Recently, I found out there is a new branch of Buddhism called the *Navayana*. I read the article on Wikipedia but it did not say too much. What is *Navayana Buddhism* and what type of practices does it follow like meditations, sutras, or tantras? How does a *Navayana Buddhist* relate to Buddhist of different schools?

I remember reading about the characteristics of the or a Buddha, and one of them was “a Buddha is always focused on voidness.” Sadly I did not save the website and don’t remember where this was written. Now to the question. What are the mental characteristics of a Buddha? Can you give me a list? I don’t mean the nine qualities. It is a different list, a less common one. It should include the point I mentioned and be of mahayana origin.

Has Lord Buddha preached that we shouldn't believe our own minds? If he did, what is the meaning of that saying? **Update:** Are there any meaning other than *ignorence*, *Ilusion* ? Like Uncertainty of mind, changing mind ?

I am comparing translations to see how the Sinhala would work, and, granted I am using Google Translate on the Sinhala version, I would at least expect it to be generally somewhat reflective of what is being said. But it doesn't say what I am looking for. I am looking for this quote [here](https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.3.04.than.html) or [here](https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/thag/thag.14.01.than.html) : As a mountain of rock is unwavering, well-settled, so a monk whose delusion is ended doesn't quiver — just like a mountain. However what I find in the Sinhala version [here](https://www.thripitakaya.org/tipitakaya/Index/653?s=21249) or [here](https://www.thripitakaya.org/tipitakaya/Index/828?s=22245) is this: > "Just as a gal can stand steady, so the brain will not be a sin in the mind." Or > The stanza is so immovable that it does not become immovable. I am just picking pieces that appear close in the same area of text. Does one know if these translations in Sinhala are accurate? (And that it's just a _major_ Google translate issue). Does that quote exist somewhere in the Sinhala? I am trying to make do snippets of translation myself and am looking for a good example of interesting quotes. If one could paste the quote in Sinhala that would be amazing. Or is this just an example of a translator taking "poetic expression" to the extreme, and they just took a general quote like "යම්සේ ගල්පව්වෙක් අචල වැ මොනොවට පිහිටියේ ද, එසේ ම මහණ තෙම මොහය ක්ෂීණ වීමෙන් පව්වක් මෙන් ‍නො සැලේ.", which Google translates as "Even if a galvanist is immobile, the loss of his brain will not be a sin.", and they just made up a poetic metaphor to translate it into English?

I wonder what people, groups and projects one can support? Both monastic and lay fields are on topic.

The Raft Simile says, in part: > I have taught the Dhamma compared to a raft, for the purpose of crossing over, not for the purpose of holding onto. Understanding the Dhamma as taught compared to a raft, you should let go even of Dhammas, to say nothing of non-Dhammas. [[MN 22](https://accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.022.than.html)] Why did Buddha use the 'Raft Simile'?

Does stock trading count as pursuing gain with gain mentioned as wrong view in MN117 ? Sure active stock trading is very destructive, especially nowadays it's like trading the weather, but does it count as pursuing gain with gain even for passive stock traders? Thanks a mil

Can someone guide me? Whenever I try to concentrate on Samma Ditthi, some obstacle generate within this body? It's like mirage of something real! Its like a whirlpool of mass of atoms. Help me!

having studied Buddhism and Advaita Vedanta, I've seen that the differences between the two are almost non-existent. This video does a good job at fleshing out the Vedanta and Buddhist perspective and he himself seemingly states that the differences between the two are trivial at best. I'd be interested to hear some input from those more familiar with Buddhism.

I take it that an important claim of secular Buddhism is that the Buddha never actually taught literal rebirth. What happens during parinibbāna according to secular Buddhism? How is it different from any other death? If there is no difference, how do secular Buddhists explain the very existence of this term? Can any death be called parinibbāna?

I read the following on the internet: > I think your saying that "Nagarjuna that purports there are no things" > was an oversimplification or misrepresentation -- conversely the quote > or summary above isn't far from what you find in the suttas, e.g. the > Foam sutta (SN 22.95). It's kind of tangential to your answer, but > since you wrote "Nagarjuna purports there are no things" I thought > that was worth clarifying. – > > No I meant that Wikipedia's summary of Nagarjuna's seemed to me > similar to the doctrine of the Foam sutta. I doubt whether anyone > believes "there are no things" which is why I thought that phrase of > yours (i.e. "Nagarjuna that purports there are no things") was > mis-stating Nagarjuna's doctrine. Does the Foam Sutta (SN 22.95) say there are "no things" or, otherwise, discuss emptiness similar to Nagarjuna?

