If we have no desire or aversion, how can we get up and clean our home, our body, eat more than is needed, or go to work? If one has indifference towards experiences and/or is equanimous to experiences it would make no difference if ones home or body was dirty. If we were in poverty, or if we had any more food than the immediate needed to subside the pangs of hunger. It seems to me that these unwholesome mind states are actually needed to function as a person in society (a householder) just to do the above things that one generally needs to do to maintain themselves and a householders life. Like one needs to have aversion and be disgusted at ones own filth to clean ones home/body or needs to have desire to be clean and to be seen as clean by others (vanity or desire for reputation). Same with finances, one needs to have desire for material possessions or hopes/desires for a "better" future to actively go out and do more work to earn more wealth than what is actually immediately needed. Kind of feels like functioning in society itself is the maras trap. Realistically all one really needs to do to function as a human is ones daily ablutions, have shelter from the elements and enough food to stop the suffering of hunger, which is pretty much what an ordained person does. Water is needed too of course but except in dire places in the world water is abundant everywhere.

This question is motivated by a comment from another user . Highlights in the quote are made by me. It's written: > "**You have no reason to believe that any words of the Buddha are preserved except uncritical acceptance of traditional narratives. There are some Buddhist words, but to attribute them to the Buddha is simple, blind religious faith**. If your criteria is practical application, then your question is meaningless in any case. You can verify the truth of the quotations by putting them into practice. Why have you not done so?". My questions are: - What reasons are there for believing that the words of the historical Buddha are preserved? - What reasons are there for not believing that the words of the historical Buddha are preserved? - Do these reasons apply equally to all "words" or, for example, is it more believable of the suttas than of the Jataka tales, or of some suttas more than others?

Three characteristics (anicca, dukkha, anatta) of existence is experienced by all however different the experience(delusion) or attitude. How does the arhant experience them differently? I am under the impression arahant has transcended all three via maximum understanding (embracing), thus eradicating ignorance (top of Pratityasamutpada). Is it only avoidance, aka flux, being experienced by regular ppl? What is relationship of nirvana and 3 marks? Is it just that arhant experiences 3 dharma seals (nirvana, anatta, anicca), not three marks?

Ever since I was a kid I have pirated and bought illegal copies of many different kind of media such as music, movies, video games and softwares. Now as an adult do I have to pay for all these things legally? The problem is I have a family to take care of and if I had to repay all of these I might end up being in debt. The prices for these items will probably be different now anyway. Besides it will take a lot of time to remember all of the things I pirated.

I have heard the claim that Ajahn Tong deviated from the main point of Mahasi Sayadaw's meditation technique and he taught it as a concentration technique. I don't understand how that could be. Yuttadhammo Bhikkhu isn't teaching concentration meditation and he is Ajahn Tong's student. Does anyone know why anyone would make this claim? As I understand, Ajahn Tong was pretty strict about not practicing just concentration meditation.

From MN 148 Bhante Sujato > Eye consciousness arises dependent on the eye and sights. The meeting of the three is contact. Bhikkhu Bodhi > Dependent on the eye and forms, eye-consciousness arises; the meeting of the three is contact. Pali > Cakkhuñca paṭicca rūpe ca uppajjati cakkhuviññāṇaṁ, tiṇṇaṁ saṅgati phasso; Can you have the internal base, the external base, and consciousness but they **do not** meet? If so, what is an example?

I can't find concise suttas in English anywhere. I found them before Google and Bing changed so that you can't find anything. By basic I mean all the suttas that you would hear at a meditation retreat or an extended retreat of 3 years. They don't have to be abridged. I just find short suttas more chantable. I like to understand them. I think maybe uderstanding the suttas as you chant them is just crazy enough to work. Just the English unless... Well, playing each Pali sentence with the English just throws me off unless the English is aligned with the Pali in such a way as to sound grammatically incorrect but understandable. That for me helps me understand the Pali because the English words are flowing in the same order as the Pali words. Any help would be much appreciated, thank you.

Which sutra does it say that someone like Buddha would "rest in jhana" or "go often resting" - some combination of jhana (not sure which stage) and rest. i saw it recently but I can't find it. I don't recall if the translation was from suttacentral.net or dhammatalk.org...

