I am interested in vipassana meditation. **What are the different types of vipassana meditation?**

In this page's explanation of the six realms of existence the human realm is presented as below, it reads a bit off. Is it not possible, for example in the heavenly realm, to make a good choice and aim for liberation? aren't their Suttas that indicate the existence of liberated beings or of beings that are greatly cultivated and working their way for final realize in the heavenly realm? > Human Realm > > The human realm is the only one in which one’s choices (good or bad) > affect one’s future—in all the others, one is either being rewarded or > punished for one’s actions as a human being. One’s present human > condition (e.g., wealth, social status, and physical and psychological > qualities) is based on one’s past karma, but one’s present choices > also determine one’s future (in this life, or a future life). **As > conscious moral agents, human beings have agency that the beings in > other realms do not**; this clearly underscores the importance of moral > action and spiritual development. > > ...

## As Observer Say I observe **systems** around me --- economics of suffering, arising of crime, even the [Dependent Origination](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pratītyasamutpāda) --- without craving to maintain, defend, modify, control or destroy the systems. I do have an **inquisitive** mind that intends (not craves) to observe, trace through and understand the systems. I'm a studious person. Am I free of craving? ## As Participant Say I act to reduce suffering according to my understanding of the above-mentioned systems. Can I say I **don't crave but do intend** to better the lives of my wards? That may sound strange, so let me explain my community service. The wards in my community service include elderly, criminals, intoxication substance users, and more. I explain the category of "elderly" because an irony within is more illustrative than straightforward categories like "criminals". Most elderly folks end up alone because of bad choices made when younger. Whether they were bad parents, abusive personalities, or sometimes merely (obsessively?) hardworking due to economic hardship, **their choices were made, and the various systems in life continue to process those choices**. The point of what we do in community service, shocking to many, is that **we don't aim to solve every problem**. We **merely reduce suffering**, and only in rare cases where opportunities present do we **reduce suffering to the point of its elimination**. Perhaps a quick detour into "*Harm Reduction*" can make this illustration more concrete. ## Harm Reduction vs Positive Alternative The [Harm Reduction Model](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harm_reduction) could be applied to our work in community service, since we don't turn down anyone who is **not yet ready to take on solutions in life**. At the same time, our country's treasury is so well-managed that the country builds numerous "**Positive Alternatives**" (education, gainful livelihood, etc). (There is no such term as "*Positive Alternatives Model*", sorry for not giving you something to read on this!) It is easily observed that the *Harm Reduction Model* takes a whole lot less resources than the *Positive Alternatives Model*. It is a lot cheaper to distribute *clean needles to drug addicts* than it is to build *entire schools to facilitate gainful employment*. But I don't argue for one model versus the other; it all depends on how much resources we have on hand. Our specific work includes such "*harm reduction*" techniques as provision for social needs (regular visits, chats, counseling), provision for basic physical needs (rations), and so on. ## As Policy Maker The tricky part of all this **non-craving** is how policy makers are often admonished for spending on **lost causes**. Granted, a lot of community service work draws from volunteerism, so spending isn't that big an issue. Unfortunately, even the resource that is volunteerism is also finite (like any other resource in this material plane). Without going into academic discussions on how **Harm Reduction** gives respite from suffering such that there is a window of calm for rational behavior and real solutions, it is clear that **Harm Reduction** reduces (if not removes) suffering. ## Key questions Is a **non-discriminatory intention to alleviate suffering** an unwise action? (We do detain people with dangerous behavior, but we still spend effort and resources to serve even the most hardcore criminals.) (Suffering is indeed a good teacher, but I don't believe it is my duty to mete out suffering. The real world already has a system that dishes out suffering.) Can the intention to alleviate suffering be **volitional without craving**? It's actually difficult to explain why I even bother to alleviate suffering, rather than amass pleasure for myself. The closest I can explain is a Chinese proverb: 物尽其用, 人尽其才. Which brings me to the next key question. Is it wrong to **intend to build up our own faculties without craving to**? Will such intention to amass strength and capabilities be seen as attachment? The above questions come about because of my longstanding (internal?) debate between "*sitting all day long in meditative sessions*" and "*going out to do stuff*". Many temples I visit have large TV screens, in front of which many monks... well... sit in "meditative sessions" all day long; popular media plays on these TV screens. Even long-drawn proper lectures don't interest me (consider how speed reading has higher throughput than video for knowledge transfer). Because of my natural tendency towards "*love and service*", I've been accused of clinging and craving.

One of the benefits of the meditation practice that is widely talked about is becoming more wise. I am not sure if there is a universal definition of wisdom so I am trying to see what wisdom other practitioners here have "realized" during the course of their practice. How did you realize you were becoming more wise and what exactly is this wisdom if you are able to convey it in writing?