I read the following on the internet: > According to Wikipedia by the way, Nagarjuna wrote, in the > Mūlamadhyamakakārikā, "[A]ll experienced phenomena are empty (sunya). > This did not mean that they are not experienced and, therefore, > non-existent; only that they are devoid of a permanent and eternal > substance (svabhava) because, like a dream, they are mere projections > of human consciousness. Since these imaginary fictions are > experienced, they are not mere names (prajnapti). Is Nibbana devoid of a permanent and eternal substance? Also, is Nibbana a mere projection of human consciousness? Also, are all things "mere names"?

The fifth and six steps in Ananpansati, talk about training ones' self to be sensitive to these feelings, how can a mediator do this and avoid the dangers of getting caught up in them?

I wish to verify the reference of events claimed by Bhante Vimalaramsi: > 1. Buddha said there are 80 different kinds of beings in your body that are dying everyday; 2. Also, a certain Arahant with psychic ability saw death of living beings in ground, water, and air, so he stood in one spot, stopped drinking water, and started holding his breath, so Buddha replied the purpose of attaining Arahantship is so that we could get off the Wheel of Samsara and not have these kinds of problem again. > See the video at https://youtu.be/TSwtv7VqMh0?t=101 . Do you guys have any idea of the source? Was this recorded in any of the suttas or vinaya, or simply a late commentary, abhidhamma, or modern scholarship, etc.? The closest account I had came across is controversy of Cakkhupala stepping on ants during walking meditation (https://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=001) , and Vinaya rules on filtering water before using (which is more likely referring to water-borne insects, rather than microorganisms).

A advise that I was given is to be "mindful" when I'm not meditating. However, it seems that mindfulness is incompatible with daydreaming (especially those in which we can get really engrossed and lose our sense of the present moment). Therefore, is daydreaming/fantasizing bad?

Today, I have realized that I have lot of expectations about my life and about others. Until today, I didn't aware of it because,today I face a big disappointment.So, Experiences of expectations and hopes breakings are way to understand the nature of expectations. Other than that, What can I do to avoid expectations ?

Although I have read some basic articles and book about buddhism, they are all written by modern western sources, and I would like to get to know the foundations. Even when reading this site, I sometimes feel at a loss because I miss so many of the particular terms, and all the names of the classical texts are kind of mixed in my mind, I don't even know where to start. My question is then: What would be a good "programm" to introduce myself in buddhist (foundational) readings? I am aware of other questions dealing with introductory texts to Buddhism, but, as I see it, that is easy to find. What I want is sort of a guide to start navigating the important foundational texts of which I keep hearing/reading a lot, but that I cannot grasp. Also, I would love to learn at least a bit of the languages (Sanskrit, Pali) to improve my understanding of what I read, and some references in this sense would also be much appreciated.

What are the examples in ancient texts or in history when a trained Buddhist sustained their equanimity and well-being through torture, forced isolation or other unfavourable circumstances? Which tools given in Dhamma do you think would be useful if one had to survive, for example, through the years in prison? Could it be possible to keep on the development of skilful qualities in places like this? Would you consider suicide as a solution?

For the last couple of years there has been growing research on so called compassion fatigue among social workers/therapists/social workers, and their likes. In short, compassion fatigue can be described as exhaustion and/or vicarious traumatization in different forms of healthcare/emotional labor. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compassion_fatigue) . My question is - if and how - one can understand these phenomena based on buddhist dharma? As far as i understand there is no mentioning of these types of specific phenomena in the suttas. A few personal hypotheses is that compassion fatigue is the result of one or more of these factors: - an imbalance between the five indriyas/faculties and the five pancabalani/strengths, leading to - akusala padhana/unwholesome effort. - upadana, grasping for being overtly supportive at the expense of own health, or clinging to a self-view as a tireless helper. I realize this may seem counter to popular buddhist notions such as the brahmaviharas, for instance. I still can't help but wonder if this can explain compassion fatigue, or if there are other alternative interpretations based on a buddhist framework? (This is a sutta reference request)

During the time of Buddha, it is said many people at one gathering attained enlightenment by listening to only one one of his sermons. How can a mind develop such a achieving within matter of hours. There are millions of devoted Buddhist in the world now but I have not heard a single person achieving higher mental status. Are there any other explanation this other than karma?