The suttas were as far as I heard transmitted orally, and it was only several hundred years later that the teachings were put on to paper. Now my questions: i) Do you believe in every sutta? For example: That a person suddenly attained sottapanna or arahantship? Notice: It doesn't matter whether it happened or not because it has not real implications on me, but it's as always this easy and unrealistic kind of thinking that people often employ ii) Couldn't it be the case that there are also many 'later alterations' to fit the dhamma to one's own/to culture's liking? iii) Connected to question i): How do you interpret devas? And how do you verify 'post-morten' rebirth? Isn't it in contradiction of anatta? Didn't the Buddha teach that the Dhamma can be experienced in the here and now? Why do the 4NT (and N8P) not mention rebirth? iv) Most people do not translate suttas by their own. They take the words from scholars and monks, which often copy from each other. Is this the critical thinking that Buddhists often speak of?

In the paticcasamuppada's formulation of the twelve nidanas, vedana precedes tanha. As far as I currently understand, vedana is just the physiological and psychological -and involuntary- response (felt as a pleasent, unpleasent or neutral sensation) to an specific stimulus. Vedana by itself shouldn't be an enough condition to give rise to tanha, because there's no necessarily an evaluation (sañña) of that feeling that could lead to the rise of a preference (like, dislike or neither-like-nor-dislike), and consequently, to the rise of tanha. If read in this fashion, shouldn't be sañña placed between vedana and tanha? Thanks in beforehand.

I read the following words on the internet: > *A person ends making Kamma when he becomes an Arahant. The Vipaka of his Kamma continues until he attains Parinibbana.* These words appear to say it was a personal act of kamma of a person that resulted in life or the five aggregates to come into being; similar to how the Bible describes an act of God that lead to the creation of the physical world, life & the social world. Why were we physically born? Was it our personal kamma? Did we personally choose this? If so, how did this self or person who makes a choice come into being before there was kamma? Does kamma create the self (person)? Or does self (the person) create kamma? Did the Buddha teach it cannot be determined whether the chicken comes before the egg or the egg comes before the chicken? Is this why many Buddhists are vegetarians?

Do music help? Why sometimes it feels equal to meditation in terms of achieving bliss (may be for short span of period) Or music is just an another time wasting thing? Text with links and pictorials in your answer are the most welcome. All are welcome. Thanks

AN 6.63 says the Noble Eightfold Path ends kamma, as follows: > *And what is the cessation of kamma? From the cessation of contact is > the cessation of kamma; and just this noble eightfold path — right > view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, > right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration — is the path of > practice leading to the cessation of kamma* > > *AN 6.63* MN 117 says "kamma" is something with effluents and results in acquisitions (of "self"), as follows: > *And what is the right view with effluents, siding with merit, resulting in acquisitions? 'There is what is given, what is offered, > what is sacrificed. There are fruits & results of good & bad > actions...* The term "acquisitions" ("upadhi") is described in MN 26 as follows: > *Subject to birth are these acquisitions, and one who is tied to them, infatuated with them, who has totally fallen for them, being subject > to birth, seeks what is likewise subject to birth.* SN 12.66 describes "acquisitions" as follows: > *Acquisition has craving as its source, craving as its origin; it is born and produced from craving. When there is craving, acquisition > comes to be; when there is no craving, acquisition does not come to > be.* In the Angulimala Sutta, before attaining arahantship, Angulimala (the former mass murderer) was pardoned by King Pasenadi Kosala after learning Angulimala was rendered harmless by the Buddha. If he chose to, King Pasenadi Kosala could have had Angulimala executed for his former crimes. King Pasenadi Kosala obviously possessed this power of volition; to execute criminals. However, after attaining Arahantship (which includes the ending of the effluents and all self-views), Angulimala was stoned by certain people who knew of Angulimala's past murderous deeds, after which Angulimala declared the following: > *Who once was heedless, but later is not, brightens the world like the moon set free from a cloud.* > > *His evil-done deed is replaced with skillfulness: he brightens the world like the moon set free from a cloud.* > > *Having done the type of kamma that would lead to many bad destinations, touched by the fruit of kamma, unindebted, I eat > my food.* > > *The three knowledges have been attained; the Buddha's bidding, > done.* Did Angulimala's attainment of arahantship end "kamma"? Or was it the stones thrown by unforgiving people that ended the kamma of Angulimala? If the later, are these stones thrown by unforgiving people more powerful in extinguishing kamma & suffering than the Noble Eightfold Path?

Tirokudda Kanda briefly out line the benefits the dead receive from the gifts given by the living.. and there are many more injection in the Pali Cannon with similar tone. My question is are we to read these as alogorical or literally? Do the dead benefit from the offering given by their relations? I have seen these practices in Cambodia, but never had a chance to ask why and how these are done. Many thanks.

Can a bad kamma be cancelled out by doing a strong good kamma? If the answer is no, at-least can we reduce the effect of that bad kamma by doing so? If the answers are no for the above two questions, can we postpone the time which kamma gives its result by doing a strong opposite kamma?

To my understanding, the 8 factors are of course something that require cultivation (practise/training). However, noble right view, for example, is an experiential part, and not an intellectual one. >And what is right view? Knowledge with regard to stress, knowledge with regard to the origination of stress, knowledge with regard to the cessation of stress, knowledge with regard to the way of practice leading to the cessation of stress: This is called right view." When exactly is this seen? At stream entry level? Furthermore, Right Intention and Right Effort both require one to abandon anger and desire. While anger can be let go much easier, most lay people cling to the five senses (which among them includes the desire for sex). So there again I see no applicability for lay practitioners. "Right Speech" is a difficult one, because if we take the arya vacca then we basically only speak about the dhamma, particularly the cessation of dukkha. Right Samadhi is also unlikely for lay because it is basically Jhana, and Jhana itself requires a lot of letting go of attachments and absolute no sensuality in the mind. So what is your response to this?

