshin
(51 rep)
Feb 6, 2023, 05:15 PM
• Last activity: Oct 5, 2025, 05:25 PM
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Avalokitesvara vs Amitabha
Yesterday, I went on a psychedelic trip and felt loved and held by a divine presence, not lost, but ultimately belonging. It was so wonderful. I want to secure that feeling in my heart. I'm drawn to the idea of Jesus Christ, a savior, a personal relationship, a friend who loves me, always listening,...
Yesterday, I went on a psychedelic trip and felt loved and held by a divine presence, not lost, but ultimately belonging. It was so wonderful. I want to secure that feeling in my heart. I'm drawn to the idea of Jesus Christ, a savior, a personal relationship, a friend who loves me, always listening, a friend who always loves me. I want to integrate that feeling into a Buddhist framework. Should I recite Namo Guanshiyin Pusa or Namo Amitabha, which is more similar to the feeling given by Jesus Christ of having an intimate personal relationship with a divine presence that loves you and holds you and you are with them and you belong to them?
EDIT: I read both the Universal Gate Chapter and the Short Amitabha Sutra and definitely felt avalokitesvara’s message hitting closer to home. However, I felt more emotinal impact when chanting Namo Amitiofo and also felt his visualization more concrete and powerful (the golden Buddha of infinite ligh) then Guanyin. So I’m kinda torn.
BRAD ZAP
(199 rep)
Oct 4, 2025, 05:03 PM
• Last activity: Oct 5, 2025, 06:13 AM
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In Buddhism, is “nothingness” ever more than a temporary meditative state?
In many early Buddhist suttas (Pāli Canon), one of the formless absorptions is ākiñcaññāyatana (“the sphere of nothingness”). It is described as a refined state of concentration, attained after transcending sensory form, space, and consciousness. What I’m trying to understand is Once...
In many early Buddhist suttas (Pāli Canon), one of the formless absorptions is ākiñcaññāyatana (“the sphere of nothingness”). It is described as a refined state of concentration, attained after transcending sensory form, space, and consciousness.
What I’m trying to understand is Once one attains the sphere of nothingness in meditation, is “nothingness” regarded doctrinally as ultimate reality, or is it always considered a conditioned, temporary state? How is this “nothingness” distinguished from emptiness (suññatā / śūnyatā) in Buddhist philosophy especially in Theravāda vs. Mahāyāna?
Cultural cicada
(59 rep)
Oct 5, 2025, 03:26 AM
• Last activity: Oct 5, 2025, 05:22 AM
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Is detachment from loved ones' wellbeings realistically achievable by laity?
I know that there are several stories of monks and nuns leaving behind their families and even young children. However, how realistic is it to live among people and detach from them while in that environment? Also, all the stories of monks/nuns leaving behind their children stem from sayings/religio...
I know that there are several stories of monks and nuns leaving behind their families and even young children.
However, how realistic is it to live among people and detach from them while in that environment?
Also, all the stories of monks/nuns leaving behind their children stem from sayings/religious text.
How realistic is it in general to overcome attachment to people?
As answers, anecdotes would suffice
Gondola Spärde
(357 rep)
Oct 2, 2025, 04:34 PM
• Last activity: Oct 4, 2025, 05:35 PM
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What is it that pass from this life to the next?
A friend wanted to know the Buddhist position on rebirth/reincarnation since we don’t believe in a permanent soul. Specifically, what is it that pass from this life to the next? “Karma” was my reply then. There was a look of disappointment; the answer was obviously unsatisfying. I have seen this que...
A friend wanted to know the Buddhist position on rebirth/reincarnation since we don’t believe in a permanent soul. Specifically, what is it that pass from this life to the next? “Karma” was my reply then. There was a look of disappointment; the answer was obviously unsatisfying.
I have seen this question asked in this forum in some form or another; here (1) , here (2) , here (3) , here (4) , here (5) , here (6) and there (7) .
Looking at the number of times this topic appears, I am not trying to get a definitive answer. Instead, how would you answer this question so that it can enlighten/delight/pacify someone from a non-Buddhist tradition (with some inclinations towards an eternal soul). Note that the target audience do not have a deep understanding in Buddhist concepts e.g. the 5 clinging aggregates. Hopefully, the next time another non-Buddhist friend ask a similar question, I won't turn them off but to **entice** them to investigate further.
(Interestingly, looking at the tag info on rebirth in this forum, it says:
“The consciousness in the new person is neither identical nor entirely different from that in the deceased but the two form a causal continuum or stream”, I wonder who wrote this.)
Desmon
(2908 rep)
Jul 15, 2023, 06:21 AM
• Last activity: Oct 4, 2025, 04:05 PM
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Have any Madhyamaka scholars responded to Avi Sion’s criticisms of Nāgārjuna?
