I've started my practice as a Buddhist. Currently, I've read a few books about Buddhism particularly the Theravāda lineage for myself it seems more appropriate. While reading about kamma one thing started to bug me. It is said rebirth is conditioned by kamma. Which implies my good deeds may lead me to be born as human for example, while bad ones as mosquito. Homo Sapiens are on Earth for circa 200 000 years. Does that mean more than 1 million years ago no one could reach Nibbana, since there were no modern humans?

Can anything wholesome, helpful, wise and skillful be mentioned about the (Chinese and/or nearby regions) origin(s) of tobacco and how it may and/or may not relate to tobacco use among Native American people — especially the types of tobacco Native Americans approve of now and throughout the known past? Context from https://bodhiactivity.wordpress.com/2010/01/22/the-defects-of-tobacco-and-smoking-dudjom-rinpoche/ on this topic: Approximately a hundred years after Buddha Shakyamuni’s parinirvana, a Chinese demon, maddened with obsession, spoke these dying words: “Through my body I wish to lead the beings of this earth to lower realms. Bury my body intact and eventually a plant, different from all others, will grow out of my remains. Merely by smelling it, people will experience pleasure in body and mind, far more joyful than the union of male and female. It will spread far and wide until most of the beings on this earth will enjoy it.” And a description from a talk https://www.pathgate.org/index.php/audio-teachings-by-lama-dondrup-dorje/18-old-audio-teachings/104-old-the-buddhist-perspective-on-tobacco on the topic: Lama Dondrup Dorje gives a teaching based on the Terma and prediction of Chogyal Ratna, Sangay Lingpa, Rinzin Godem, Dundul Dorje and other great masters. The teaching explains the origin of tobacco and other drugs, the negative influences of the Four Maras, and the harm caused by tobacco, which brings war, famine, disease and chaos to the world, and separates those who are users of tobacco from ever attaining any understanding of the Dharma, leading them to take rebirth in the lower realms.

This post is relevant to Buddhist Funeral Process Can i do it online like playing the recorded video as below with nice TV and nice sound system ? Funeral Chanting - Theravada Buddhism - Pali - Abhayagiri Monastics (+ chanting text) Q) Effect would be same? Guess it's much better and safe especially in this Pandemic to avoid crowd and putting the monks into risk?

Refer to the link below, the Buddha was poisoned in his last meal. Where can i find more information about this? Why was Buddha poisoned? > The Buddha died after eating a meal often called “pig’s delight” (Skt. > sukaramaddava, lit. “soft” or “mild pig”) offered to him by the > metalworker, Cunda Kammāraputta, in his mango grove in Pava, between > November and January, en route to Kapilavastu, the place of his birth. > The nature of this meal is uncertain. It might have been pork (the > Buddha was not vegetarian) or mushrooms There are many version of the cause of death. Which one found to be truth and supporting facts?

Why Brahmas at formless realms are unable to hear/communicate/understand the teachings of the Buddha when they have high intelligence? > Alara Kalama is wise, competent, intelligent. He has long had little > dust in his eyes. What if I were to teach him the Dhamma first? He > will quickly understand this Dhamma. > > [MN 26](https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.026.than.html) I mean not just Alara Kalama but other Brahmas still living there? Like the deaf in human realms which much lower intelligence still able to learn? This is relevant to Form in the formless realms and The difference between Arupaloka and Nibbana

Human is subject to very short life span, sickness and death according to Buddhism Cosmology. Suicide is somehow wrong livelihood in Buddhism. If one very old age and with the issues below. 1) Diagnose with late stage of cancer 2) 2 more operations for kidney failure and heart disease 3) Have financial issues and need public donation for the above 2. If under this situation, the patient decided to end the life peacefully by taking pain killer that approved doctor. Patient wants to minimize the suffering and minimize the spread of negativity to surrounding. Does this consider wrong livelihood ? What this patient should do? I saw a Buddhism teaching video before, if one suicide will decent to deepest level of hell. So, does this scenario applicable? I understand only certain monk can do similar kinda suicide. Anagami monk ( 3rd level attained ) or Arhant monk ( 4th level attained )

Does Buddhism believe that karma (action) without intention is forming merit/demerit? Doesn't the term "karma" have merit/demerit built in as an intrinsic quality?

Chinese often worship Ji Gong and I m quite confuse here. Buddhism practices should be placed at 1st instead of just worshiping or believing in fortune telling. Some may have possession of Ji Gong and provide fortune telling/healing service which I believe is forbidden in Buddhism. Source of Ji Gong > Unlike traditional Buddhist monks, Daoji did not like following > traditional monastic codes > > Not long after that, Buddhism began to recognise Daoji's compassionate > efforts and he is involved in many classic kōans. Where can I find more information on how Buddhism recognizes/accepts Ji Gong ?  It's giving me the impression Buddhism accepts Ji Gong's teaching? Its giving me impression recognised, drink and teach too in Buddhism ?

