If my neighbor is real loud, I focus on the noises. It's a sort of involuntary focus. I would like to be able to detach myself from this focus. Until now, I thought focus is part of the 'perception' aggregate, but that doesn't seem correct. Is this sort of focus even part of any aggregate?

In theory, many ways of meditation have been given to stop cravings and aversion. What about practical life? During day to day life, it has often been seen and experienced as well that, "we tend to lean towards comfortablity", whether it be of body or brain. Let's take a basic example: one living in a rented house tend to go for a own-home(whenever possible).... even monks of modern era tend to go for own-kuti/monastery. For this one needs money. Reason being given is, "i feel more freedom inside my own-home instead of rented one". Another eg. : Using technologies, more resources for making life easy-going. Resaon being given as: we have less headaches, more respect, easy-flow of society. Even if i properly give time to analyze, realize, etc. bhlabhla, stay *disconnected* to this modernized life, there is definitely no need for me to ask this question! If one doesn't go for maintaining status, using hi-fi techs, spending money(either for dana purpose or for anything else..), ........ It's more likely to be 99.99% that such person would be physically and mentally **behind** from others. One simple solution came is:: live like a bpl(below poverty line) person but this will definitely decrease morale and enthusiasm of nearby-ones, decreasing their chances of learning dhamma. (If possible, kindly don't include advice for meditation to a freak and too-ignorants) i am more concerned into balancing the life(middle path for householders) such that both nearby ones and me can have less possible crave, more possible dhamma! **Edit::** Maybe, this answer is somewhat talking about balance in last 3 paragraphs. But it is also saying to re-engage in earning money to get approval of others.....getting approval is ok but how would money change someone's behaviour, confusing to me?

As in, any perception of life being cheerful/serene/wonderful/nice to experience is indicative of some sort of undesirable over-indulgence, and that a sort of neutral unaffected experiencing is preferable. Does the Buddha ever warn of calling the world/life something positive? Does the Buddha himself perhaps ever ascribe positivity to the world?

I am asking this in reference to the aircraft that crashed in India. Is there anything like collective karma, like the alayavijnana (Collective Consciousness)? ( I should not say this, but...) Like, sometimes the entire community suffers, like the Jews in the Second World War. Or sometimes there is an earthquake, natural disasters...If the dependent origination is correct, then should there be a reason behind the mass suffering?

Does the Buddha ever instruct us to meditate for the sake of meditation's immediate and temporary benefits? If we see meditation as a car for gaining insights and understanding, but also as a tool for improving our focus or mood or (non)reactivity - does the Buddha ever explicitly urge us to meditate for the latter effects?

If there is no self in mental formations and volition, then who carries out mindfulness? I try to see that there is no self in things. Is it not therefore that I am? 'Being mindful you'll see that even the ambition to be mindful has no self' - who sees that?

Thoughts about mine and things should be in this way,about children ,husband and relatives,it's the personality view. That is developed in our own mind.so we inflicted our own wounds. So we were in our own prison. So when this thinking stops personality view has destroyed. Isn't it?

Is there a tradition within Buddhism of praying in an easterly direction? If there is what is the oldest known reference to it. Sorry for the simplicity of the question, but I am not a Buddhist.

Is there a term or concept for 'feeling' like there's a "me", or for 'feeling' like something "belongs to myself"? Recently I was able to distinguish between two types of feelings, one where the feeling is just there and everything is fine, and another where a "me" is involved that "has" the feeling. The latter comes with a sensation, so I wonder if Buddhism has a notion of this sort of feeling that there's an identification or self that is involved.

Sometimes the meditation is good and sometimes it is chaos. I follow the eightfold path as much as I can. I feel the progress is solely dependent on 'samma samadhi'. I dont have ill will or anger or hatred or sorrow anymore. Still I think progress in meditation is measure of how much one has progressed on the path of dhamma. But this is frustrating as I am not able to reach the elusive jhanas. How do I comfort myself that I am making progress each day on the path of dhamma?

Is it commonly taught in buddhism to 'deem' one's thought or actions to be of a category? Example: Thoughts are about how to redeem oneself after having said something to a crush that makes us look unattractive. Then, we become aware of this thought, and categorize it as "Worrying about sexual/romantic attainments" or "Worrying about reputation", sort of "labeling" the thought. I have noticed that doing this helps me detach from aggregates, so I wonder if this is an established practice.

