As Hinduism was a prominent religion of the Buddha's time (though not in today's unified form ), Buddha must have learnt about the Gita and krishna's philosophy. In fact, the Buddha's karma philosophy and the notion of 'skillful karma' ( performing actions as duty without getting attached to it) seem to be too close to Krishna's karma yoga philosophy to find any difference. Is there any reference to the Gita or Krishna in Buddhist texts?

Empathy defined as > the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. Is there any discussion or steps to improve or a skillful way to utilize empathy mentioned anywhere in the suttas? scriptures

Let's look at Alice and Bob. I'm going to emphasize gender roles on purpose, because the gender you were born as is not random. Bob is a naturally powerful, intelligent, strong man who started his adult life as a solder. Every war he fought in was just and he was always on the good guy's side, and every man he shot was evil and deserved it. Eventually after he is honorably discharged he ends up in a position of high authority, say a criminal judge. He sorts out good people from the bad and doles out what they deserve, and due to his great wisdom he never made a mistake in judgement or caused a miscarriage of justice. Alice is a weak woman of inconstant and average natural intelligence. She never had what it takes to punish anybody (because of her lack of talents and unremarkableness could she could never end up in a position of authority where she could punish others--not even as a forum moderator who bans trolls) and she was too weak to kill anybody. Now let's look at the summaries of these two lives. While everything Bob did was just and morally correct... that doesn't change the immutable reality that he ended up in a position where he did take life and inflicted suffering on others. That does not exactly look like the reflection of someone who lived his previous life as an arhat. And Alice was fortunate enough where she could never kill or inflict suffering on others... at least in one regard (as a punisher). Even if it was because she never had the opportunity, the fact that she was born in a life without such opportunities is a reflection of something. According to karma, who got the better life, that is, the life more likely to be reborn as either a better human or a being in the higher realms?

Say a soldier can be hired for maybe $100 a day: What would be a suitable price to offer that one would live in accordance with the Dhamma, keeping precepts based on metta for all beings, a day?

What is *anuloma-nana* and how does this adaptation-knowledge makes the switch from the mundane to the supramundane world?

I am a graduate of Islamic metaphysics and theology with a focus on mysticism and mystical philosophy. I have kin interest in spirituality in general. Recently I started trying out meditation. In the past I have had experiences of energy building up in my chest during contemplating mystical works. And I have had attempts at out of body projection without full success yet. But in either cases massive energy building up in my chest has been a familiar occurrence. Now recently that I started the Indian style meditation, i.e. sitting in one place, chasing out thoughts and concentrating on heart beats, while gazing at the back of my closed eyelids, I feel massive energy rushing to my chest, building up there and then rushing further up into my neck. At the same time my upper body starts shaking stronger and stronger. More recently, I felt as if my jugular vein was about to explode and I felt mild pain on the back of neck. I want to know what the heck is this all about? My feeling is that if I continue I may project out of body, as this was the feeling that I had when trying out of body projection back in older days but the pressure becomes almost unbearable. I feel nervous to continue the meditation with these twitchings and sensations.

Happy New Year to you! 😊 I suffer from internal vibrations and PPPD and I've been trying to use meditation to calm my nervous system. Could any of you please suggest what I could do to further this and work on the amygdala too please? I also suffer from chronic fatigue. Thanking you 🙏 Louise

I am trying my best to digest the concept of the non-self but each time it hits a fundumental question, that i can't stop thinking of. If the self is an illusion, what is the point of self awerness meaning self respect, self esteem... is it important to have them in this context.

