I don't like the shape of my body. My skin is poor. I lack physical stamina and strength. I feel hungry but I don't eat. I just don't like myself. How can I purify my body so that I feel good in it? My body is just lethargic, fatigued and weak. Did Buddha share any techniques to purify and strengthen the physical body? Also I masterbate a lot which is the cause of my weak and ugly body. I don't even have the strength to exercise the way I want. This is all topped with immense guilt that I want to wash away.

Many times in the suttas the monks are said to be frustrated, but the word anger is never used.. what is the difference? My short thought is - anger is seeing wrong speech or action, and saying 'why are you acting this way - it hurts the other', whilst frustration is 'why are you acting this way - it hurts you'. Any thoughts on this from respectable sources?

Can sensations be a meditation object like breath? if yes how do I practice meditations with it?

For the longest time, I never had much to question about it but I've taken to wondering about an extra one, one that wasn't there before. I get to feeling that "right spirit" should be another fold. Can Buddha's spirit be tested for this?

I really need to know what is the mean of true love according to Buddhism?

In oral study system (reciting and memorizing)... I definitely sure according to Mahasatipatthanasutta's structure "aparam" means "next step". For an example, after the practitioner meditated the previous body (breath) in (entire) body (in sitting posture), next step when the practitioner is going, he is clearly understanding "I am walking (with clearly understanding in breath, 32 organs, 4 elements, etc.)" ***In the blanket is omitted as understood from the previous Pabba in oral study tradition***. Niddharana (list) is the meaning of the sattamii vibhatti of kaaye (entire body), kaayaanupassi and kaayasmim (body's part), vedanaasu, citte, cittasmim, dhammesu. "Puna ca" means another Pabba. Vasi (practice to be professional) is objective of internal, external, internal&external, iriyaapathapabba, and sampajaanapabba which next step from sitting-iriyaapatha in aanapanapabba (and other Pabba). So, I am not sure of "and further", "again" meaning in all translations. According to each Sutta's context and history, MahasatipatthanaSutta is for no-unawesome-mind-practitioner or attained jhana practitioner (vipassanayaanika), and KaayagatasatiSutta is for newbie jhana practitioner (samathayaanika) and Anapanassati is samatha, so I quoted from KaayagatasatiSutta ... > Kathaṃ bhāvitā ca bhikkhave kāyagatā sati kathaṃ bahulīkatā mahapphalā hoti mahānisaṃsā . idha bhikkhave bhikkhu araññagato vā rukkhamūlagato vā suññāgāragato vā nisīdati pallaṅkaṃ ābhujitvā ujuṃ kāyaṃ paṇidhāya parimukhaṃ satiṃ upaṭṭhapetvā . so satova assasati sato passasati . dīghaṃ vā assasanto dīghaṃ assasāmīti pajānāti dīghaṃ vā passasanto dīghaṃ passasāmīti pajānāti . Rassaṃ vā assasanto rassaṃ assasāmīti pajānāti rassaṃ vā passasanto rassaṃ passasāmīti pajānāti . sabbakāyapaṭisaṃvedī assasissāmīti sikkhati sabbakāyapaṭisaṃvedī passasissāmīti sikkhati . Passambhayaṃ kāyasaṅkhāraṃ assasissāmīti sikkhati passambhayaṃ kāyasaṅkhāraṃ passasissāmīti sikkhati . tassa evaṃ appamattassa ātāpino pahitattassa viharato ye gehasitā sarasaṅkappā te pahīyanti . Tesaṃ pahānā ajjhattameva cittaṃ santiṭṭhati sannisīdati **ekodibhoti** 1- samādhiyati evampi bhikkhave bhikkhu kāyagataṃ satiṃ bhāveti. > > **Puna caparaṃ** bhikkhave bhikkhu gacchanto vā gacchāmīti pajānāti ṭhito vā ṭhitomhīti pajānāti nisinno vā nisinnomhīti pajānāti sayāno vā sayānomhīti pajānāti . yathā yathā vā panassa kāyo paṇihito hoti tathā tathā naṃ pajānāti . Tassa evaṃ appamattassa ātāpino pahitattassa viharato ye gehasitā sarasaṅkappā te pahīyanti . tesaṃ pahānā ajjhattameva Cittaṃ santiṭṭhati sannisīdati **ekodibhoti samādhiyati** evampi bhikkhave bhikkhu kāyagataṃ satiṃ bhāveti. > >@Footnote: 1 Ma. Yu. ekodi hoti. Thaanissaro translation... >"There is the case where a monk — having gone to the wilderness, to the shade of a tree, or to an empty building — sits down folding his legs crosswise, holding his body erect and setting mindfulness to the fore. Always mindful, he breathes in; mindful he breathes out. > >"Breathing in long, he discerns, 'I am breathing in long'; or breathing out long, he discerns, 'I am breathing out long.' Or breathing in short, he discerns, 'I am breathing in short'; or breathing out short, he discerns, 'I am breathing out short.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe in sensitive to the entire body.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out sensitive to the entire body.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe in calming bodily fabrication.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out calming bodily fabrication.' And as he remains thus heedful, ardent, & resolute, any memories & resolves related to the household life are abandoned, and with their abandoning his mind gathers & settles inwardly, grows unified & centered. This is how a monk develops mindfulness immersed in the body. > >"''Furthermore'', when walking, the monk discerns, 'I am walking.' When standing, he discerns, 'I am standing.' When sitting, he discerns, 'I am sitting.' When lying down, he discerns, 'I am lying down.' Or however his body is disposed, that is how he discerns it. And as he remains thus heedful, ardent, & resolute, any memories & resolves related to the household life are abandoned, and with their abandoning his mind gathers & settles inwardly, grows unified & centered. This is how a monk develops mindfulness immersed in the body. Do "and further", "again", surely mean "next step"?