In his book [Buddhist Illogic: A Critical Analysis of Nāgārjuna's Arguments][1], Avi Sion makes strong criticisms of Nāgārjuna and the Madhyamaka school. Have any Madhyamaka scholars (either traditional or academic) directly responded to Avi Sion’s arguments in this book? If not specifically to Sion...
In his book Buddhist Illogic: A Critical Analysis of Nāgārjuna's Arguments , Avi Sion makes strong criticisms of Nāgārjuna and the Madhyamaka school. Have any Madhyamaka scholars (either traditional or academic) directly responded to Avi Sion’s arguments in this book? If not specifically to Sion, are there published scholarly works that address similar critiques of Nāgārjuna’s reasoning (e.g. accusations of sophistry or inconsistency)?
Cultural cicada
(59 rep)
Sep 23, 2025, 03:27 PM
• Last activity: Oct 4, 2025, 04:48 AM
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What does 'name-and-form' mean?
In the book *In the Buddha's Words: An Anthology of Discourses from Pali Canon* by Bhikku Bodhi, I read: > When there is no *name-and-form*, consciousness does not come to be; with the cessation of *name-and-form* comes the cessation of consciousness. What is the meaning of *name-and-form*; whose na...
In the book *In the Buddha's Words: An Anthology of Discourses from Pali Canon* by Bhikku Bodhi, I read:
> When there is no *name-and-form*, consciousness does not come to be; with the cessation of *name-and-form* comes the cessation of consciousness.
What is the meaning of *name-and-form*; whose name and what form? How is the arising and cessation of consciousness linked with it?
The White Cloud
(2420 rep)
Dec 24, 2023, 07:56 AM
• Last activity: Oct 3, 2025, 08:19 PM
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Is there a free (libre or open) version of Visuddhimagga in a digital text or HTML format?
I can't use the _Path of Purification_ [PDF version][1] of AccessToInsight.org because ... 1. I want to restructure/retranslate Visuddhimagga into english. 2. I want to add the reference link in each word of Visuddhimagga to the source in tipitaka. 3. I want to make the link **directly** to the expe...
I can't use the _Path of Purification_ PDF version of AccessToInsight.org because ...
1. I want to restructure/retranslate Visuddhimagga into english.
2. I want to add the reference link in each word of Visuddhimagga to the source in tipitaka.
3. I want to make the link **directly** to the expected page of Visuddhimagga and make the highlight to the expected text when I answer or make an article.
... so I want the computerised text version, to publish in HTML format on the internet.
It requires a very long time to do a new translation of it all, because English is not my native language -- and I require a very long time as well to translate pāli even in my native language -- and so I think it would be faster and more effective to restructure from another's version/translation.
Therefore:
1. Is there a free (i.e. [libre](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gratis_versus_libre) or [open](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_source)) version of Visuddhimagga in a computerized text format?
2. Is there a computerised text version of the Budaedu's Visuddhimagga version ?
Or can you tell me about obtaining permission (and the data) from a copyright holder?
---
I'm principally looking for something like [a license](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/) which allows:
- Distribution and
- Creating a derivative work
... and a corresponding text format which can be converted to e.g. HTML.
Bonn
(6384 rep)
Jan 11, 2019, 07:50 AM
• Last activity: Oct 3, 2025, 06:26 AM
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What happens to the hell beings as the universe comes to an end?
This question was inspired by [an earlier one](https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/51807/do-any-sub-sects-of-buddhism-have-the-concept-of-eternal-hell). In [DN27](https://suttacentral.net/dn27/en/sujato?lang=en&layout=plain&reference=none¬es=asterisk&highlight=false&script=latin), it was...
This question was inspired by [an earlier one](https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/51807/do-any-sub-sects-of-buddhism-have-the-concept-of-eternal-hell) . In [DN27](https://suttacentral.net/dn27/en/sujato?lang=en&layout=plain&reference=none¬es=asterisk&highlight=false&script=latin) , it was mentioned:
> As the cosmos contracts, sentient beings are mostly headed for the realm of streaming radiance.
I recalled hearing a Dharma talk ages ago that as a great aeon ends, all the lower realms are emptied (perhaps, destroyed?) and beings are reborn into the higher realms. This appeared to be what the above sutra is alluding to. Correct me if I am wrong.
Does this mean that all the hell beings (even those in the lowest hell) will also be promoted to the higher realm? What happens to their bad karma, is it suspended? Or is the contraction of the universe halted until these beings had expired their bad karma?
Desmon
(2908 rep)
Jan 4, 2025, 02:37 PM
• Last activity: Oct 2, 2025, 04:02 PM
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Why are they called "old kamma"?
The sutta below states that eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind are old kamma. Why are these called old kamma (*purāṇakammā*)? Is it because of rebirth? Or could there be other reasons? If rebirth is the only reason, then I feel that this explanation seems too simple. From [SN 35.146][1]: > And...
