I am not a buddhist but I have a friend who is. He dislikes dogs and I have questioned him as to whether he is a true Buddhist. I believe that the Buddha is peaceful and nature loving, and so would love dogs.

In Osamu Tezuka's manga Buddha, Assaji was eaten alive by wolves or wild dogs. I always thought the manga artist came up with a lot of his own original stories. Because this story and others are not on wikipedia. But then I recently watched an old Hong Kong TV show Journey to the West II (1998) and it depicted the same story of Assaji being eaten alive. And that of King Bimbisara being killed by his own son, as predicted by Assaji. As influential as the manga was, it seems unlikely that a Hong Kong TV show would have picked a story from a manga. Is it possible, in Japanese or Chinese Buddhism, they have their own set of canonical stories? And they are unfortunately hard to find on the English internet?

This is a third attempt at formulating a question. This question and this question have been asked, but not formulated in a way that conveyed the question. So now, in a third attempt, the formulation shall be: **what is volition?** **EDIT:** The answers still do satisfy the question in the mind, although they are answers to the question on 'paper'. Apologies for the lack of skill in phrasing the question. Let us see if the following clears up what is being asked: *Imagine life as a series of moments; one moment after another in a line infinitely long. Imagine that there is a decision that must be made, to chose A or B, both equally likely to be chosen (for whatever reason, such as lack of understanding which is the right choice). This decision is present only in a single moment within the infinite series of moments. __What is that single moment of choice? What is that single moment made of, what substance, what phenomena? Who/What is doing the choosing? Why A over B, or B over A, if both are equally likely?__*

One of the five precepts is "Abstain from taking that which is not given". I am confused by this right now. Since this does talk about maintaining your sila. I believe that all knowledge should be free of cost , and charging for knowledge is what is leading to all the inequality in our society. The Brahmins in India have for centuries exploited women and lower-caste people by maintaining their strong hold on all spiritual knowledge and only sharing it with fellow Brahmins. Women and lower caste people were forbidden from learning the scriptures. This is the kind of exploitation that Buddha spoke strongly against. Today's society in the developed and developing world is no different. Students are paying enormous sums of money to gain knowledge and many leading miserable lives due to student debt. Textbooks are ridiculously priced. I hate the commercialization of knowledge because it is exclusive and not inclusive. That is the reason why a part of me does not believe that reading pirated books is morally wrong. All knowledge should be free .Every person must get the opportunity to improve themselves through education. I do not support the commercialization of education. This especially for Dhamma teachers , who sell Dhamma books. I absolutely do not support this. And by pirating books I am taking a stand ( I feel ) , and not allowing people to profit commercially by selling dhamma and spirituality. One only needs to look at the spiritual market place in India. However when I analyse what the Buddha said : "Taking that which is not given"-- I am doing that "The person to whom the copyright belong will not be happy knowing that I am taking their books via piracy" "The king a.k.a government will definitely punish me" Considering these , I am very sure I am breaking the stealing precept. Is my mind just making up excuses because it is "expecting to gain without giving " or ? I am so confused with these two opposing thoughts ! Please help me!

I have always been against lawsuits, but I live in America - and I have observed lawsuits being filed for many things. Suppose one's civil rights were in question, and it is a matter of being personally harassed and bullied upon by a larger organization that has clearly done wrong, would an American buddhist simply let it go?

I read that he taught many different kinds and that there are contradictions in the Nikayas on these meditation types. What are these, how many and why different types?

I have seen that in Buddhist as well as Hindu traditions, parents are considered as benevolent beings who should be venerated and put in a pedestal. Stories, verses, and myths about praises for parents are plenty. However, toxic parenting must have been present in the past and surely there could be something about evil parents in some Buddhist teaching? Consider parents who are narcissist, control-freaks, irresponsible, or just plain unqualified to raise kids in a healthy manner. Parents who treat their children as their possessions and not independent beings should not receive the same praises, should they? There are enough parents who constantly put down and actively try to harm their own children. How could one say that such parents are saintly beings? How does the act of being a parent by simply giving birth and doing the bare minimum that everyone does makes someone a noble person? Almost everybody in the world would be noble by that definition. Don't children who had bad parenting deserve more compassion and respect? Could someone point me to Buddhist stories and teachings, and mantras/verses talking about the evils of megalomaniac and narcissist individuals who are terrible parents? ---------- Related posts: 1. Relationship with bad parents (kamma and issues) 1. How should a Buddhist approach honoring parents who abused them? 1. Must I continue a relationship with my abusive parents? 1. I want to leave my mother 1. What does Buddhism teach about abusive parents? 1. Not listening to parents is bad karma? 1. I need an answer as to why i received a mother who makes me feel like an outcaste? 1. What did Buddha say about dysfunctional families for novice practitioners?

