Reviewing topics about Dana I found this page: - [Dana -- Giving](https://buddhadust.net/dhammatalk/the_pali_line/course/gradualdana.htm) I don't understand this section: > The important things to know about kamma are: > > 1. Kamma is not a matter of 'an eye for an eye', but is greatly expanded according to the detachment of the actor, the aid to detachment of the deed and the detachment of the recipient. > > 2. The consequence of kamma accords with the intent with which it was created in terms of sensation. It is not the form which dictates the result. > > 3. The escape from kamma is found in the understanding of the consequences. Understanding here is not just a matter of intellectual knowledge, it is a matter of knowing through experience. Under-standing. To know that which underlies, stands under the intellectual knowledge. > >This allows for both the alteration of the subjective experience of the outcome of a deed and the subjective escape from kamma through the alteration of one's mental state. > >Alteration of one's mental state can be accomplished by compensatory behavior or a change in attitude or orientation or point of view concerning that which constitutes the self. Kamma which was to be experienced as bodily sensation does not reach the individual who no longer identifies with body. > > (followed by two similes) I can try to understand that text in isolation or in theory, i.e. just about kamma -- but what is it saying about Dana, how does it relate to Dana? It seems quite theoretical or general -- perhaps a "For example, in the context of Dana, ..." would help to clarify what it's saying? Or is this a question, a topic, which I could only understand from my own experience? Might you share, to help answer this question, any examples from your own experience, and relate that to the text?

I'm in the process of organising a family day at my Local Buddhist Centre. I'll be taking my 4-year-old daughter with me and she will once again ask me who is the Buddha? Previously I have always given really weak answers such as 'he was a very nice man who lived a long time ago'. Not very satisfying to anyone. So what would be an age appropriate way to describe who the Buddha is? I want the description to be accurate and accessible to her. Obviously the more complete the better but realistically things are going to be left out. Also I don't want to slip into using Christian type words for Buddhist concepts - for instance not using heaven for nirvana, church for sangha etc... So what would be a good way to describe who the Buddha is to her. I'll be honest I think I want a Dr Phil script of the month type answer for this. Many Thanks for all/any help on this one.

My intuition is telling me that since the last level of hell is some kind of a mathematical limit of how stupid a person can get (or how annoying or how evil), there must be a parallel with Planck units, which are the minimum measurable amounts of physical quantities. (or equivalently, maximum, when considered how many you can fit in something else) The Planck time, in this context, to be precise. What is the statistically average duration of a birth in Naraka, the non-stop hell? We could consider that a sort of Planck-lifetime of a being, especially since to the outside observer, a hell lasting billions of years might look much shorter than for the being in hell. Therefore, the Planck-lifetime of a hell being during a single rebirth might actually be comparably short as the physical Planck-time when observed from the outside.

This may have been asked before, but I have not found any reference to it yet. What is the significance of sitting to one side? many scriptures describe meetings between the various monks and layman and royalty characterized by sitting to one side. what is the origin and reason of this custom? Is it still practiced?

Andy Warhol said, “They say time changes things, but you have to actually change them yourself”. With this is mind, it might be fair to assume that awareness is a requirement for changing habit patterns. Ok, but why is it necessary for release? To be concise, and correct me if I’m wrong, Buddha suggests one should change themselves according to the 8fold path for complete release.. Buddha might say, "change yourself keeping mindful of the dharma." But why is behavior modification necessary at all? Why is rightness a requisite? In theory, the human is capable of performing its function, i.e., task completion, with or without consciousness, a natural robot for lack of better term. If the human is destined to destroy the planet, why should knowing its status be mandatory? Should I be penalized for not wanting to change my nature? I suggest consciousness be optional. For those that want to experience the world from the human position, they may elect so, but for those uninterested, the dual experience can be returned.