Jon Kabat Zinn explains that Mindfulness in Asia means 'Heartfulness' He describes integrating buddhist tenets such as beginner's mind, non-judgment, letting go, acceptance, trust, gratitude and generosity into mindfulness as part of informal meditation. My difficulty with my formal and informal meditation practice through the course of the day seems mechanical because I don't know how to cultivate and integrate heart into it. I am aware of my senses. I have the mind be still with little or no thought. But there doesn't seem to be anything warm, understanding, loving or appreciative. It doesn't feel rewarding at all beyond discipline of the mind. I ask myself, if mind must be still and thoughts silent, how to I cultivate matters of the heart in my meditation. Or do I allows for cultivating a 'Heartful' narrative that explores the buddhist tenets mentioned above. It all just feels like cold discipline to me at the moment and nothing more. Please help me understand what mindfulness may look like in the context of heartfulness.

Whenever I get a good meditation, meaning pleasant feelings arise, they subside after some time. I know that's not the goal of meditation and I should let go of anything, not cling to anything. But still, I would like to prolong the post-meditation pleasant sensations and not go back to other emotions. How can that be achieved? After a good sitting of calming down the mind, desires come rushing in, how to deal with that?

When sit for the meditation ears were blocked. Just like sink into the water. But sounds were heard. With the time it's heard in less intensity. Is that access concentration? Before this developed experience the momentary nature of the in breath and out breath. As well as the momentary nature of consciousness along with that withe the break of the in breath and outbreath.

What are the salient differences between the *Pāḷi Nikāyas* & Chinese *Āgamas*? I'm looking specifically for a **comprehensive** list of discourses that are unique in the *Āgama* collection and differences between parallel discourses.

What Buddhist advice can be given to a dying Buddhist/Christian in order to facilitate the letting go and acceptance many people experience on their deathbeds? The particular Buddhist/Christian I'm speaking of worries about eternal hell and all the bad karma in her life. Does worrying about Hell have something to do with samvega?

I recall reading a text where Buddha addressed a supposed monk saying "householder". If i recall correctly, the monk said that he wasn't a householder and Buddha explained the meaning of that. I am pretty sure it's in the pali canon and am looking for the text. Thanks

I have questions regarding hospitalization and its morals 1. Are monks/nuns allowed to be hospitalized and can they go to a hospital or doctor if sick? (because aren't they not allowed to request anything according to the vinaya?) 2. Can a monk/nun take painkillers or will that be a breach of the fifth precept? 3. If there is a parasite or other being inside of someone, can they take medicine to cure themselves of it, or would that break the first precept, or is it not if the being isn't sentient?

I am writing an essay on Buddhist nonattachment, in which I argue that nonattachment is compatible with a wide range of affective states and intimate relationships (contra some popular philosophical conceptions, which are greatly influenced by Stoicism). The account of Buddhist nonattachment I offer stresses an attitude of open-minded acceptance of whatever mental state arises, without attraction or aversion -- without indulging or suppressing it. In more than one place I have heard mention of a sutta in which the Buddha describes his mental states and attitudes when he teaches the Dhamma, and his audience either understands or fails to understand. From what I've heard, he says something along the lines that he is pleased when people understand the Dhamma and displeased when they do not; however, his is not overcome by those mental states. This is not a direct quote, only the impression left in my memory. Does this sound familiar? Can anyone help me find this sutta?

Again another passage from Ñanavira's Notes on Dhamma, Cetana: > It will be seen that intentions by themselves are a purely structural affair, a matter of negatives; and when the question is asked, 'What are the intentions upon this occasion?' the answer will be in the positive terms of nāmarūpa and viññāna. What are the positive terms of nāmarupa and viññana?

During meditation can path attainment be identified? How ? Is it gradually progressing of the path in first path attainers?how this is differ from a meditative commoner?

Beyond householder-equanimity is recluse-equanimity. Yet - equanimity being the highest factor of the factors for awakening - does this factor then result in a further kind of equanimity, or does equanimity fade into something else, once highest, aim, is reached? What's higher than equanimity? And where and how could the stages of equanimity be mapped on the ten-fold path?

I always read piti: joy is mental happiness and sukha is physical. But lately i have been reading pīti is physical, sukha is emotional. At first i thought this didn't matter but now for Jhana training I'm reading move from the piti physical sensation to sukha emotional sensation, which completely throw me off. Any help?