Several years ago, One of my mates gave a book - 'Nibbana (Nirvana) or the Kingom'. I am trying to check any other recent prints. The last print was in 1964. Were there any rewrites? Can someone give a synopsis?

In Bhikku Bodhi's translations, "without discoverable beginning" suttas end with: > This Samsara is without discoverable beginning. It is enough to be liberated *from them*. Liberated from what, in this context?

thig 13.3: > “Now please convey my respects to the supreme protector of the world. > Circling him to your right, dedicate my religious donation.” In what sense is buddha the supreme protector of the world? which world is being referred to? the earthly world? the heavenly world? all worlds? i don't feel protected. protecting dhamma? only good people?

The Tibetan monks draw elaborate and intricate sand mandalas, as well as very complex thangka paintings. There is calligraphy in Zen Buddhism. I want to ask what is the spiritual aspect of art that these monks are working towards. No such art is practiced in Theravada Buddhism. How does art help us move toward Nirvana? Where does art fit in the four noble truths and the eight fold path?

- What fetters must be destroyed in order to reach the state of stream entry? - Is it possible to reach the state of stream entry in this very life? - Do I need to renounce worldly life in order to reach stream entry? - Can I keep functioning in society by earning bread, and paying my EMI and still reach stream entry? - How will I know that I have reached stream entry once I am there? - Is there a list of instructions that, once followed, will surely take me to the state of stream entry? Are there any finer details that I need to be aware of start on the journey towards stream entry? I have been a Buddhist learner since almost a decade, I frequently visit the Buddhist monastery close by, worship the relics of the Buddha, profess my desire to cultivate mindfulness. I am asking the above questions as I have no clue on how to start the journey, how to sustain and how to share the same with my loved ones so that they too can enjoy the fruit and bliss?

internet is talking more abouut difference between piti and sukha because its important for Jhana I liked this discussion here Is pīti physical and sukha emotional? However in VedanA SaSyutta, sukha and somanassa also refered together.. Can you give me the subtle difference between them. and similarly what is difference between dukhas and domanassa..

Is there a type of meditation which involves actively working or doing some task? Beyond just doing it mindfully, a type of meditation that requires you to be actively involved in some activity, and is not considered secondary to sitting? Working meditation.

Thanks for the hospitality of this forum. I have recently started investigating Buddhism with some seriousness, seeking for answers to my spiritual thirst and looking for a practical path to address my problem with anger and harsh speech. I discovered Buddha in a 10 days Vipassana retirement. Every night,after long hours of meditation, we listened to a lecture by SN Goenka. Even though they are very introductory, these speeches have the huge merit of bringing a glimpse of the Eightfold Path and Buddha's life and wisdom to the absolute newbie, such as I was at that time. l was shocked by the stories of Kisa Gotami and Angulimala, and marvelled at the way Buddha dealt with all sorts of challenging situations, his wise and compassionate teaching style, adapted to people of the most diverse backgrounds and levels of understanding. Those stories made me seek for more information about Buddha: I wanted to hear he most remote echoes of his voice, the records of his teachings closest to the historical time he lived and taught. That's how I discovered the Pali Canon, which I am trying to compile from the translations of various Bikkhus from Thai and Sri Lankan traditions (I am Spanish and unfortunately I cannot understand Pali, so I am relying on English translations of the suttas from SuttaCentral, Dhammatalks, Bikkhu Analayo, etc)... I am seriously considering taking refuge in the Three Jewels, but as i stated above, I have a problem with anger and harsh speech, as I am a bit hot tempered and lack of patience with some people. Even though I acknowledge the harm i do to others and to myself, I LACK MODELS and EXAMPLES of alternative ways of reacting and communicating... examples of right speech IN PRACTiCE, in a range of different real life situations... How do you deal wisely with people that do not want to help with domestic chores? How do you talk to people that dismiss your ideas and way of living? How do you talk wisely in any sort of inter-personal or social conflict? I would be most grateful if you could give examples of right speech in action, drawn from the stories of the Buddha and some of his wise disciples (such as Sariputta, etc), anecdotes of Buddhist men and women showing a wise way to respond to practical situations involving conflict with others. I am most grateful for your help, as I am scared of dying with this anger and harshness, without being able to become wiser... This is a huge hindrance for my spiritual progress that I do not know yet how to overcome. Thanks to all from my heart.