For me, it seems I remembered some Dharma proselytizing or something like that. Someone was talking about the Dharma way back, maybe even in the 80's as if it was the way normal people talked about reality. I said to myself, "well that is impossible for a person to live in the rain in a shack on a fava bean", but I remained a little open to it. For years I tried to get into just the meditation part but in 2011-2012 I started watching Bhante Yuttadhamo and I got attached to the Dharma. I had some preconceptions about rain and monks but when Yuttadhammo taught about the rains retreat, that might have been the initial wrong view removed that resulted in the dam bursting.

I am trying have a routine and life style that help me learn and practice dharma. I came across videos on YouTube where a monk from Thailand talked about evening routines, daily reminders etc. which are practiced at the monastery. > 10 daily reminders: https://youtu.be/RoZA9mWoukA > A Day in the Life of a Buddhist Monk: https://youtu.be/PlsaqLddfws I wanted to know are there any particular set of daily reminders and daily reflections I can use. Have anyone used something like these in their practice?

What is the source of the Four Dhamma Summaries ? From which sutta does it come from? > 1. The world is swept away. It does not endure. > > 2. The world offers no shelter. There is no one in charge. > > 3. The world has nothing of its own. One has to pass on, leaving everything behind. > > 4. The world is insufficient, insatiable (*atitto*), a slave to craving.

☸What did the Buddha say about being afraid & handling fear? ☸Are there any scriptures about fear & courage? ☸What did he say about facing fear? ☸Is there any Buddhist practice that will help one face fear?

**QN 1:** After complete cessation of consciousness, how did the Buddha come back to human consciousness? If he can come back, isn't it not a complete release? And that state is just like the Dimension of Nothingness, or the Dimension of Neither Perceptions nor Non--perceptions. So if craving again develops, then there may be chance of becoming.
**QN 2:** And is it possible to have complete release through jhana only by ceasing craving, fabrication etc without gaining insight of nirvana. **QN 3**: Buddha stated in many suttas that five aggregates are not-self; but as human being we do require idea of self (identity or ego) and will power (self-esteem). [Like, "*If I try I can learn it or do it etc*"] . Is there any sutta where buddha talked about such healthy ego? _[Here ego word does not mean pride, conceit etc but Identity.]_ Note: Buddha avoided such type of questions because this stop us from direct knowing, but I am asking due to curiosity. But do reply for third question.
Edit: I was not asking about 'self' or 'no-self'. I was asking because it's help us psychologically and even Buddha used to call himself Bodhisattva (Who thinks about well-being of everyone and has compassion towards all.) before awakening because it's remind us about our path. "_I updated my last question because I think it was creating a little confusion._"

I have never seen a Buddhist food offering at an altar. Can someone explain how it's done?

Is there a mapping (or relationship) between the 8 stages of Jhanas and the 4 stages of Enlightenment. This could be a very debatable topic, but really keen to know this.

Why is this word used? It's very confusing and makes it sound like you are reborn into a world and not as a different race of being or a human again? Like saying "rebirth in the human realm" to me could sound like I am reborn as an animal and live among humans. Why not use the word races or species to described the 6 options of rebirth?

💚I've seen teachers translate anicca as uncertainty. Is that a good translation? I mean, you can be certain when something is going to end. I'm just kind of trying to put these translations together and see if any intellectual insights are known by anyone. What about anatta with impermanence &/or uncertainty? One minute I am thinking that they go together and the next I'm thinking that they don't go together. It seems hard to see. Why is it hard for me to see? Am I trying to see intellectually in order to see experientially? What about all of the 3 characteristics &/or uncertainty?