One day my father will leave me. I love him a lot. It will cause suffering when he leaves. How can I escape the suffering of losing my father?

When it is said in dependent origination that "sankhara conditions consciousness", in what way and how does sankhara condition consciousness? And also, how is consciousness conditioning nama rupa? And then nama rupa conditions salayatana again how? Also, nama rupa -- I have heard many different descriptions of what it is, so i would be happy if someone could give the right meaning of nama rupa. Going back to "sankhara conditions consciousness", what consciousness are they refering to -- is it the pure consciousness or limited consciousness? And how can avidja or ignorance and sankhara come before consciousness in dependent origination (because i must first be conscious before i can have ignorance and do sankharas!)?

One of the main sources of bad kamma in Buddhism is doing wrong to your parents and not taking care of them. Buddha said it is very very hard to repay your parents, however how should one behave if he or she has bad parents? Maybe a parent that was an alcoholic or didn't take care of him properly, abandoned him, banned from his house or maybe stole from him? There are countless possibilities, what to do?

Recently I’ve been come to realize that over the course of my life, I’ve probably taken the lives of so many insects unintentionally or even intentionally. It’s come to the point that I feel guilty going for a walk, going for a run or even for a drive, because it’s inevitable that a tiny creature will die because of me. It’s causing me some distress and I don’t know how to rationalise these thoughts. Is there any way I can stop feeling guilty? Has anyone else felt the same?

Below is one of the verses from the "Eight Verses for Training the Mind" by Geshe Langri Tangpa > Whenever others, because of their jealousy, treat me badly with abuse, insult, slander, or in other unjust ways, may I accept this defeat myself and offer the victory to others. When I read about the Bodhisattva path, I always come across teachings such as the above, which seem to espouse 'accepting defeat' as the highest virtue & a way to cultivate spiritually. Perhaps I am missing some context, but teachings like these seem to me like they are promoting unhealthy codependent relationships with an abuser; which ultimately benefits no one. When one accepts defeat & offers victory to the abuser, doesn't this further encourage the abuser to continue his abusive tendencies, thereby worsening their own karma? It would seem to me that the compassionate thing to do would not be to 'accept defeat' but to 'stand up in instances of injustice'; not in the way of revenge or eye-for-an-eye, but in a skillful way that protects others from the abuser's actions? 'Accepting defeat' seems like a way of dismissing the situation or worse still, trying to gain power by declaring a moral victory over the abuser ("look at me, I am so kind and compassionate, I am willing to forgive you and accept defeat!"). The abuser will continue projecting his hurt on another victim & doesn't learn in the end.

Is worry about life, body health, e.g. householding, status-maintaining, obstacles for Arahataphala? Is this in accordance with what the Teacher taught? And why is such an obstacle? Would one believing no former, no next life (deny rebirth), not hold either strong on kaya (Sakkaya), worry about life and health, or falls into ideas of "abounding life will be Nibbana, end of suffering"?

The "Universal Gate" is referred to in chapter 25 of the Lotus Sutra. I've been trying to find the Sanskrit for this, but no luck.

The 6 qualities of the Dhamma are > 1. Svakkhato, 2. Samditthiko, 3. Akaliko, 4. Ehipassiko, 5. Opaneyiko, 6. Paccattam veditabbo vinnunhi according to here . This website claims that the source is > Anguttara Nikaya 11.12 But I couldn't find such words in this sutta. Does anyone knows the source of these words?

Bodybuilding and powerlifting are making us stronger and more manliness, body can produce more testosterone and we're generally healthier. Yes, there are some bad things about this like anabolics or synthol, but in general - can someone who trains with weights become buddhist? Are they too agressive in eyes of buddhists?