Try again. I have an idea for a comic book I would like to attempt. It is based in a contemporary setting and sort of outlines the principles of buddhism without actually comingout and saying so. What I am after is a good source of Buddha stories and what they mean. You know the sort of thing, Buddha said this or did that and what he was getting at. I had a book by Suzuki once that was full of them but I am sure there is a website whith some somewhere.

The Wikipedia page for "the 3 marks of existence" differentiates between "conditioned things" and "unconditioned things" like so: > The three marks are: > 1. sabbe saṅkhārā aniccā — "all saṅkhāras > (conditioned things) are impermanent" > 2. sabbe saṅkhārā dukkhā — "all > saṅkhāras are unsatisfactory" > 3. sabbe dhammā anattā — "all dharmas > (conditioned or unconditioned things) are not self" The Buddha said "I teach one thing and one thing only. Suffering and the end of suffering." Within that context: 1. What is the difference between a "conditioned thing" and an "unconditioned thing"? 2. How does that difference give meaning to the 3 marks? 3. How does this meaning point towards "the end of suffering"?

> A medicine may be made of the “four great filthy things”: excrement, urine, ashes, and clay > > A bhikkhu’s basic medicinal support is puti-mutta-bhesajja, which translates literally as “rancid urine medicine” (Mv.I.30.4) does anybody know a recipe? Also any relevant information pls, tyvm.

Want references/excerpts and inference pertaining to the references & etymology for the designation[s] of "Emptiness" as it is used in the Pali Sutta.

I've been meditating for some time now and consistently everyday for about six months but I don't have a definite goal or intent - I do it because I like sitting down for 30 minutes or so without reacting to my thoughts. I sometimes wonder about whether I am progressing or what is that towards which I am progressing. What in your experience should be the goal and the associated metrics so to speak?

I've been thinking about this for quite some time, and decided to ask the forum, perhaps someone have more knowledge about this. (sorry for grammar mistakes (if there's any), English is not my first language) Recently, I watched a film about a gay couple. I like their relationship, so I decided to support them because I saw in several Buddhist sources (including answers on Buddhism Stack Exchange) that homosexual relationship is no different than heterosexual relationship. But then I remember that *upādāna* (attachment) conditions *bhava* (existence, becoming). So, will liking, supporting, and continuing to watch that film causes rebirth as a gay person? If someone can clear this out for me, it'll be much appreciated

|perceptions| opposites | doors | gifts| |-----------|-----------|--------|------| |aniccā (impermanence)|___ (stability)|___ (signless)|___ (beginner's mind)| |dukkhā (unsatisfactoriness)|sukha (reliability)|___ (wishless)|___ (aspiration)| |anattā (not self)|___ (self confidence)|suññatā (emptiness)|karuṇā (compassion)| I find this series of dharma talks by Gil Fronsdal on the 3 perceptions/characteristics/marks to be very interesting 1. 2015-06-07: annica 2. 2015-06-14: dukkha 3. 2015-07-05: anatta and would like more information on the 1. 3 opposites to be cultivated 2. 3 doors to liberation 3. 3 gifts Specifically, I would like to know 1. What pali terms are used to represent these concepts? (see blank spaces in the table above) 2. What suttas are these discussed in?

Can someone provide me a reference to the passage in the canon where the Buddha describes the length of a kalpa? In the English Wikipedia article there is this quote which is allegedly by the Buddha: > "Were a man to take a piece of cloth of this most delicate texture [of > fine cotton], and therewith to touch in the slightest possible manner, > once in a hundred years, a solid rock, free from earth, a yojana [~14 > miles] high, and as much broad, the time would come when it would be > worn down, by this imperceptible trituration, to the size of a mung or > undu seed. This period would be immense in its duration; but it has > been declared by Buddha that it would not be equal to a Maha Kalpa." I would like to find that exact passage but alas no luck. I don't know where this could be. In the wiki article the sutta nipata is mentioned but I couldn't find anything in there. Thank you.

On Buddhist forums, I read reincarnationists accuse or demonize truthers as being "materialists", similar to Zionists accusing truthers of being "antisemitic" or Americans accusing traitors as being "communist". In the Pali suttas, I have heard the word 'rupa' means 'material' or 'physical'. Did the Lord Buddha ever refer to a doctrine literally called 'materialism' or accuse those of wrong views as being "materialists"?

Is being homosexual a result of poor karma? Or is it because of the person's habit in his/her past life? Or perhaps it's because the person likes and supports same-sex couple in his/her past life?

I am curious about vinaya regulations & accounts otherwise relevant to a householder's attending to the bhikkhusangha. Of interest are lay attendants in particular, how far one can go in being useful, what makes a good lay-attendant as to ideal & minimal qualification. Not particularly interested in the circumstance of an anagarika or a novice's circumstance, although i would appreciate a delineation of differences very much. References & general thoughts on the matter are welcome.