Chinese often worship Ji Gong and I personally believe it's a misconception of Buddhism or something need to be revised by Buddhism teaching/new Sutta? Source of Ji Gong >  He was widely recognised by people as the incarnate of the Taming Dragon >Arhat (Chinese: 降龍羅漢; pinyin: Xiánglóng Luóhàn), one of the Eighteen Arhats. > > Xianglong Luohan (Chinese: 降龍羅漢), also known as the Taming Dragon > Arhat, is an arhat and one of the Eighteen Arhats in China.[1] His > Sanskrit name is Nantimitolo and origins are said to derive from a > Buddhist monk Mahakasyapa , the leader of the first Buddhism Council Meeting. 1) As far as I understand, one who enters nibbana would not be incarnated again ?  2) My curiosity is very high regarding the spiritual world. I just want to ask the Ji Gong during possession some questions. i.e. Question 1# above and some 4 Noble Of Truths doubts. True Arhat should be able to answer right? Is this action appropriate? Here is the sample of the possession that visitor can ask Arhat a question or attend Buddhism session.

If I take these definitive positions: 1. Mahayana teachings did originate from the Buddha and were taught to select disciples. (Whether in full or in part) And were then passed on selectively to various followers. 2. These teachings were, as tradition says, hidden in the Naga lands until the proper time for their dissemination arrived. 3. These texts/teachings began to appear around 1 BCE to the early part of the common era. Assuming all these religious accounts did happen as tradition states, is there a secular/academic/historical way of accounting for these events no matter how speculative? To be more specific, **what was so special about the early centuries of the common era (its culture, people, language, geo-political environment) that the Mahayana teachings had to be revealed at this particular point in time?** One of my initial thought was that the Buddha and his followers were living in a time were Prakrit wouldn't be the best language to use to disseminate Mahayana taught. It needed the developed Sanskrit of the early common era and Nagarjuna to reveal these "profound" teachings. But this may not be the case as per my exchange with Andrei. So I'm in the market for ideas...

At times when the mind is critical of not having achieved the samsaric goals, is there any consolation to have arrived at the Buddha dharma, especially from a non-Buddhist background? If so, how will the narrative go? How to find solace in the idea that, 'if not yet nirvana then at least a practicing Buddhist'?

I'm trying to understand if Sanksrit during 500 BCE to 1 CE is the same Sanskrit of 1 CE to 500 CE.

If one aspired to being a samma sambuddha, how would the Theravadan tradition advise them to proceed? I am familiar with some of the canonical references, (e.g., about getting a prediction from a Buddha) but what steps should one take that would advance that goal in this life? Thanks!

Is there a difference between *yatha bhuta* and *vipassana*? Or are they just synonyms?

There are six internal sense bases named eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind. There are six external sense bases named visible form, sound, odour, taste, and mental objects. I have two parts in my question; 1. If we look at our own hand, leg, or any other conventional body part or if we touch and feel our own conventional body, do all these belong to the external sense bases? 2. If the answer is "yes" to the first part of the question, which form elements (rūpa) are included in internal?

In the cycle of paṭiccasamuppāda, if we start from avijjā, the next nidāna is that of saṅkhāra which in turn conditions the origin of viññāṇa, loosely termed as consciousness. This viññāṇa in turn conditions the appearance of nāmarūpa, followed by saḷāyatana, the six sense bases. This as all of us know is followed by phassa and then the rest of the twelve nidānas. Now my question is: what is the nature of this viññāṇa, this consciousness, that appears anterior to nāmarūpa, name and form, and, saḷāyatana, the six sense bases? As I understand this, the body and the mind as well as the six sense bases have not appeared as yet at this step of the cycle, and therefore, this viññāṇa cannot be said to be one of the six sense consciousnesses; then what is the content of this ‘primordial’ consciousness? Is it the saṅkhāra-generated bhavaṅga citta, or is it something else?

The term anattā (Pali) or anātman (Sanskrit) refers to the doctrine of "non-self", that there is no unchanging, permanent soul in living beings. If this is the case, then what exactly is being carried over from one life to the next in the cycle of reincarnation? And against which entity are Karma points being increased or decreased?

coming across such an distinction here: how, if, should such be understood in Dynamic context? Can deeds ever be an input phenomena?

If I'm getting this right it is/was customary to utter a poem shortly after realizing enlightenment. Are these verses and/or maybe stories and accounts surrounding these beings collected somewhere?

Does the doctrine of no soul is means that there is nothing permanent to continue? So is the teaching of reincarnation, rebirth misleading as there is a notion there is a continuity after death? Also death and birth is visible at the physical level, [but the rebirth process is not. What is the implication on this in the doctrine?]