Was it the Buddha's intention that all beings to be free from suffering i.e. enlightened? > As the Dalai Lama acknowledges , “Buddhism has evolved differently > in different times and places and yet the essential Dharma remains the > same. **The Buddha’s prime concern was that all beings should find > peace and freedom from suffering**. Did he say whether it was possible for everyone to be enlightened, so that there was no one left unenlightened? Would there then be no further (re)birth?

I am wondering if alertness is best sustained in terms of: 1. Attempting to sustain alertness in meditation, not meditating when too lethargic. In other words, always exerting oneself and keeping sharpness when in meditation, and stopping when the mind becomes unclear. 2. Or, engaging with meditation even when lethargic, continuing one's meditation despite the mind being unclear and hazy. In other words, waiting for the mind to clear up. Which is more accurate?

I read on the Internet that Experience (Vijnana) which is really nothing but reification of Recognition (or Interpretation) of new observations in terms of internalized old observations. Is this view or idea taught in the Pali Suttas? If so, please provide some quotes? > *Reification is making something real, bringing something into being, or making something concrete.*

I'm having trouble truly understanding nimattas. I use visualization for my jhana mediation. It's what focus my mind best and allowed me to almost enter jhana. But if i do visualize, will the nimatta still appear? How would i recognise it? And once it appear do i move off my object to it? Also i read this passage explaining what a nimtta means in the modern day. I wish to know does this do a great job explaining it. > Now certainly it is true that if you become VERY concentrated you might see an image that looks like "a star or a cluster of gems" or "chariot wheel or the moon's disk," etc. And it is also true that you can with sufficient concentration absorb into that experience so deeply that you no longer hear sounds, or are aware of your body, or are even aware of the passage of time. This is not what is described in the suttas; however, this is indeed what the later commentaries mean when they use the word "nimitta."

"Suppose there were two bundles of reeds leaning up against each other. In the same way, name and form are conditions for consciousness. Consciousness is a condition for name and form. " https://suttacentral.net/sn12.67/en/sujato Can we apply the bundle of reeds simile to all limbs of Dependent Origination?

Is there any dependency on thought for the existence of life ? (Dependency without which life would not come into existence.) Another related question : Does craving for thought lead to craving for existence ?

When the teachings of Buddha are crystal clear i.e 1+1=2, then no need to be labelled. I humbly place my question as below. When buddha gave diksha, what he did: is that was the imparting of knowledge? And in the path of Buddha, once known, is to be walked upon by individual: then, how the teacher is useful? Whether he pushes us ahead by using his jhanic powers, or resolves our difficulties? Because in Hinduism there is mention of [shaktipat](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaktipat) by guru. Is it the same in Buddhism also?

A quote: > " in whatever religion women are ordained, that religion will not last long. As families that have more women than men are easily destroyed by robbers, as a plentiful rice-field once infested by rice worms will not long remain, as a sugarcane field invaded by red rust will not long remain, even so the True Dharma will not last long." In which context did the Buddha say this?

How are the 10 fetters being destroyed? Can the chain of fetters be seen during vipassana meditation?

Suppose I'm free from suffering, free from attachments, untouched by pain and pleasure, with absolute, constant calm and peace of mind; feeling profound compassion towards all beings (from an ant, to my mother, to a murderer). I no longer see any vexation in front of me. There's nothing to fix. There's nothing to overcome. There's nothing to attain. (I'm not really interested in enligthenment). What would you recommend me to do? Is there a way to make good use of this state, maybe to help others somehow? What would you do in my place?

I have been doing meditation of various forms (Goenka body-scanning, anapanasati, just sitting, kaya, citta, and vedana nupassana, etc.) but am trying to figure out something about anapanasati in particular. My question is partly about Buddhist history, partly practical. If I understand the story of Buddha's enlightenment process, he began by practicing anapanasati and attained to the various mystic absorptive states, including the eight jhanas. Yet, he failed to attain insight into dukkha, annica, and annata in any meaningful way, and remained in samsara. Eventually, after relaxing self-mortifying ascetic practices, he resolved to become enlightened, and accordingly practice anapanasati--again. What changed in the end? Wasn't Siddhartha practicing anapanasati all along? Why did it suddenly lead to nirvana after years of mere dead-end concentration. Practically speaking, does anapanasati in its purest form--that is, simply focusing on the breath to the exclusion of any and all other thoughts, sensations, etc.--actually lead to the deep and abiding understanding of annata, annica, and dukkha?

So consider the situation where you did something bad like killing someone (or something less serious) which means that you now have bad karma. So now something bad needs to happen to you, considering all things this thing will statistically caused by another person doing something to hurt you (physically or mentally) which adds to their bad karma and so on. My question is what would have to be done to stop this chain reaction?

