Can Buddhists make very eccentric vows, and in what sense might these affect their karma? I do believe in karma, in some sense, but am struggling to understand something specific -- and a little strange. Suppose person A vows that, as person B is about to be hurt, they will suffer in their place. The event occurs, but person B, in some ill defined sense, does not suffer as much as they otherwise would. Person A then suffers some grave misfortune (perhaps unconnected). Is person A at fault for their misfortune, karmically speaking? But this is a just so story. Specifically: is there any form of vow, in any tradition, which can lead to suffering for you, but good karma for others?

 (2000 years old Buddhist cave near my village) Anusaya kilesa is lying dormant karmic influence after attaining Nirvana. I am putting various views as under; 1. SN goenka told in his speech that it can only remove by Vipassana. He put forward Buddha's journey towards enlightenment, denying every teacher discovered the way, Vipassana. 2. Dr. Ambedkar says that Vipassana only can't remove it. He emphasis on doing good deeds is the only way with perfected 10 paramitas. He also said Nirvana doesn't mean "Inactive calming down of flame" but that of "blowing out with wholesome deeds"! He is hero in our nation who did welfare of depressed and downtrodden peoples. 3. The great old Kapila of that day where Siddhartha born, says, when the pot is removed by potter after done, he remove it and stops stroking further. So, for time being that movement of wheel is compared to dormant karmic influence of prarabdha karma. He says in knowledge all karma that previously done and yet to come doesn't exist. But the small portion of prarabdha karma still remains. That portion of karma can be compared to arrow has been released from bow and no one can stop it. 4. Buddha also said in some poem, "I am unbound, my granery is empty by not putting new grains. I emptied it". Please all venerable sir and upasakas, clear this doubt. Please answer it with minimum scriptural texts. Personal experience is more I am interested in. Thank you in advance. May all being Happy!

Is the Buddhist lifestyle harmless to living beings? Lot's of creatures are being killed in various human activities (walking, farming, building, etc.) Did Buddhists found a way to live while not harming other living beings? If yes, how? p.s. For more info, read the same question on this SE.

On the occasion of diwali I've to ask, should Indian Buddhists celebrate diwali? Because recently I've read dark history behind diwali: - That Tathagata Gautama Buddha had entrusted the team with the Saraiputa and Mahamoggalan. He made Dhanmaseva for 44 years. The entire generation of Kartik Purnima was performed. The 15-day Kartik Amavasa (New moon of November) Mahamoggalan was brutally murdered on the Isigil mountain, that day was of Diwali. - The last Buddhist king of Maurya Brahadrath, was brutally murdered by Brahmin commander Pushyamitra Shung. That day was of Kartik Amavassa(Diwali, New moon of November). The Buddhist power was overturned. The monks are slaughtered. Pushyamitra Sung left the decree for giving 100 gold coins to cut the monk's head. Viharas, Stupas was destroyed. That day was Kartik Amavasya (Diwali, New moon of November). - Conferred best King Bali of the Bahujana and was murdered in a fraudulent by vishnu. Their power, science, education, wealth were taken away. Their children were killed one after the other. On the day of Bali Pratipada, victim King Bali was assassinated. That day was Kartik Amavasya (Diwali, New moon of November). Therefore, Buddhists, the Bahujans(Indian backward people who being Buddhist after Dr. B. R Ambedkar gave gift of Buddhism to them) should not celebrate Diwali festival. But other thing is about diwali that Emperor Ashoka started the Digvijay campaign this day. The public had greeted them by burning lamps. Also In Buddhism, after 18 years, Gautam Buddha returned to Kapilavastu with followers on this day. Then Diwali was celebrated burning millions of lamps in their reception by the citizens. During his first discourse, Buddha gave a new dimension to Deepawali(Diwali) by preaching: >"Atha Deepa Bhava". So let me know with what perspective we have to celebrate or not this day? Cause there's no importance of new moon in Buddhism and observance day is on full moon.

Although a lot has been said and written on the internet about Nirvana, the physics behind it seems to be an obscure and elusive area. Human experience seems to be summed up in **five-skandhas** , **dependent origination** and **six-sense bases** .Existence of all of them seems to be physically provable. I want an answer based on such arguments for an e.g. interaction of skandhas etc. Nibbana is also said to be '**unconditioned**' phenomena, all that is made of Matter or contains Matter is '**conditioned**'. If it is **nothingness** or **emptiness**, what is the underlying Physics? Physics has not yet arrived at the definition and exact phenomena of Consciousness. It is called the hard problem of Consciousness. As of now, it has not been explained in terms of physical interaction or as an emergent phenomenon. Consciousness is the only thing that seems to transmute in Nirvana. I have long held the belief that 'Consciousness conscious of itself is Nirvana. A blind, deaf, mute, senseless, touchless, everyone can get Nirvana but someone without consciousness cannot get Nirvana, that person is essentially dead. After Nirvana the person remains conscious, so what is it that essentially transmutes? I am asking, what's the physics? I am aware this is kind of a question that the Buddha discouraged to ask for e.g. in the Parable of Poisoned Arrow , but still, I have to ask.

Is it better to just watch the breath as it unfolds or sometimes we need to control it to slow it down ,calming down and noticing it in the same time ?.

I am doing vipassana meditation from last six month and had done two 10 days course of S N Goenka Vipassana Meditation.Doing daily 2 hours meditation in morning and evening. I am having constant sensation on my right cheek and on forehead during meditation and even after meditation almost 24 hours. Also have continure sensation in head in brain, on top, Side and back side of head ,I am not able to sleep due to it and I am feeling i am doing some thing wrong. As i understand that i am not monk who engage in meditation 24 hours. Should i do simple anapana, Not vipassana ? What should i do ? How can overcome it ? Or I should leave meditation and leave life as earlier as i was living ? Kindly provide solution in detail how to do, Like do it yourself ?