SN 36.23 translated by Bhikkhu Sujato says: > Then a mendicant went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, > and said to him: > > Atha kho aññataro bhikkhu yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā > bhagavantaṃ abhivādetvā ekamantaṃ nisīdi. Ekamantaṃ nisinno kho so > bhikkhu bhagavantaṃ etadavoca: > > “Sir, what is feeling? What’s the origin of feeling? What’s the > practice that leads to the origin of feeling? > > “katamā nu kho, bhante, vedanā, katamo vedanāsamudayo, katamā > vedanāsamudayagāminī paṭipadā? > > What’s the cessation of feeling? What’s the practice that leads to the > cessation of feeling? > > Katamo vedanānirodho, katamā vedanānirodhagāminī paṭipadā? > > And what is feeling’s gratification, drawback, and escape?” > > Ko vedanāya assādo, ko ādīnavo, kiṃ nissaraṇan”ti? > > “Mendicant, there are these three feelings: > > “Tisso imā, bhikkhu, vedanā— > > pleasant, painful, and neutral. > > sukhā vedanā, dukkhā vedanā, adukkhamasukhā vedanā. > > These are called feeling. > > Imā vuccanti, bhikkhu, vedanā. > > **Feeling originates from contact.** > > Phassasamudayā vedanāsamudayo. > > **Craving is the practice that leads to the origin of feeling.** > > Taṇhā vedanāsamudayagāminī paṭipadā. > > When contact ceases, feeling ceases. > > Phassanirodhā vedanānirodho. > > The practice that leads to the cessation of feelings is simply this > noble eightfold path, that is: > > Ayameva ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo vedanānirodhagāminī paṭipadā, > seyyathidaṃ— > > right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right > livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion. > > sammādiṭṭhi … pe … sammāsamādhi. > > The pleasure and happiness that arise from feeling: this is its > gratification. > > Yaṃ vedanaṃ paṭicca uppajjati sukhaṃ somanassaṃ, ayaṃ vedanāya assādo; > > That feeling is impermanent, suffering, and perishable: this is its > drawback. > > yaṃ vedanā aniccā dukkhā vipariṇāmadhammā, ayaṃ vedanāya ādīnavo; > > Removing and giving up desire and greed for feeling: this is its > escape.” > > yo vedanāya chandarāgavinayo chandarāgappahānaṃ, idaṃ vedanāya > nissaraṇan”ti. Bhikkhu Bodhi's translation is more accurate, here: > There are, bhikkhu, these three feelings: pleasant feeling, painful > feeling, neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling. This is called feeling. > **With the arising of contact there is the arising of feeling. Craving > is the way leading to the origination of feeling.** With the cessation > of contact there is the cessation of feeling. This Noble Eightfold > Path is the way leading to the cessation of feeling; that is, right > view … right concentration. In the above sutta and often elsewhere, it is said" *"With the arising of contact there is the arising of feeling*". Also, other suttas say: "*With the arising of feeling there is the arising of craving*". This being so, how is craving the practice that leads to the origin of feeling?

I have read that obedience to the five precepts at least guarantees that practitioners will not fall back into the lower worlds (animal world, wandering spirit world, and hell world) when they are reborn after the present life. So I was wondering if the conversion to Buddhism, the taking of refuge and the beginning to follow the five precepts, "cleansed" the old bad deeds, a bit like baptism among Christians? Does a person who has violated the five precepts, for example by killing or stealing at the beginning of his life, and then halfway through his life until his death starts following the five precepts, still go to hell? Is he definitely condemned to be reborn in hell for his offense?

My idea is to build a black hole and destroy everything, but this idea may seem evil to many. I have no other idea, and many may say we should allow other beings to continue to suffer, I think this is an evil idea. How can we end the suffering of all animals?

I'm reading about bardos in the Tibetan Book of the dead. I'm wondering how is rebirth dependent on geographical location. For example, if dead occurs in Europe is it possible to get a rebirth in Asia? Is there any decision point for the deceased regarding parents or all happens depending only on past karma? Do we chose rebirth location and parents or not?

Is being reborn as a deva or human better? Can you achieve nirvana if you are reborn as a deva as well as a human?

Are there any instances of people unwillingly capturing photographic evidence of devas/angels? Could the UFO sightings or encounters have been angels or devas(specifically terrestrial devas) all along? Can some one please shed some light on this?