As we know people who stay in coma or unconsciousness "experience" timeless,space-less, absolute emptiness and total detachment from physical world. Even though I used the word "experience" will not suitable to describe the situation in coma or unconsciousness state. It is a condition with no happiness or sorrow, no pain,no darkness or light,no noise or sound etc....and finally we can say "unconditional state of mind." and closer to description of "Nirvana" 1. what happen when person die during the coma or unconsciousness state? 2. Is this similar to Nirvana? (as total detachment of world.)

I am unable to understand different meanings of words dhamma, dharma, atta, anatta... Does dhamma means as "path" or "truth" or "teaching" as in Ariyapariyesana Sutta or as "phenomenon" or as "things ? Is dhamma and dharma same? Does atta means 'self' or 'soul' or 'ego' or 'eternal-self' or something else? I have read anatta meaning as 'not-self', does this means as 'not-I' or 'not-me' or 'not-mine' or something else? It is because I have read it's use as different meanings...confusing. What could be the correct translation of "Sabbe dhammā anattā."?

When I sit for Vipassana and observe the sensations, they intensify. The sensations get stronger and stronger the more I observe them. After a limit these sensations break my will power to sit and force me to stop. What is happening here, can anyone explain?

Is it only pertaining to "no adultery" for layman or as "no sex" for monk? If such is the case, why in ganika sutta it was mentioned as "path middle to celibacy and adultery" for ganika(female dancers)? Conclusion:: 3rd percept varies from person to person. It is different for one who has the capacity to "no sex", one having capacity to "no adultery", one who has the capacity to "no sensual pleasures", one who has no-capacity or livelihood depends on adultery-- so "middle to adultery and no-sex(celibacy)",......... It's main purpose is to enforce people of various livelihoods, various traditions, various spiritual-levels, various situations(incidents) to realize the **cravings associated** with "harmone-loss through privates, mental-exhaustance in sensual-pleasings, breaking-percepts, various-perceptions, sankharas, ignorance". Is above conclusion true? Yes/No then justify? *(wholesomeness has essence and craving of never-dying.)*

In this speech , actor Richard Gere , in the capacity of an award presenter, made a speech at the Oscar's of 1993, asking all viewers to send out their thoughts to the Chinese government leaders and the Chinese people, to persuade them to end the Chinese occupation of Tibet and let Tibetans return to their previous independent and autonomous state. Richard Gere made hand gestures while speaking (at time 1:33 ), as though thoughts can be somehow broadcasted to the minds of people far away. I take it that this has something to do with Tibetan Buddhism, and Richard Gere is a well known follower of the Gelugpa school of Tibetan Buddhism. Apparently, he was banned from becoming an Oscar presenter in future Oscar's, due to this speech. How does this thought-sending work in Tibetan Buddhism? If more people send out their thoughts, is the effect stronger? Does it have a name? Does it also appear in other Buddhist traditions? For e.g. like sending out metta or sending out merit?

