I've been meditating for about 8 years. Recently I did a second vipassana 10 day silent retreat. A few days in, when focussing on my face, my face got highly sensitive, and a strong tingling was felt in it. This feeling intensified when focusing more on the areas where I would place my attention. Even focusing on parts of the neck and throat would have the same effect on the face. The sensations would last after meditation and subside after about an hour or so. My teacher assured me that it happens more often, and I should probably not focus too much on my face. I'm slightly worried about it still, and decided to fully avoid the face area for now, and take it easy meditating altogether. I was wondering if others had similar experiences, alternative interpretations, and other ways to work with it. Thank you!

The question is likely inappropriate here, but I'll try anyway. Hopefully nobody will take offense. Are anagamis/arahants common (1000+) nowadays? "Uncommon" would be, for example, that all the anagamis/arahants you know are renowned teachers. Likely less than 100 worldwide. On the other hand, "common" would be if you know of 3 or 4 anagamis/arahants around in the same temple. Hinting at a much bigger number worldwide, on the thousands. I'm sure someone that goes frequently to temples can give a clear answer. Or maybe someone can do some back of the envelope math. Thanks.

I recall reading words or translations in the Pali suttas suggesting the following: 1. It is a path of decline to give donations to non-Buddhists. 2. It is most meritorious to give donations to the Noble Sangha & higher Ariyans 3. People are sick, injured & disabled in this life due to violence they have done in past lives. Today, I read a post soliciting for donations on a Buddhist forum for a sick non-Buddhist. Since the time of the post, no one has given a donation, except me. Because I am simple minded & a sucker for bleeding hearts, I gave a US$37 dollar donation, to symbolize the 37 bodhipakkhiyādhammā, which include the 7 factors of enlightenment, which, according to the suttas, cure disease & illness. My questions are: 1. If my donation helps cure the sickness of the sick person, am I stopping the person reaping their punishment for their past life karma? 2. If this person does not reap what they have sown, how will they learn the necessary lesson from their past deeds, similar to Angulimala? 3. If I am not giving donations to the Noble Sangha, but, instead, blocking the Law of Karma punishing a non-Buddhist, am I incurring demerit against myself, which could lead to rebirth in a lower realm? In other words, should I practise equanimity? 4. Should I give donations to supreme leaders of the Dhamma, such as Samana Johann? 5. What is the karmic destination of a person that solicits donations from Buddhists for non-Buddhists? 6. Or is all of the above mere superstition therefore I should give the donation merely because it develops compassion, open-handedness & beautifies my heart?

What is ariya or noble? This term is used in multiple places like Four Noble Truths (*cattāri **ariya**saccāni*), Noble Eightfold Path (***ariya** aṭṭhaṅgika magga*), noble sangha (***ariya** saṅgha*).

Since a Tibetan religious leader is often counted in the West and under modern people (yet actually known just in Tibet and as far as western modern media reach, unknown or not regarded in 95% of the Buddhist World), it would be good to ask of what rule and status this well-known person actually has in regard of the Buddhas Sasana, Dhamma-Vinaya. Taken this as reference and base of the question: What is the/a formal status of the Dalai Lama according to Vinaya? (for example: Bhikkhu, Samanera, Brahman, teacher of other sect, faithful lay follower, one having attained ordination by thief, doubter, trader, politician... and why?) What is the ideal status (at least as recognize-able broadly) of the Dali Lama according to the Dhamma? (for example: faithful worldling, doubtful worldling, stream-enter, ... Arahat, Paccekabuddha... and why) *[Note that this isn't given for stacks, exchange, other world-binding trades, but for release from this wheel]*

Is there any equivalent quotation from the Buddhist scriptures to the following from the Christian Bible (Matthew 7:3-5 )? > Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay > no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your > brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time > there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the > plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the > speck from your brother’s eye.

From a Dhammic perpective of truthfulness: wouldn't, isn't following [science preaching](https://sangham.net/de/tipitaka/sut/sn/sn12/sn12.048.than#fn-1) totally based on blind faith with no personal prove? And isn't the non changing of the truth of suffering, the fact of being still dependend, not free, actually a proof that, althought putting it's advices into action, they hardly bring ever the actually desired effect? *[ Note that this isn't given for stacks, exchange, cyber-sex, unskilful entertainment of notions of identifications, or what ever world-binding trade but to get pregnant with the seed of release]*

People say, "Do something that you love. Such that you work does not seem like a burden". This is also something that we hear in pop-culture. Like "Follow your passion" On the other hand, in Buddhist practices it is taught that we should let go of attachments. Like, We should try and experience everything without being judgmental about how we react to it. 'An enlightened one, has no attachment, takes no delight in pleasant experiences, has overcome the sign of "pleasant", has no fear, has no resistance to difficult experiences'. Then, how should someone choose a career path if s/he also wants to be a practicing Buddhist?