The law of cause and effect is unchangeable and we must face the consequences of the Karmas done through body, speech and mind. However, is it possible to hasten the manifestation of the results of bad deeds so that we can face them and be free. Is there any sutta or any practise that anyone knows that we can do to achieve this?

I have been four years a practicing Buddhist in England. I am struggling now in bringing understanding to my experience, I would be greatful for any insight, and I appreciate that it is hard to communicate fully on the internet. I know there has been sexual misconduct within this particular Order before. I have within the last five months been a victim of sexual coercion and minor abuse with another Mitra in the Sangha (I use the terms and definitions provided by my communication with the helpline I rang). I am struggling to stay with my own experience now, as my need for safety has become tenfold. And my relationships within the Sangha I find now to be deeply tense, as my friends within the Order who I spoke to about this responded with advice that it would be helpful to bring compassion to this other Mitra in this situation. I am sorry to say that I feel frightened that this would be the response... Is it helpful, skillful, to give my energy to this Sangha that seems to tolerate sexual miscunduct, up until it is themselves who are experiencing it? I apologise for my confused sentences, and really, anything you can say that would help to bring light to this I would be very greatful for. I don't wish to call myself a victim, and for the purpose of bringing compassion to the situation... to get help, it seems that the culture understands my experience to be that of a victim. Many thanks.

I noticed that despite all my resolutions and intentions, I am still not much better than when I attempted to change. Therefore, I ask the following: What could a person particularly lazy and unmotivated, who cannot stick with things long term, and who only has good intentions *do* in the short term to get out of their situation? I'm asking about any tiny step, initiative, or behavioural change that could help. I tried exercise, meditation, dietary change, stopping social media, etc. but all, in the *long term* have failed. Thank you.

I am able to meditate when on a bus, or when I'm walking, or sometimes standing; however, no matter how hard I try I seem to avoid formal sitting. I can't help but have the feeling that formal sitting would be most effective, and that I'm avoiding something about a formal posture that is also responsible for growth. I think this is merely effort. What can I do to engage in formal sitting, and avoid always only meditating when it is effortless? Should I: 1) diminish the time of sessions 2) change my meditation type 3) change the consistency of my meditations 4) apply something else? In terms of consistency, I wonder if consistent yet short sessions are better than long and inconsistent ones? Thank you.

The Buddha or the scriptures do not state specifically if an individual being a transgender is right or wrong. So how would a Buddhist interpret this in a modern light and why?

Dhamma implies that whatever is subject to origination is subject to cessation. > And while this discourse was being spoken, there arose in that bhikkhu > the dust-free, stainless vision of the Dhamma: “Whatever is subject to > origination is all subject to cessation.” But what about the opposite? Is it also true that whatever is subject to cessation is also subject to origination?

I met this wonderful girl sometime back and we had a great thing going. We understood each other very well and have lived in great pleasure and happiness. Initially we started dating. after sometime dating, for unavoidable circumstances we knew that this relationship is not gonna work out long-term. So we had a friends-with-benefits relationship just to have sexual satisfaction with no feelings. But with time we generated strong feelings towards each other up-to a level that we started a relationship. But the relationship is temporary. There is a expiration date. We want to do everything as a couple together. With heavy deep discussions and deep understanding we made this decision. We both are deeply in love but we are still honoring our agreement on the termination. We aren't really bothered of finding another partner yet so that's why we are having this temporary relationship. When we feel like this is enough, we will terminate it. But no-one knows about our relationship. Not even my parents or hers or our friends. It's secret one. Now to the important part. As a couple we are thinking of having sexual intercourse. I'm still a virgin. I love her a lot. And I do want to engage in such. But I still haven't agreed fully. My question is, is it a Sin or Akusala if I have sex with her? If so how does it become a sin? What is the Buddhist perspective on this?

Further to the answers to this question , I want to understand what literally is 'see things as they are' or as the sutta states, *Yathā-bhūta-ñāna-dassana *. My questions are, 1. I understand that if I am looking at a beautiful woman, I am obviously not seeing as she is, but what when I am looking at a clear blue sky, not clouded by ignorance, lust, and greed, am I seeing things as they are? Or I should necessarily have to have insight into *Three marks of existencece* ? Can I see things as they are without Enlightenment? 2. If so, can only an enlightened being see things as they are? 3. Sometimes when we look at a flower we can see something transcendental, something which is greater than the sum of the parts. (Not a concept from Buddhism) but some people have an aura around them, even the Buddha in pictures is shown with an aura around His head. So does seeing this metaphysical reality constitute seeing thins as they are?