This article on tantra -- [Buddhist Tantra - 5](http://www.kamakotimandali.com/blog/index.php?p=481&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1) -- says > The deities of the vajrayAna are all manifestations of shUnya. > Advayavajra says in a very characteristic verse that the deities are > nothing but manifestations of shUnya and are by nature non-existent, > and whenever there is manifestation it must be shUnya in essence. The > process of evolution of deities from shUnya has four stages: the first > is the right perception of the shUnyatA or voidness, the second is its > connection with the germ syllable, the third is the conception of an > icon and the fourth is the external representation of the deity. This > statement which occurs both in the sAdhanamAlA and in advayavajra is a > very strong argument against the theory that later Buddhism was > nothing but gross idolatry. > > They are rather the voluntary manifestations of the shUnya in > accordance with the bIjamantras uttered by the worshippers, with an > appearance suitable for the function he has to discharge. Does anyone have the appropiate references to these statements?

Isn't this a kind of "opposite to empathy, compassion, metta"? Nowdays, householders(not all) have cruel behaviour towards handicapped ones. If monk also declines to help, would that be called as compassion?

Whenever I go for meditation retreat(self-exploration or in group), my brain remains calm, body remains healthy, digestive system becomes good. When I try to go for household life or even think about it, my tension increases, digestive system corrupts(whereas it remains better during retreat), can't maintain percept of not eating after midday because of stomach. Morning workout (physical) makes me more lazy(sleepy), laziness decreases meditation. Metta-meditation makes me to worry about others whereas, if I don't do metta it, makes me feel like selfish? Should I consult psychologist or should I go for monk-life? How to stop worrying about others or why do I feel like worrying about others during metta?

Buddhists talk about discontinuity > ordinary consciousness consists of the ***discrete*** cetas and illusion > all is illusion and the external objects are nothing but the creations > of our mind 1. In Yogacara, are all moments discontinuous -- the idea that nothing is ever the same thing twice and no two times meet -- and an illusion? 2. Does that mean that durations -- even-though consisting of impermanent events -- only *seem* to arise persist decay or cease? Why? I can intuitively see a link between 1 and 2, and I am in effect asking about that. Put another way: is the flow of time we psychologically experience itself permanent?

When I feel dullness in meditation, I tend to move about on the chair, e.g. tilt forwards or backwards, change position to prod myself to wakefulness. **Would such a method be detrimental?** Should one aspire to remain completely still during meditation?

Can anyone recommend a practice to overcome disturbing sounds. Many times when I meditate or turn inwards I am disturbed by a neighbors loud barking dogs or other loud sounds. I've tried doing visualization, clearing the space energy, Feng Shui mirrors, ear plugs (help to some degree), even talking to the neighbor but I seem to be often in irritation by this. The external disturbance is affecting my inner-commune. I also find my attention goes to that external sound and I feel tense/disturbed by the energy of it. I'd appreciate any ideas / thoughts on how to stay centered and undisturbed in the face of external disturbance / inconsiderate neighbors. Thanks in advance. Rich

To my knowledge, Bodhicaryāvatāra expressed the Nothing new will be said here, nor have I any skill in composition. Therefore I do not imagine that I can benefit others. I have done this to perfume my own mind.. In my limited understanding, it refers to the negative thoughts although I do not have complete comprehension of it. What does it refer to, what is the intention and what is to be practiced?

Simple question -- how to tackle cold feeling during winter **through meditation** other than clothes or anything? Asking for specific meditation details with insight for tackling cold without any tantra or mantra or yantra. - **What** will be sensations in various parts of body? - **What** will be various body-parts movement during meditation(other than shaking)? - **What** will be the thoughts? - **Will** one have to maintain some pressure within body? - **What** will be the side effects or hindrances, if any? All the **minute details** which can be **generalized to everyone**. Don't write answers with advice like, "think to be born in cold countries..."... **Here coldness/enviornment refers to the point where meditator will have the need to wear woolen clothes...!** If you have any authoritative (**gautama the buddha's only**) source for **meditation** on such, can give that -- but otherwise looking for **specific practical experience**. **Theorist may consider it a challenge, if they haven't experienced** Be Happy, Metta

Is suchness, tathata, as a concept always something in addition to phenomena? If not, when we talk about the suchness of phenomena we could mean what they are like, the qualitative experience of a taste e.g.. But if, conceptually, they are different, then no experience of taste amounts to its "true state" -- the meaning of suchness. I'm asking because I've seen it said that tathata *means* qualia. And, while I never agreed, I wasn't sure what's wrong with that. I suspect, today, that it's wrong because they are in fact opposites -- opposites that need to be harmonized