All the songs which I have been listening since childhood are constantly popping up in my mind even the songs which I listened in the childhood. Shall I now stop listening any song altogether providing I want to uncondition my mind completely? Are there benefits to stop listening them? Also what shall I do when these old songs pope up again in the mind? Note: If it's helpful to answer let me inform you that I have been practicing mindfulness along with anapansatti.

I came across this article by Jack Kornfield in which he says that it is better to talk about enlightenments, since there are different versions of it. (So, this is not about different levels of enlightenment, but different enlightenment*s*.) Of course, I can imagine that Mahayana teaches something different than Theravada or other traditions and vice versa, but this article refers also to different types of enlightenment within Theravada. Added by request: 1. > enlightenment as a shift in identity; 2. > liberation from greed, hatred and delusion; 3. > devotion and surrender, being carried by the Buddha’s “grace"; > When you actually experience consciousness free of identification with changing conditions, liberated from greed and hate, you find it multifaceted, like a mandala or a jewel, a crystal with many sides. Through one facet, the enlightened heart shines as luminous clarity, through another as perfect peace, through another as boundless compassion. Consciousness is timeless, ever-present, completely empty and full of all things. But when a teacher or tradition emphasizes only one of these qualities over the others, it is easy to be confused, as if true enlightenment can be tasted in only one way. Like the particle-and-wave nature of light, enlightenment consciousness is experienced in a myriad of beautiful ways. He also describes different gates through which one can get enlightened: The gate of impermanence, suffering, no-self. So far there is no surprise. He then mentions more gates: > There are many other gates: the gates of compassion, of purity, of surrender, of love. There is also what is called the “gateless gate.” The way enlightenment expresses is also different according to JK: - > This is enlightenment as love. - > This is enlightenment as emptiness. - > He expresses enlightenment as fullness. - > Enlightenment as mindfulness. - > The Dalai Lama personifies enlightenment as compassionate blessing. - > He expressed enlightenment as wisdom. (I would suggest to read the article.) Naturally, I'm a bit puzzled now. Do suttas also talk about different types?

I know of the Buddha nature and I am familiar with the concept of reincarnation so I am not really looking for those two concept as a immediate answer but I seek more of a answer pertaining to practice and the theory of what the supposed outcome is. I seek a response in regard to ones inner being. What is perfect virtue and what is the fruits or results of perfect virtue?

When exactly is it worth considering to ordain as a monk? Is it something that happens automatically during the path, that is, (a) special experience(s) or insight into the three characteristics? Is strong uncomfort experienced when living the monastic life? Thanks

I was reading over at this post... https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/26834/13249 ...and saw this reply (quoted below) and wondered if I could get some elaboration. How is it a Christian could have jhanic potential? Are we talking about merit, morality, ethics, or spiritual health? Dispassion for material goods and wealth? Is this a common view held by Buddhist? "Also, at least in the West, many people with jhanic potential are Christians." ~ Dhammadhatu

A friend of mine said GAUTAM-Buddha(BUDDHADEV) passed through several lives(Births and Rebirths)and finally he attained NIRVANA.In present day context do the experience s feel like walking on an Astro-turf or living in mothers womb.This is my personal experience which should not be considered BLASPHEMY.I divulged my experience to my friend.So he advised me to search books.After death is such an experience possible?

s there an online database that either contains the Buddhist canon in either English or Chinese? I've had a difficult time tracking down first hand sources other than the usual suspects (Heart Sutra, Prajnaparamita sutra, etc). I've been looking for anything related to pratityasamutpada in the abhidharma, but I don't even know where to look, or even if English translations exist. Does anyone know where to look?

According to these suttas, is itsomewhat possible through seeing the inherent harm in sensual pleasures, to shy away from them? I remember that it by first experiencing piti during meditation that one slowly but surely starts to abandon sensual pleasures.

With objectless mindfulness, if I am in a bad mood the mood perseveres. I just observe the bad mood but it doesn't easily stop. However, if I applied concentration on an object such as the breath, the mood immediately dissipates and even sometimes vanishes. **Does strong concentration *repress* emotions, or does it process them in a healthy way? In other words, does focusing on the breath still permit the emotions to be experienced naturally despite an absence of thought or feeling?**

I have been a practicioner of mindfulness and vipassana for a few years. I have felt that buddhism is at odds with striving towards professional success and ambition. Ambition and professional success inherently has elements of attachment and passion, which are at odds with the fundamental virtues of buddhism (such as equanimity). On one hand, I would like to be my best self in professional life and make significant contributions to my field, but when I have this mindset I experience negative emotions like insecurity, impatience. Do you think that these two things are at odds with each other and if not, why?

This time when the controller of the breath disappears thoughts too disappear cittarupa stop by presenting a line across and the top of it there is a picture of a person. After a minute breath appeared. And there was no observer too at that time. What is the meaning of the cittarupa which appeared and what is the stage?

The Buddha mentioned, "The stage beyond study", in chapter 5 of the Shurangama Sutta. What did the Buddha mean by this?

One of my favourite Buddhist quotes is from the 14th Dalai Lama > Don’t try to use what you learn from buddhism to be a buddhist; use it > to be a better whatever-you-already-are. Amazing. But does anyone know the wider context of this quote. When did he say it and what was the talk i.e. can someone get a fuller transcript of the teaching? Many Thanks

While "animal" past lives seem to get a fair amount of attention I can't seem to find any about people recalling being in the hell realm or that of hungry ghosts. Aside from Mahamogallana's recollection of being Mara Dusi in MN50 and being pulled into Avici, I just can't find any past life recollections of hell or ghosts. Only descriptions of each realm as opposed to remembered experience. Is this just something we don't yet have in English translations, even from people's personal recollections (not just the Pali canon), or is it more of something that just barely exists?

How many types of Buddhism are there? Someone told me about SGI, Nam Myo Ho Renge Kyo. How that is derived from the Buddha. but mostly on the lotus sutra. Can we read the lotus sutra in English online?

I am a 24 year old male and i am very interested in joining a Buddhist monastery and becoming a monk so that i can give my life a right and peaceful purpose. But my parents follow Hinduism and think that this religion is superior of all so they don't want me to become a Buddhist and also becoming a Buddhist monk. So i don't have their permission to join a Buddhist monastery. They are self dependent and don't need any help from me. So how can i become a monk?

Did Gautama Buddha believe in the existence of soul in human body? If not, why?

I find this guy fascinating but during that time I can only think that he may have played eye-spy on the banks of the river Ganges or flicked pomegranate seeds at the bodhi tree. I'm probably way off here though with my silliness. In all seriousness, what was leisure to him?

I have been trying to hunt far and wide to see if anyone in the internet world has attempted meditating with someone else by connecting your foreheads together? As discussed in a previous thread about the significance of touching foreheads, the sky-eye, upper dantian, sixth chakra, etc is a hugely powerful aspect of the body and referred to during prostrations and greetings. I have only meditated with someone else like this once, in a temple and was certainly aware of the intense connection it could hold before I did it. However, I wasn't sure if anyone else has tried to do this, or does this often, and if so, why? What is your experience? I have also experienced this in dreams, as well as visualised doing this in meditation with someone else who has received it during their own meditation practice too (which I find pretty incredible!). I'd love to hear of any experiences where you have managed to connect with others in meditation too?

I am wondering a few questions in regard to sexual desire and Buddhism. 1. Is fantasizing a form of craving and thus worse than sexual activity without it? What are the mental processes involved? 2. How much does a single orgasm, for example, affect the spiritual path? Basically what is the magnitude of the effect? 3. Is it possible that some individuals cannot eradicate lust and should merely diminish it?