The sutta below states that eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind are old kamma.
Why are these called old kamma (*purāṇakammā*)?
Is it because of rebirth? Or could there be other reasons?
If rebirth is the only reason, then I feel that this explanation seems too simple.
From SN 35.146 :
> And what is old kamma?
>
> The eye is old kamma. It should be seen as produced by choices and
> intentions, as something to be felt.
>
> The ear … nose … tongue … body … mind is old kamma. It should be seen
> as produced by choices and intentions, as something to be felt.
>
> This is called old kamma.
>
> And what is new kamma?
>
> The deeds you currently perform by way of body, speech, and mind.
>
> This is called new kamma.
(I replaced "action" with "kamma")
ruben2020
(39936 rep)
Jul 10, 2020, 05:09 PM
• Last activity: Oct 2, 2025, 12:55 PM
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Does the Buddha address varied predispositions toward suffering among different individuals?
Does the Buddha acknowledge that some people, without the Dharma, suffer more than other people, without the Dharma? I remember a monk talking about how it's a fact that some people are more skilled, better looking, more innately peaceful than others, and that especially those lacking in material at...
Does the Buddha acknowledge that some people, without the Dharma, suffer more than other people, without the Dharma?
I remember a monk talking about how it's a fact that some people are more skilled, better looking, more innately peaceful than others, and that especially those lacking in material attributes should seek to transcend their suffering.
I wonder if there's a basis for this opinion in the suttas.
Gondola Spärde
(357 rep)
Sep 30, 2025, 04:52 PM
• Last activity: Oct 1, 2025, 11:13 PM
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Dzogchen Thogal
I have been interested in the Dzogchen practice of Thogal. Would you suggest any sources or web-sites about this?
I have been interested in the Dzogchen practice of Thogal.
Would you suggest any sources or web-sites about this?
Pierre L.
(1 rep)
Apr 23, 2025, 04:18 PM
• Last activity: Sep 29, 2025, 04:04 PM
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Fundamentally Speaking, is Western Mindfulness a Zazen or Insight Meditation Based Practice?
I've always been fascinated by MBSR. It includes Vipassana techniques of breathing, but also Zen philosophy of non-judgmental awareness. Jon Kabat-Zinn himself had training in both Zen and IMS. Fundamentally speaking, is the whole MBSR thing derived from Zen or Vipassana?
I've always been fascinated by MBSR. It includes Vipassana techniques of breathing, but also Zen philosophy of non-judgmental awareness.
Jon Kabat-Zinn himself had training in both Zen and IMS.
Fundamentally speaking, is the whole MBSR thing derived from Zen or Vipassana?
BRAD ZAP
(199 rep)
Sep 29, 2025, 12:32 AM
• Last activity: Sep 29, 2025, 12:48 PM
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Why is sustained attention toward a thought bad?
We can focus on thoughts or lay attention on them. It is advised not to do that. Why should there be a return of focus on breathe, or current action, or the like? Why should we not pay prolonged attention to thoughts?
We can focus on thoughts or lay attention on them. It is advised not to do that.
Why should there be a return of focus on breathe, or current action, or the like?
Why should we not pay prolonged attention to thoughts?
Gondola Spärde
(357 rep)
Sep 28, 2025, 04:21 PM
• Last activity: Sep 29, 2025, 10:03 AM
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4
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What is the relationship of namarupa and appearance?
i read [this][1] on a website: "...Nama is the appearance of Rupa, 'what it looks like' and not 'how it is',.." is it correctly said? [1]: https://www.budsas.org/ebud/ebdha262.htm
i read this on a website:
"...Nama is the appearance of Rupa, 'what it looks like' and not 'how it is',.."
is it correctly said?
nacre
(1 rep)
Jun 7, 2024, 06:50 PM
• Last activity: Sep 29, 2025, 08:35 AM
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Is it ideal to be a stream entrant(Sotopanna) before you begin the practice of Anapanasati?
**Are there Pali Sutta teachings or other Buddhist teachings that suggest:** - Anapanasati is an ideal practice for non-stream entrants (beginners) and it can lead them to stream entry? - Attainment of stream entry is a prerequisite for Anapanasati's proper or 'ideal' practice? - Other practices are...
**Are there Pali Sutta teachings or other Buddhist teachings that suggest:**
- Anapanasati is an ideal practice for non-stream entrants (beginners) and it can lead them to stream entry?
- Attainment of stream entry is a prerequisite for Anapanasati's proper
or 'ideal' practice?
- Other practices are prescribed as an ideal path for attaining stream entry, separate from Anapanasati?"
Also, I assume that Satipatthana is a form of Anapanasati, is that true?
Lowbrow
(7409 rep)
Sep 29, 2025, 12:32 AM
• Last activity: Sep 29, 2025, 06:16 AM
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