When we make a mistake, how do we forgive ourselves? I know that bhikkhus must confess in front of the Sangha if they break a certain Vinaya (monastic rule). But what about lay people? Do we have to do some kind of confession in front of other people too?

The Abhidhamma acknowledges the Suttas define 'birth' ('jati') as follows: >1. The Section Derived from the Discourses > > 1.11. Definition of Birth PTS cs 235 Herein, what is ‘with continuation as condition: birth?’ > > For the various **beings (sattanam)** in the various **classes of beings (sattanikaye)** (there is) > birth, being born, appearing, arising, turning up, the manifestation > of the constituents (of mind and bodily form), the acquisition of the > sense spheres. > >Tattha katamā bhavapaccayā jāti? 17.2Yā tesaṁ tesaṁ sattānaṁ tamhi tamhi sattanikāye jāti sañjāti okkanti abhinibbatti, khandhānaṁ pātubhāvo, āyatanānaṁ paṭilābho— 17.3ayaṁ vuccati “bhavapaccayā jāti”. > > https://suttacentral.net/vb6/en/anandajoti#pts-cs235 However, the Abhidhamma says it defines 'birth' ('jati') as follows: >2. The Section Derived from the Abstract Teaching > > Herein, what is ‘with continuation as condition: birth?’ > > That which for various **things** (**dhammam**) is birth, being born, return, > turning up, manifestation: this is said to be ‘with continuation as > condition: birth’. > >Tattha katamā bhavapaccayā jāti? Yā tesaṁ tesaṁ dhammānaṁ jāti sañjāti nibbatti abhinibbatti pātubhāvo— ayaṁ vuccati “bhavapaccayā jāti” > > https://suttacentral.net/vb6/en/anandajoti#pts-cs281 Are there any Suttas referring to the "jati" of "things" rather than the "jati" of "beings" in relation to dependent origination?

If homosexuality is okay because it is never explicitly stated in the canonical texts, then how about zoophilia, or necrophilia? Those aren't explicitly stated in the texts too, so are those 'okay'?

I read this statement in an answer: > Cittasaṁsaṭṭhā means arising together because it is described in the > same canon "idaṃ sukhaṃ imāya pītiyā sahagataṃ hoti sahajātaṃ > saṃsaṭṭhaṃ sampayuttaṃ". "sahajātaṃ saṃsaṭṭhaṃ sampayuttaṃ" in this > context is called Vevacana in VevacanaHara. Generally, the word 'saṁsaṭṭha' is translated as 'co-joined' or 'mixed', as follows: > But when they’re separated from the Teacher or a spiritual companion > in a teacher’s role, they **mix closely** with monks, nuns, laymen, and > laywomen; with rulers and their ministers, and with teachers of other > paths and their followers. > > Yato ca kho so vapakassateva satthārā, vapakassati garuṭṭhāniyehi > sabrahmacārīhi, so **saṁsaṭṭho** viharati bhikkhūhi bhikkhunīhi upāsakehi > upāsikāhi raññā rājamahāmattehi titthiyehi titthiyasāvakehi. > > > As they **mix closely**, they become intimate and loose, spending time > chatting, and so lust infects their mind. > > Tassa **saṁsaṭṭhassa** vissatthassa pākatassa bhassamanuyuttassa viharato > rāgo cittaṁ anuddhaṁseti. > > https://suttacentral.net/an6.60/en/sujato > These are the five drawbacks for a mendicant who visits families for > too long, **mixing closely** with them.” > > Ime kho, bhikkhave, pañca ādīnavā kulūpakassa bhikkhuno ativelaṁ > kulesu **saṁsaṭṭha**ssa viharato”ti. > > https://suttacentral.net/an5.226/en/sujato > “Wisdom and consciousness— > > “Yā cāvuso, paññā yañca viññāṇaṁ— > > are these things **mixed** or separate? > > ime dhammā **saṁsaṭṭhā** udāhu visaṁsaṭṭhā? > > Feeling, perception, and consciousness— > > “Yā cāvuso, vedanā yā ca saññā yañca viññāṇaṁ— > > are these things **mixed** or separate? > > ime dhammā **saṁsaṭṭhā** udāhu visaṁsaṭṭhā? > > https://suttacentral.net/mn43/en/sujato Does 'saṁsaṭṭha' mean "arise together"? How can the terms "arise together" & "mixed" be reconciled or, otherwise, differentiated?

I started meditation with Headspace app and have experienced a lot during meditation such as irrational fear of someone breaking in to the house and killing me while I was meditating , fear of snakes etc. I am off headspace for about six months now and my Vipassana practice has improved a lot. The chattering in my head has subsided but now I see lot of random images flashing while I meditate. These images don't have to mean anything but these images are nothing I have seen or imagined in my life so far. Should I wonder about their meaning or should I continue to the adage of letting it all go and focus on the moment?