I never understood silence or emptiness in Buddhism and how is experiencing them beneficial?.Is it a way for experiencing the arising of experience ?

I have heard of five tricks/methods which could be used to avoid performing unwholesome kamma. I can remember three of them precisely. Would like to know all 5 listed in order. One is shifting the mind away from the unwholesome thought, another is finding the root cause, another is thinking of consequences.

What is the purpose or cause of cessation or extinction or Nirvana. Did Buddha ever talk about it? For example, see how [SN 23.1](https://suttacentral.net/sn23.1/en/sujato) ends: > “But sir, what is the purpose of extinguishment?” > > “Your question goes too far, Rādha. You couldn’t figure out the limit of questions. For extinguishment is the culmination, destination, and end of the spiritual life.”

How do those who have experienced multiple, profound-negative events, and/or long periods of extreme hardship muster up the will to continue on the path, or even to try to live a morally-upright life when one feels absolutely certain that any effort towards skillful thoughts/actions is only a short-term project that will only be demolished in the near future anyway?

How can a small woman in a small country who does not understand many of these questions, let alone the answers, ever hope to become enlightened.

I have done 02 10days Vipassana Meditation (S N Goenkaji)and want to devote life for same. Interested in knowing is any monetary in india where I can stay for years or more and learn teaching of Buddha and Vipassana

I read that the guidance of a teacher is "highly recommended because not all meditation experiences are spiritually skillful" and that > "It's also very common for solo practitioners to believe they have reached a deep meditative state when in fact they have barely scratched the surface. They may feel the rapture of the first dhyana, for example, and assume that's enlightenment. A good teacher will guide your meditative technique and keep you from sticking anywhere." > > [Developing Samadhi](https://www.learnreligions.com/samadhi-449923) Can we take a deep and authentic look, and potentially reach enlightenment without a teacher? thanks

In AN 3:65, while advising the Kalamas on how to choose among a variety of contradictory belief systems, the Buddha mentions ten inadequate criteria for truth: > Come, Kalamas. Do not go by oral tradition, by lineage of teaching, by > hearsay, by a collection of texts, **by logic, by inferential > reasoning, by reasoned cogitation, by the acceptance of a view after > pondering it**, by the seeming competence of a speaker, or because you > think, 'The ascetic is our teacher.' I am interested in the four criteria that seem to relate to verbal reasoning (an alternative translation in parentheses): - Logic (surmise) - Inferential reasoning (axiom) - Reasoned cogitation (specious reasoning) - Acceptance of a view after pondering it (bias towards a notion that has been pondered) Bikkhu Bodhi has a footnote that, much to my consternation, says of these criteria, > [They are] four types of reasoning recognized by thinkers in the Buddha's age; their differences need not detain us here. I understand the main point being made (that we should go by direct experience), but I am curious about the precise meaning of these four criteria. **I am looking for an answer that explains the differences between these four types of reasoning by providing an example of each one from everyday life.** Bonus for any relevant historical context.

If I remember correctly, Buddha wanted to verify his insight after his sit under the Bodhi tree. He took a leaf and reversed the cause-and-effect leading to him holding that leaf in order to check something. Can anyone point to the story?

I wish to master my mind, one reason is I'm so mentally weak. Like anything you want to master you have to work at it. Drill it into you. But practicing on my own hasn't work. I need a far away place that will force me to master meditation. If I get off track they will make sure I get back on track. Where is a monastery like this where I a foreigner can join for a year?

Maybe a challenging questions for the scholars and literary Abhidhamma-fans, with much possibilities for great merits: * What are the 10 sammādiṭṭhis, ten right views? Deatal explaining of each would be a great gift of the deathlessness. *[Note: This is a gift of Dhamma and not meant for commercial purpose or other low wordily gains by means of trade and exchange.]*

I've been learning about Dharma traditions for a while now. In short: I am attracted by the figure of Siddhartha Gautama and by the fact that Buddhism is not based on faith in the scriptures (nastika). I am completely convinced by his speech on dukkha. Besides that, I'm not convinced at all by the anatman. I believe in the atman, I am convinced by the vision of the advaita védanta, and I love the simplicity of Patanjali's Ashtanga Yoga and its 8 clear and defined steps to the Absolute (Samadhi). All this being said, which path to take? Which one would be the closest to my position? I was told the Madhyamaka of Nagarjuna?

In the **Kevatta Sutta**, Buddha is explaining to Kevatta why he doesn't use miraculous powers for his teaching. And while telling about psychic power he tells: > Then the person without faith, without conviction, would say to the person with faith and with conviction: 'Sir, **there is a charm called the Gandhari charm by which the monk wielded manifold psychic powers**...exercising influence with his body even as far as the Brahma worlds.' And while telling about telepathic power Buddha says: > "Then the person without faith, without conviction, would say to the person with faith and with conviction: 'Sir, **there is a charm called the Manika charm by which the monk read the minds...of other beings**...' What do you think, Kevatta -- isn't that what the man without faith, without conviction, would say to the man with faith and with conviction?" "Yes, venerable sir, that's just what he would say." So it seems that it is possible to gain psychic power through Gandhari charm and mind reading power through Manika charm. **I want to know what these charms are.** Are they Mantras? Do any Buddhist scriptures describe it? I'm well aware that Buddhist scripture do not focus in attaining these powers and Buddhism is related with ending of suffering. But as those charm names are spoken by Buddha himself, maybe it's possible to get knowledge about those charms. Also if there is some ancient commentaries of Kevatta Sutta, then maybe some information is avaliable there.