There is a Bön text I found out about recently that I’ve spent a lot of time looking for but haven’t been able to find anywhere as an English translation. The text is: Ma Gyud / Ma Gyudr / Ma Rgyud (Mother Tantra). I think the full translation of the name of the book is: Mother Tantra: The Tantric Cycle of the Sun of Compassion (Ma rgyud thugs rje nyi ma'i rgyud skor). Or it might also be: Secret Mother Tantra Cycle (Ma rgyud gsang skor), which was first promulgated among humanity by the Royal Shen Milu Samleg / Samlek [Mi lus bsams legs] I found references to the Mother Tantra in Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche’s book “The Tibetan Yogas of Dream and Sleep”. I’ve also come across some more info about it and its structure here: http://www.surajamrita.com/bon/MotherTantra.html There might also be some other names for it here: http://drenpa-namkha.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/A-Title-of-mother-tantra.pdf I’d really love to read and practice from the source material. I suspect, however, that there may not be an English translation of it available, as I haven’t found any traces of it online. Would anyone be able to point me to a page or pdf online of this original text where it’s been translated, or send me a copy if you have one? Or alternatively, know of an English translation I could buy as a kindle or physical book? Thanks in advance for any help!

If everything is impermanent and this is used as a reason why Buddhists do not believe in a creator and eternal God, how can Nirvana be permanent? Did the Buddha ever explain this point?

I, as most addicts do, have a deeply embedded and exaggerated difficulty with desire/aversion. I am only coming to understand the nature of my own ignorance experientially now. It is frightening for me, because the fear of relapse, that aversion, is usually the primary culprit as the potential cause of my relapse. And I always feel on the verge of it. Yet other past factors play in as egoic reference experiences from the past. When I began to observe the inner workings of mind and experience, I began to see that much of my desire/aversion and egoic attachments are automatic. My current short-tempered anger at the smallest things, moods and striving seem programmed. Mindfulness keeps transitioning into a task and an objective, as does meditation. Being and letting be collapses into a means to an end. To avert the life that was and safeguard a desirable future. I have a lot to lose, when my mind is hijacked by craving (in the broader buddhist context.) For someone who came from a life, where the world was continually and habitually deemed good/bad, I should/shouldn't, they should/shouldn't, want/don't want, like/don't like, I wanted to ask for guidance around Beginner's Mind and cultivating equanimity and understanding. To see things as they are, I as I am **now**, and the same in relationship with others. I recognise I am living my life, seeing things as they were, pitted against the purity of what is, on replay in my thoughts, beliefs. Ego overlayed onto a now I feel blinded and jaded to. It has present moments simply feel burdensome to me. Anything that could assist a practice of beginner's mind meditation/mindfulness, cultivating non-judgmental awareness and understanding to 'unknot' a confused mind would mean the world to me. Anything to note/notice on this journey in bringing purity and clarity to my present reality would help me. Thanks so much.

In the sutta quoted here the Buddha recommends cultivating in equal measure concentration, equanimity and uplifted energy. As far as I know, in order to develop concentration one focuses the mind on an immobile object like a kasina, and for developing equanimity one observes the rise and fall of the breath. Similarly, what practice can one perform in order to cultivate uplifted energy? Would shraddha (pious faith) and belief in the dhamma qualify? Or does it refer to moment to moment mindfulness? Is there a specific meditation practice recommended? > "A monk intent on heightened mind should attend periodically to three themes: He should attend periodically to the theme of concentration; he should attend periodically to the theme of uplifted energy; he should attend periodically to the theme of equanimity. If the monk intent on heightened mind were to attend solely to the theme of concentration, it is possible that his mind would tend to laziness. If he were to attend solely to the theme of uplifted energy, it is possible that his mind would tend to restlessness. If he were to attend solely to the theme of equanimity, it is possible that his mind would not be rightly concentrated for the ending of the fermentations. But when he attends periodically to the theme of concentration, attends periodically to the theme of uplifted energy, attends periodically to the theme of equanimity, his mind is pliant, malleable, luminous, & not brittle. It is rightly centered for the stopping of the fermentations. SOURCE: [Nimitta Sutta: Themes - AN 3.100 (xi-xv) PTS: A i 255 Thai 3.103](http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.100.11-15.than.html)