From the Six Sets of Six MN 148 . English > Dependent on **the mind and mind objects**, mind-consciousness arises. The meeting of the three is contact; with contact as condition there is feeling; with feeling as condition there is craving. Pali > manañca paṭicca **dhamme** ca uppajjati manoviññāṇaṁ, tiṇṇaṁ saṅgati phasso, phassapaccayā vedanā, vedanāpaccayā taṇhā. Bhante Sujato translates it as "thoughts" > Mind consciousness arises dependent on **the mind and thoughts**. The meeting of the three is contact. Contact is a condition for feeling. Feeling is a condition for craving. But wouldn't mind objects be a superset of thoughts? In addition to thoughts, what else are mind objects? Why did Bhikkhu Bodhi choose "mind object" as his translation?

[DN 15](https://suttacentral.net/dn15/en/sujato) & also [AN 7.44 exclusively](https://suttacentral.net/an7.44/en/sujato?layout=linebyline&reference=none¬es=asterisk&highlight=false&script=latin) include the utterance of the "seven stations of consciousness", where the later six equate with the six of the eight jhanas, namely: > *1. There are sentient beings that are diverse in body (kāyā) and diverse in perception (saññino), such as human beings, some gods (devā) and > some beings in the underworld.* > > *2. There are sentient beings that are diverse in body and unified in perception, such as the gods reborn (ābhinibbattā) in Brahmā’s Group (**brahmakāyikā**) > through the first absorption* > > *3. There are sentient beings that are unified in body and diverse in perception, such as the gods of streaming radiance (**ābhassarā**).* > > *4. There are sentient beings that are unified in body and unified in perception, such as the gods replete with glory (**subhakiṇhā**).* > > *5. There are sentient beings that have gone totally beyond perceptions of form (rūpa). With the ending of perceptions of impingement, not > focusing on perceptions of diversity, aware that ‘space is infinite’, > they have been reborn (upagā) in the dimension of **infinite space**.* > > *6. There are sentient beings that have gone totally beyond the dimension of infinite space. Aware that ‘consciousness is infinite’, they have > been reborn (upagā) in the dimension of **infinite consciousness**.* > > *7. There are sentient beings that have gone totally beyond the dimension of infinite consciousness. Aware that ‘there is nothing at all’, they > have been reborn (upagā) in the dimension of **nothingness**.* The deva (godly) abodes attained with each rupa jhana are listed in AN 4.123, namely, *brahmakāyikā*, *ābhassarā*, *subhakiṇhā* & *vehapphalānaṃ*. Now, the above utterance in DN 15 & AN 7.44 omit the 4th jhana or gods of abundant fruit (*vehapphalānaṃ*) found in AN 4.123. Related to this is [AN 9.24](https://suttacentral.net/an9.24/en/sujato?layout=linebyline&reference=none¬es=asterisk&highlight=false&script=latin) , which refers to the 4th jhana as 'non-percipient' (asaññino). My question is what are the "seven stations of consciousness" supposed to mean (for example, why do the permutations of 'diversity' and 'unity' exist in the various jhana & states of being) and why, in particular, does this utterance omit the 4th jhana?

A teacher told us this story about virtuous actions that goes something like this: > A person passes by a stupa when it is raining. In order to protect the stupa from the rain, they remove their shoes and put them over the stupa. A second person later passes by the same stupa. They see the shoes on the stupa and remove them, thinking that is no place for dirty shoes. **Conclusion:** Both people performed a virtuous action because of their wholesome intentions. Does anyone know where this is from? I believe the teacher mentioned it was from the sutras.

Where is there more information about the luminous realm? the standard pali is lacking. what is the relationship with jhana? from MN 115 : > “...There are these three elements: the elements of > the sensual realm, the realm of luminous form, and the formless realm. > When a mendicant knows and sees these three elements, they’re > qualified to be called ‘skilled in the elements’.”