What is the right way to understand (or apply) mirror wisdom? Is it buddha-nature, bodhisattva (ripe for awakening), or both? Is it cultivated, or does it spring up naturally with enlightenment? If it's a method, how can it be utilized to curb conceit? Is it a prerequisite for non-duality? Does it have a place in mindfulness meditation? EDIT: from what i understand it's one of five wisdom types. that's about all i know. that and wondering about the people across from me on the subway, when i think maybe this is when i should work with the mirroring... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_wisdoms

I have been practicing different kinds of meditation for a long time, mostly open meditation (somewhat like Vipassana). I recall that when I practiced compassion meditation, I experienced one of the worst periods of my life. Now, I began anew to practice a form of compassion in meditating on self-compassion, as I read about it. Yet, I wonder if this is not more unwholesome than not for me. 1) Is it possible for a person to be averse to compassion, or for whom compassion is a element of struggle and difficulty? 2) Is it perhaps easier for some people to meditate on emptiness or wisdom in order to indirectly generate compassion? Would such a possibility be less 'wholesome' than actual compassion meditation or even than compassionate acts? 3. Is it possible to forego compassion meditation completely and solely rely on compassionate action to develop this quality?

Does wisdom only exist, in zen, when it is perfect? Do zen monks and laity practice wisdom or is the focus so much on one practice samadhi that it's only there when you are?

It seems that there are different "versions" of Buddhism today, and many of the teachings from these different versions appear to be at odds with one another. I'd like a way to tell which teachings are incomplete, corrupted, or flat-out fakes. If Buddhism is really a "science" of the mind, like many teachers say, shouldn't there be ways to test things? Are there ways to test the authenticity of a teaching?

How to apply eight fold path to the wholesome act as meditation of three marks of existence (Pali: tilakkhaṇa) of all existence and beings, namely impermanence (aniccā), non-self (anattā) and unsatisfactoriness or suffering (dukkha)?

Today I realize that, if something good or bad happens to me, it is caused by Karma. It gave me a huge relief. Because before I would experience aversion when something bad happened to me. But now, I believe that I am 100% responsible for whatever happens to me. But, As I know, not everything is caused by Karma. There are some other reasons such as whether, Dhamma etc. So how can I know the real cause behind something for sure? (Is it Karma or some other cause?) It is said that someone needs to experience the truth to understand the truth. So how can I build a solid understanding of the cause behind things and Karma?

What is Buddhism view on this? **Spiritual Intelligence (SQ)** SQ may be defined as: “The ability to behave with wisdom and compassion, while maintaining inner and outer peace, regardless of the situation.” Wisdom and compassion being the pillars of SQ. 1. Deeper understanding of one’s own world view, life purpose, value hierarchy and controlling personal ego to consider the higher self. 2. Self-mastery of one’s spiritual growth, living your purpose, values and vision, sustaining faith in and seeking guidance from a higher power. 3. Universal awareness of world view of others, limitations and power of human perception, awareness of spiritual laws and transcendental oneness 4. Social Mastery/Spiritual Presence: wise and effective mentor of spiritual principles; leadership change agent; making wise and compassionate decisions; and being aligned with the ebb and flow of life. Does Buddhism agrees on this statement below or there are more pillars? > Wisdom and compassion being the pillars of SQ. Source - TRUE LEADERSHIP - SQ+EQ+IQ+PQ = SUCCESS

Right concentration supports wisdom(panna) if right mindfulness arises? If right mindfulness isn't there then does right concentration support ignorance?

Can you develop Samadhi (concentration) and Pañña (wisdom) exclusively from one another (according to the suttas)? I am under the impression that a meditator cannot develop one without developing the other.

Where is the right channel to escalate or feedback the Buddhism matters via email writing ? I am thinking write to The World Fellowship of Buddhists (The WFB) via email.

To wear a mask in the covid pandemic is not a precept in Buddhism. I noticed many lay person and even many high level monks not wearing mask when talking to a stranger. Q1) How do i politely persuade them to wear a mask ? Bhante said since i already double masked with a face shield then Bhante not require to wear mask. Some Bhante will say can we move from outdoor to indoor so nobody noticed we're not wearing mask and no police catching. Indoor infectivity rate is about 20 times higher. I am trying to have conversation with Bhante at outdoor to reduce the infectivity rate. Q2) I am thinking always keep extra high quality mask to offer to someone or Bhante when i need to talk to them. How if they refuse to wear it then what should i do? Q3) In Buddhism, precepts are so difficult to practice but can follow, vice versa i don't understand why simple SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) or simple wisdom and compassion cannot do like a wearing mask. Isn't Buddhism fundamental is a path of wisdom and compassion with good deed for well being even not written in any Sutta ? Isn't not wearing a mask may against the precept #1 in Buddhism yet cause and effect may multiples to a billion people in very short period of time? Cause of infection found very frequent and high at Temple/Church/Mosque.