When you meditate with ADHD, the difficulty level of life drops a lot. If you then practice the noble eightfold path in order to come closer to nibbana, you're sort of doing that on a wheelchair. If you stop meditating, ADHD will come back full force, and you still have 0 experience of being on the noble eightfold path on that difficulty level. Could meditating be a hindrance toward enlightenment, for that reason? Aren't you making it too easy for yourself?

Caucasian skin is peachy and sandy (due to having no pigmentation) while the great man's body in nibbana is, according to the 32 perfections of a great man , "his skin is the color of gold". White skin requires some pigmentation. Currently my journey with white skin represents the Trix rabbit's (1994 commercial) attempt to take his own cereal. All he gets is "silly rabbit Trix are for kids!" And the fact that some saints may have received such a miracle to change their skin color forever makes the pain that much more serious. And what should I do regarding the psychologist? I am visiting one to drain my emotions of this, and that might make my eternity as a yellow man all that much more permanent!

Why is buddhism so difficult to follow...the point is that...buddhism does not have gods like hinduism or christanity...who help you in turbulant times or grant you your desire if you worship them...in buddhism entire responsibility is your own you have to practise the dhamma...the 4 noble truths and the 8 fold path...in buddhism there is no eternal brahman or kingdom of heaven to inflate the ego but nirvana to blow out the ego permanently...the death of ego is ultimate nightmare...present moment awareness and mindfulness is a very difficult endeavor...the buddha does not fulfill your desires if you worship him...there is no heaven or final resting place...There is no help from the outside for samsaric matters...impermanence, no-self and dukkha feel so gloomy...you can be happy in life without nirvana... Does this make buddhism difficult to follow or there is different perspective?

So, could attainments 'rot' / be forgotten, and is this a commonly observed thing? Does the Buddha warn about taking 'breaks', or does he talk about people leaving spiritual practice and as a result losing things? Is there a sort of 'wagging the finger' attitude from high attainers/authorities toward people sidelining spiritual practice for a while?

Please give a clear simple example of how this looks in a practical way without quoting suttas. I just want a practical example. Thanks "The object of consciousness, or mind-object, that arises has to be of ultimate reality, not conventional reality. We must be able to differentiate between what is absolute reality, or paramattha dhamma and what is conventional reality, or sammuti."

I am in process of writing a book about buddhists masters. I have following few masters in my mind. 1. Gautam Buddha 2. Bodhidharma 3. Milerepa Please suggest names of other masters to write an essay on each master. It can be from any tradition.

I am single and often indulge in masterbation and pornography. What are buddhist thoughts on these. Does it affect the quality of meditation. What was Buddhas advise to lay followers about them?

Looking at the economic turmoil that had been unleashed by a certain leader of a powerful nation, I wondered what factors/guidelines/principles a good Buddhist should consider that are in accordance with the Dharma when voting? While it is true that democracy doesn’t exist during the Buddha’s time, I assume that voting like all the decisions that a Buddhist made in life can be either skillful or unskillful depending on their intentions, emotions and mental state at the point of action leading to consequences and repercussions. So, how would the Dharma advise us in this situation?

I've been practising insight meditation daily for over a decade now and attended a silent retreat usually every year except during covid. I do feel that I have changed significantly. I am a lot more aware from moment to moment of the arising and passing of phenomena and I have recognised that this phenomena and the knowing of it is all there really is. There is no fundamental 'me'. Just a knowing of what is arising. So anyway I feel I have become a lot more sensitive and find people very hard to tolerate for very long. The trashing of the environment, the mass slaughter of animals to satisfy people's gluttony, the greed, hatred and delusion of leaders intent on wrecking the planet for their own benefit etc etc. I'm a recluse most of the time as I just don't like the toxic energy out there at this point in time. My question is about the arising of ill will. I feel disgust and hatred of people a lot. How do I work with this hindrance and afflictive emotions. I don't want to wallow in them as I know they are not skillful. Do I need to be proactive in some way and uproot them? If so how? Or do I just see them as more phenomena arising and passing?