Is there any commentary on the path of choosing to coexist with suffering? For example, some people think that suffering adds color to life, that the lows makes the highs better. Or how some individuals find meaning in their suffering. What does buddhism say about someone, after learning about suffering, chooses to accept it? Also, what do you personally think about this path?

Facing a situation where if I report cash income, a lot of people would get in trouble. Would it be a lie to report income as zero when filing taxes? Is abstaining from declaring income on paper a lie? Thank you

I read the books of Bhante Vimalaramsi that is using the practice of **Brahmavihara** to reach a state that is called Tranquil Aware Jhana and then to generate insights from the fourth rupa Jhana. Has anyone of you practiced using this method and reached the Jhanas? Has anyone gotten any insight? In his site, Bhante Vimalaramsi says that this method is much better and faster than one pointed concentration to reach Jhanas. The Jhanas are less powerful and better manageable and getting attached to the joy of them is much more difficult. Thank you, metta

As far as I understand, one of the main purposes of the eight factor of the Path (samma samadhi) is to clean the mind from impurities. I've read a lot of discussions where one meditator states that only his/her method is the true method, while all the other methods are worthless and wrong. There are multiple arguments for such beliefs, and one might agree with them in some degree. There are a lot of criteria that can be used to know whether one method is right or not; for instance: Does it follow the instructions found in the suttas? Does it interpret correctly those instructions? Does it lead to a temporary peace of mind? Does it stops during the extention of the sitting the arising of the hindrances? Can the steps followed be replicated with consistency? Can those steps be followed by everyone else? Does it lead to the arising of the factors of jhana? And so on... But, how important and relevant is the behavior of the meditator (towards others and in general) as a factor to check whether his/her meditation style is right or wrong? If a reknown meditator (even openly self acknowledge) shows little to no empathy, prudence or wisdom, should I suspect that his/her meditation method is wrong? I think the above question could be especially important since it is stated in multiple suttas that Right Samadhi leads to the development of Wisdom, which I understand as a form to be more in harmony with how things are (i.e. not desiring circumstances to change), and how be prudent, intelligent and skillful when acting upon and communicating with others. **If an individual shows itself as a very experimented meditator, but shows none (or little development) of these qualities, is that a sign of choosing some method not conducive to the goal as proposed by the Buddha?** Thanks in advance for your time and patience! Kind regards!

Why the historic saviours and prophets of mankind only existed in scriptures or only in the past? Why do no saviour was found in the world, which have seen by some men actually? Why Buddha keeps his hair, but the disciples are bald? I believe the Buddha is synonym to the cosmic man, the Brahman or the Absolute of the Upanishad. I feel no man named Buddha existed but the term coined to the awakened one or the absolute. It has been replaced with Brahman. Shaven head of disciple means they have shaven their mind of impurity to attain the Teacher, The Tathagata. The 'Tat' is Upanishadic word from greatest dictum, 'Tat Tvam Assi'! Do Tathagata really mean who have arrived at 'Tat' or the Absolute? Please I have these doubts in my mind!

I have done several Vipassana retreats in the past. Some questions came up to me several times without being able to answer them. - **What are the major differences between mindfulness of the body (e.g. Body scan/Vipassana meditation) and focusing on the breath (i.e Anapana Sati meditation)?** - **How can I focus my attention as it arises across my body? I am able to focus on my breath between my nose and my mouth, but when I am aware of my sensation on my legs for instance, should I stay aware of my breathing simultaneously?**

The world seems to have come together. We have United Nations which is a symbol of the unity of the nations.However things come together because of an element. That element can be greed or aversion or delusion or education or faith or love or anger... etc... Therefore I would like to ask : Because of which element the world has come together?

How can I prevent harmful thoughts and intentions from coming into my head? How can I remove them if they do come into my head? Even if I try to forget about them, I will still remember it. So how can I forget about them and never remember it?

For a while now i have been wondering about how buddhist monks have time for their own practice. When i see buddhist monks like *Ven. Yuttadhammo, Ajahn Brahm and Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi* who contribute so much to the teaching of the dhamma and have set in motion so many initiatives like making videos, written books, teaching pali language, teaching on retreats etc. i wondered when and how they have time for their own practice? Thank you for your time. Lanka

In the story the Buddha creates a golden lotus and gives it to a monk who soon after attains arahantship. Story is in attached screenshot taken from the book *"Fundamentals of Insight Meditation"*, by Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw.

I understand the Martial Arts namely Wing Chun basic stance has a form of meditation. I understand Grand master Yip Man or Bruce Lee's master already modified it so it's easier to be absorbed and learned by public. Qi Gong or breathing technique been removed from syllabus as i understand. There are too many versions and theories about this stance and breathing/meditation technique when i search online. Anyone can share the closest original info about this stance meditation and breathing technique?

My preference would be a *Theravada* based answer to the following question: - **Which texts are the most important to read in the Khuddaka Nikaya and why?** Thank you. :)