I thought bhikkhus were to not to be involved with entertainment. Thank you in advance.

I watch TV. As a Buddhist which TV channels should I watch?

As a kid I used to download a lot of softwares and movies using torrents. Even if something illegal is done, it doesn't necessarily mean that it violates a precept. But can this be considered as stealing in Buddhism? How can this be explained according to the Buddhist view?

Does anyone know of an API for Buddhist texts along the same lines as this one for the Bible . I do some spare time software projects and I would like to hook up to Buddhist text API just as part of playing around with some new technologies. Currently I'm using the Google Books API for it. What I'm imaging is that one could make a web request to a URL such as http://buddhisttextapi/dhammapada/verse/12 and you would get back the 12th verse of the dhammapada in whatever translation. So for the technically minded I'm interested in some kind of REST API - preferably under active development or at least with some decent documentation. Many Thanks

Where can I find chanting or music, inspired by Buddhism? I would like to have this for my MP3 player so I can remember to practice when not "on the cushion" (cost-free or not, chanting or any type of music inspired by Buddhism, helping us to come back to ourselves or inspiring us to practice, to understand, etc.) Thank you and kind regards.

I'm a programmer who is also interested in Buddhism and right now I'm in the planning stage for creating software inspired by Buddhism. I would like to know what Buddhism-related (or -inspired) software is already out there (including simple web apps, mobile apps, etc.) since this can help me with my own project. I'd be grateful if the community can answer this and hope that many others will benefit from software helping to put the teachings into practice. Kind Regards

Would using YouTube or other social media, where one is exposed to music or forced advertising/entertainment, be breaking the rules for monks? > "the watching of entertainments are stumbling blocks" This makes watching any of YouTube (Number 7 of the eight precepts) an area of concern.

I know how many of you feel about guided meditations, but I am introducing meditation to some fellow university friends, and one of them is telling me he is having an incredibly hard time while sitting in silence. He asked me for some audio guided meditations so that he can ease his way into silent meditation, and still be able to sit with us. I have never used one before, so I have no idea. Would you have any to recommend?

What are entertaining/fictional movies, cartoons or books about Buddhadharma or Buddha himself?

Recently I've slipped back into playing computers games. This morning I had a moment of clarity and realised that for me it is not a good activity and I've uninstalled them and I feel a lot better. But generally from a Buddhist perspective is playing computer games an unwholesome activity? If so what aspects of it make it so. Or could one be a committed practitioner and still do a bit of gaming on the side. I appreciate we have discussed the impacts on violent games on Karma before but I would like to know if computer games of any description are unwholesome. (Note - I'm not looking for my own computer game playing habit to be legitimatised so I can start it again. I'm satisfied that for me it is something best avoided. I am just wondering if it is something that Buddhists generally should avoid and if any modern teachers have discussed the issue).

I downloaded a lot of things for 16 years I guess.I now understood this is a form of stealing.And i decided to delete my downloaded content.But some material is not found in my country,or if i order them it takes too much hassle to get here or the material is for educational or self improvement purposes.And i never intended to steal.But still it was not respecting other people's work.With those intentions is it still bad karma?Is it still wrong if it is really really essential? It's actually about the NEED to the material.Like i want to learn speaking english and i need a book or a listening material which is not found in my country.And i really need it.And if I learn english or other things it will be beneficial to me and my environment EDIT : Look what I found. Totally coincidence. Synchronisity ☺. https://youtu.be/xMj_P_6H69g

Recently i stumbled upon a movie disc and on it was a movie called "American guinea pigs". It wasn't a typical funny horror story, it was a ultra realistic documentary style movie. There was a woman laying on a table (tied to it) and she was surrounded by masked group who injected something into her. Then her skin was removed from her neck and her calves were cut of in pieces. I was shocked and i felt my heart pumping and i was about to faint. i stopped the movie and just waited for this rush to pass. But i couldn't close the movie until i knew it is a movie not a real life event (if you have seen it you will know why, it is very real). So i played it again and dragged it manually to the end. Then the carnage was followed by them chopping her arms and gutting her. I couldn't take anymore so i skipped to the end. Just like all the movies this had a clip from the sequel too. It was a new born baby and a little boy on the table this time, i was too traumatized to remember but the text below meant that this would be the sequel. This was hard for me and my mind burst into a sea of emotions and it kept reminding me the equally disturbing real life events i unfortunately witnessed in my life. I had no other idea but to write them all down on a book.Now whenever i feel i'm loosing my edge with my still very young practice i read that book and somehow it immediately bring me back to mindfulness. --- This was meant to be entertaining to some audience and someone knowingly gave her baby to be presented as the next pray to this. I know the world isn't alice's wonderland but i am left with some questions and i hope you can help me.... **1:- How do we understand this kind of sick entertainment in a Buddhist perspective (why do people enjoy this kind of things)?** **2:- How to deal with this kind of emotional trauma?**

I got confused while googling about which is the most popular (widely distributed, published continuously in a large number) journal on Buddhism (or Buddhist journal). It is very obvious for the publishers to advertise their products but I want to have an actual information so that I can get authentic knowledge as well as send my articles to them. I know that there are a number of Buddhist journals published from throughout the world but my primary concern is with academic publication. I will be grateful for every information. I have not been talking about any particular branch of Buddhism e.g. Theravada, Mahayana etc. but I want to know which is the most recognised journal as a whole; I mean an academic journal that includes all of them. I want to know in detail.

I have a Blog and a lot of people come to learn Buddhism in it. I want to start doing articles on Theravada Buddhism and i do not have any idea if i can do it without being a bit corrosive in certain topics. I want some advice how to do this. So can you guys help me?

Is there a version of Satipatthana Sutta in **English AUDIO** . I have got the pali version but I do not understand the full meaning when I listen to it.The idea is to listen every day when I go to work and come home after work.

I'm looking for videos with Dharma talks and am hoping that the community here can help me. Grateful for any links to online talks and DVD recommendations.

By watching crime in mobile apps or in website , is one actually participating in the incident? If one thinks about it, is one perpetuating the incident again? Does it add to one's karma? How does one react to this kind of situation ? if we ignore the video , are we creating a bigger incident? Regards.

This community wiki post is about gathering lists that serve as a ***quick-overview*** of the different Dhammas in Buddhism. We are looking for dhamma-lists from all traditions. If you have found a list and want to post it please follow the same formating style.

Right Livelihood, as stated in the :Vanijja Sutta >"Monks, a lay follower should not engage in five types of business. Which five? Business in weapons, business in human beings, business in meat, business in intoxicants, and business in poison." Could I argue that video games are intoxicants that allow players to escape from reality? Could one also say the video game maker is an adrenaline seller?(genre dependent) If I make a game with simulated weapon usage against other humans, is that business in weapons? Or is it harmless fun?

I love the tone of this song, although not understand the meaning. Om Mani Padme Hum https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FODfgCrSaw What's her name ? Why do people venerate the bow ?