I read the following on the internet: > I believe the Buddha defined mind as a process (feeling, perceiving, > thinking, cognizing) that is initiated by craving (SN12:38), giving > rise to effects like pleasant/unpleasant/neutral sensation. This is > also the way we normally experience reality. What do we believe SN 12.38 is about?

This question is in context of practicing mindfulness in one's day-to-day activities (e.g. walking, talking, washing dishes etc.), where one is supposed to be "aware of" / "observe" / "be mindful of" these activities. But how does one be "mindful" during thinking, since the very act of "observing" thinking would interrupt the thought process? And, say, if the thought process is about solving a specific problem, the very act of "being aware of /observing" the thoughts would result in one being unable to effectively solve that problem - when compared to not observing/ not being mindful about those thoughts. Or, be unable to solve it all. The same question for when reading something very interesting, or studying, where one is fully engrossed? Wouldn't being mindful about these activities interrupt the reading/study? New to mindfulness here. Apologies if the question sounds foolish, or irrelevant due to my misunderstanding of mindfulness. Thanks in advance.

I bought the Digha Nikaya, Majjhima Nikaya, Samyutta Nikaya and Anguttara Nikaya from Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi's translations and was wondering how long it will take to read through these 4 Pitakas? I once read that it takes approx 2 years to read through the entire Sutta Pitaka (I don't have the 5th Pitaka the Kuddhaka Nikaya). Is that correct? Have a good day.

Why is it difficult, if not impossible, to read your way to freedom from suffering(Nirvana)? What if you read the advanced Abhidhamma teachings? Is there such a thing as naturally occurring mindfulness in people that lack a mindfulness practice but read the Dhamma all the time?

Let me explain. I have met, got enchanted and started to slowly study Buddhism on my own quite some years ago. But then time passed and life consumed me. I have never abandoned the beautiful and deep perspective on reality that doctrine taught me. But over time you get still and staggered; and life begin to rot your way if you don't keep it fed and healthy. Well, I am talking In my case. I feel that I'm losing my path and I deeply want to grow again in peace and understanding. In this world so void of physical masters and lonely, buddhist teachings have given me great relief and energy to fight on. So, to the point: may any of you please recommend me a good reading to start meeting and discovering teachings again? If I may add please, if you know of something not too heavy or obscure... Started reading the bodhisharyavatara, which is beautiful but get a bit dense as you follow, so I can't read much at a time and don't understand much neither. Buddhism scriptures and texts are so huge in numbers that you kinda feel lost in it. I think I would resume it like this: a great reading, no matter the school or the time. I deeply thank you for these place and for your time and help. Yours, David

I have been sincerely studying Buddhism for the last 6-8 months. - I have covered most of the famous authors and teachers namely **Ajahn Brahm, Thich Nhat Hanh, Bhikkhu Bodhi, Tenzin Palmo, Alan Watts, D.T. Suzuki, Sharnyu Suzuki.** - I watched a few **youtube videos of Ajahn Brahm** to get some idea of Buddhist outlook towards life. - I read most of the books available out there to cover the history of the Buddha written for the beginners. But I am ***not*** much interested in the history, specifically the progress of sangha and spread of Buddhism in East. - I have read a few topics that interest me on this stack. - I completed 2 10 days Vipassana retreat and one-month long Zen retreat which included a mini shesshin. But now as I see the amount of literature is simply enormous. The Tripitaka, itself is massive. For an e.g., I tried reading an article on 12 nidanas on the wiki but it's difficult to read it that ways. It just feels like information overload. Can you guide me how should I proceed from here studying **Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana**? Give an answer based on the school you are following. In your answer also include the source from where to study, for e.g. '*Read about 8 fold path from this website*'. Please answer in the following format: **Theravada** Study in following order. 1. 4 Noble Truth 2. 8 fold path 3. 10 paramis Also kindly include the recommended retreat and study centers world over that you know of. Imagine that I will be studying this dedicatedly for the next 3 years or so. Also, include the online resources and paper books if required.

I practice the Theravada tradition. There are a lot of suttas, and I don't know how to go about studying them. Can I please get some pointers or guidelines on how I can study them? For example, which suttas to start with, or maybe some kind of overall introduction on the suttas, or perhaps a technique in studying the suttas.

I currently don't have a teacher and I'm looking for good study guides for the sutta's. I mean I'm reading them but when it comes to interpretation often I'm at a loss. Is there a source(s) or book(s) that can help with this? I know they're is no substitute for s teacher but until such time I'm working on my on.

I am new here and I would like some help with the issue of motivation. I am a 25 years old student in engineering in his last semester at university. I have been facing the problem that whenever I study, it becomes a huge source of stress. I have been a buddhist and meditating for the past 4 months now and I like of what the practice has done to me and my relationship with my parents and with people in general. The motivation of being in the path for the benefit of all beings really resonates with me and it really helps me, but I can't mirror that motivation to my studies. Secular knowledge used to be such a motivation for me when I was young and it has been missing for such a long time now. Now the only thing that motivates me is when I feel that I will be actively helping people, but I feel like I can't abandon my current state of life and just decide to do something else than getting my degree and pursuing something related to it. I don't know if it is clear, but I can study for a few periods of time (not enough for my course), but studying gets me sort of all pumped up. I get all this energy flowing, restlessness. I feel like I have all this attachment maybe to getting high degrees or to this illusion that I will only be happy if I am able to graduate now, or that my parents and people will like me better if I show that I know more, or if I have all this knowledge accumulated I will be more successful. It is clear to me that it was much stronger when I started meditating that it is now. It seems is obvious to me by my previous statements that studying has a lot of issues attached to it. :teehee: I feel like in the past months buddhism has helped me let go of a lot of my illusions and that helps me get on with my day without getting so frustrated, but I still have this issue. Do you guys think this anxiety related to studying will reduce after more months of practice? Actually, I know by the words of the Buddha that it will, but do you have any advice in regards to it? I hope I made sense writing in english beacuse I am from Brazil. Thank you!!!

Does anyone know of any site on the internet (or elsewhere) that studies profoundly and carefully, the works of Dharma teachers? Like Mahasi Sayadaw,or Ajahn Chah, or any Dharma teacher for that matter? For instance, Mahasi Sayadaw's book, "The Progress of Insight" can be hard to comprehend, so what if a teacher got together with a group of students to study such a book of teachings in depth. Perhaps something like the following: Each pertinent sentence might be studied one by one, the translation of each sentence might be scrutinized, the scriptural origins would be analyzed and each sentence might be made better understood with real examples of what is meant. I'm sure that sites such as these are out there but I for one have found that they can be hard to find. I put **"today's Dharma Teachers"** in the question here not because I wanted to exclude answers about in depth studied of older teachings. I would like to know of these in depth kind of study groups no matter how old the teacher or teachings are. I suppose I thought that if I didn't put **"today's Dharma Teachers"** that the answers would consist of the more common study of older teachings & teachers and the newer teachings & teachers might be overlooked. -Metta

When I studied Spanish, I better understood my native English language. I wondered if the same kind of thing can happen in the realm of religion. What are the pros and cons of studying other religions and their practices as a Buddhist? To be clear, I do mean "studying" (and not "practising") another religion's practices... not that answers about the pros and cons of "practising" another practice wouldn't be most welcome, I just assume that practising another practice would be too confusing. Maybe someone will give an answer that challenges this assumption - Metta

I've been thinking around this recently ... we are privileged as a generation to have access to so much information - contemplative methods, traditions, teachers, books etc. How does this inform our Dharma - finding and sticking to one method, tradition, lineage or ... studying and practicing many in a more eclectic way?