- Cetana (Intention) is a universal mental factor which can be seen in every consciousness even in Arahants'. - Kamma is the intention in one's consciousness. I have thought about the below statements based on the above mentioned two factors. But couldn't come to a conclusion. My questions are, 1. "An Arahant accumulates kamma in his/her life and has kammic fruit for that kamma in the same life." Is this statement true? 2. "An Arahant accumulates kamma in his/her life but has no kammic fruit for that kamma." Is this statement true? 3. "Intention (The mental factor, Cetana) is not kamma in Arahants' consciousness" Is this statement true?

In the Wikipedia article [Buddhist Logic](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_logic) , it is mentioned that Buddhist Logic is different from classical western logic. > ‘Indian Logic’ should be understood as being a different system of logic than modern classical logic (e.g. modern predicate calculus), but as anumāna-theory, a system in its own right. ‘Indian Logic’ was influenced by the study of grammar, whereas Classical Logic which principally informed modern Western Logic was influenced by the study of mathematics. How does Buddhist logic work then? And how is it used in the exegesis of Buddhist scriptures?

If memory serves correctly, the historical Buddha did mention contemplating/investigating energy (viriya). Also remember mention of energy leading to the cessation of dukka. But does the Buddha, or other Buddhist teachings, ever expound upon energy in-depth, specifically techniques on how to raise/rouse energy — perhaps with the same level of detail the Abhidhamma does with the 121 types of consciousness — other than by intention? (as in: “What is virya? It is the mind intent on being ever active, devoted, unshaken, not turning back and being indefatigable. It perfects and realizes what is conducive to the positive.” via: The Abhidharma-samuccaya from https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vīrya )

At which stage of enlightenment (or of meditation) will Dependent Origination break? In my meditation practice, now there are no clinging to the thoughts and no self view. Can notice once it appears. At this stage, is dependent origination still functioning?

According to dependent origination I took birth (i.e I came into existence) due to ignorance. My questions are :how many times it has happened that someone has taken birth into this samsara? Since when birth of ignorance has been happening? If there are no answers in the scriptures to the above questions then what is your personal opinion on the issues mentioned above?

I live in Sri Lanka and many good Buddhist ceremonies take place all year long. And more often than not in almost all of these major functions something extraordinary happens that leave the whole country speechless. These events take place not once or twice but annually as these big functions happen every year. None of these events happen in broad daylight and no one has been able to explain how they occur and that includes all the well renowned Professors and other science related organizations and universities. These events have broken the once accepted idea that they are some kind of weather or other anomaly as they have happened annually in perfectly equal circumstances that includes a major Buddhist event,a whopping number of pilgrims,a very pleasant environment & etc.The Somawathi Stupa is a fine example.... The best part is none of these events took place when this place is vacant, all of this happened when it was full of Buddhists and everyone there (at least few thousand people every time) witness the events. --- Here is one event on video in broad daylight... **Rays of lights on Somawathi Stupa** Images of the event taken in few different days and angles... --- A 3D Hologram like image of Lord Buddha appeared in front of this stupa recently... --- According to this description on the banner this is supposedly a image of a group of Devas visiting the Stupa... --- As there has been no proper explanation to these events what so ever people have came to the conclusion that this is the power of Lord Buddha, There is another idea. Some think it's the Devas trying to encourage the people to do good more. --- **Is there any explanation that you can find?** **Has such events happened in recent history in any other Buddhist countries,monasteries or events?**

The Nanda sutta seems contrary to what the Buddha teaches with regard to sensual desire. Therefore, I don't understand how this was a wise approach in the case of Nanda even though Nanda acquired arahantship afterwards. Perhaps I'm missing something obvious (it's still morning here!) but how did the Buddha's promise become a catalyst for Nanda's ultimate realization?

My relatives ask me to suggest good names that must be Buddhist. I tried on internet but there are from other culture I want Indian names so what names or meaning should be?

My girlfriend is from a Thai / Chinese familly. They are buddist and they follow the Guan Yin precepts. I know they can't eat beef, but this is not the only meat they refuses to eat. They basicly eat only chicken and pork. However her mother tried to eat some sheep meat just by curiosity. I would like to know what kind of meat are you allowed to eat when you follow the Guan Yin precepts and which one are strictly prohibited.

Per the teachings of the Anapanasati Sutta, should one literally think about what they are doing, or focus on the breath itself? Meaning, should I think "I am breathing in long," or should I focus on the action of my breath being long?

What are some of the similarities between Taoism and Buddhism? Can one achieve the Tao through Buddhism and vice versa, can one achieve nirvana through Taoism?

Does Buddhist samatha meditation allow for physical meditation objects other than the breath? I have noticed I feel much more contentment with the physical sensation of "back straight". Please give examples or references. Ayya Khema writes (Know Where You're Going) : > In the beginning we need the necessary meditation practice, the methods that will be our key to open the door, but within them we must find something that is of particular help to us. That element can be physical or mental, concerned with **posture** or with thoughts. > Upasika Kee writes (Pure and Simple): > Sit straight and place your hands one on top of the other on your lap. Hold your head up straight and keep your **back straight**—as if you had a yardstick running along your spine.