One of the benefits of the meditation practice that is widely talked about is becoming more wise. I am not sure if there is a universal definition of wisdom so I am trying to see what wisdom other practitioners here have "realized" during the course of their practice. How did you realize you were becoming more wise and what exactly is this wisdom if you are able to convey it in writing?

I have been discussing online whether there is a counterpart to the Greek idea of 'nous' (intellect) in the early Buddhist texts. The discussion was about discriminating between sensory experience and rational thought. I was arguing that there is a clear distinction between sensory and rational faculties in Greek philosophy. Then someone said, what about in Buddhism, where 'manas' is given as one of the six sense gates? Doesn't this mean that Buddhism equates manas and sensory faculties? I said, no, because there is the faculty that 'discerns the dharma' which is not a sensory faculty but discriminative wisdom. The word that came to mind was the Sanskrit 'viveka', for which I found the definition 'Sense of discrimination; wisdom; discrimination between the real and the unreal, between the self and the non-self, between the permanent and the impermanent; discriminative inquiry; right intuitive discrimination; ever present discrimination between the transient and the permanent.' However, I'm not aware of much discussion of this in the texts. I'm wondering if there's any discussion in abhidharma texts of this distinction and the faculty of discriminative wisdom?

I am aware of a similar question here: https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/31393/2493 However, I would like a deeper understanding of what precisely is meant by “knowledge and vision” in the heartwood sutta and why is its attainment positioned as it is with respect to the other attainments. I feel that I have a good understanding of the meaning of the attainments which precede, and presumably are prerequisites for “knowledge and vision”. Namely 1: gain, honor and renown 2: moral discipline 3: concentration and for the attainment which follows and presumably depends upon it. Namely 5: perpetual liberation but the attainment of “knowledge and vision” itself is frustratingly fuzzy in my mind. I’d like a better understanding of 1: What precisely is meant by “knowledge and vision” in this context? 2: Why is concentration a prerequisite for “knowledge and vision”? 3: Why is “knowledge and vision” a prerequisite for perpetual liberation? My best guess is that 1: Knowledge and vision” represents a level of development wherein one can get to nibbana when needed, but it does not persist perpetually. 2: Concentration is a prerequisite for “knowledge and vision” because seeing the arrow (hard to see) as it enters the heart requires a concentrated mind. Perhaps this is the vision part? Seeing the arrow as it enters the heart enables us to identify precisely where we became self-absorbed in the narrative and thus where the work of severing attachments must be done. 3: “Knowledge and vision” is a prerequisite for “perpetual liberation” because having knowledge of each individual desired sensory experience which the mind is attached to, is required before the work of severing said attachment can begin. Perhaps this is the knowledge part? When all such attachments are severed and no new ones are added, then sustaining nibbana perpetually becomes possible This is a complete guess on my part. Am I close? I am referring to the translation provided by Bhikkhu Bodhi. https://www.suttareadings.net/audio/index.html

In the west, when we talk about wisdom we tend to mean knowing the value of things. As far as I tell, prajna is about emptiness, at least in its perfected aspect. So does it also allow us knowledge of what is valuable, or is that something that the path is founded on - good karma nd liberation from suffering - so that really all the sages have very little to say about it?

Prince Siddharta was schooled in Vedanta, which was the predominant philosophy prevailing in India 2500 yrs ago. Majority of Buddhists today seem to have ignored the study of Vedanta and dived into the deep end of mastering the Tripitaka first, especially Abhidhamma. 'The Path of Purification' - Visuddhimagga - has referred to the learning of the 'Three Vedas.' (vide Chapter XII.44 of Bhikkhu Nanamoli's English translation). Given the fact that not many yogis become Arahants today, is it possible that Buddhists need to master the fundamentals in Vedanta first, as the Buddha himself would surely have done in his youth? --- Edit to add: What might the answer be, if this question asked about "the Vedas" instead of "Vedanta"?

In [The Numerical Discourses of the Buddha](http://lirs.ru/lib/sutra/The_Numerical_Discourses_of_the_Buddha,Anguttara_Nikaya,Bodhi,2012.pdf) , Sutta 3/56 titled Depopulation (on page 253; internet version here) and note 415 (on page 1645) provides the Buddha's explanation for the Depopulation of the World. In this explanation reference is made to Yakkhas -- wild demonic spirits, sometimes depicted as killing human beings....wild, nonhuman -- being released. Besides the Yakkhas, which are only the physical manifestation, Buddha explains the Primary Causes for this Depopulation. > "Again , at present people are excited by illicit lust, overcome by unrighteous greed, afflicted by wrong Dhamma. When this happens, the yakkhas release wild spirits. At a time when the world is engaged in combatting Yakkhas globally via lockdowns etc., are we falling short in addressing the Causes of this Depopulation as spelt out by the Buddha? If so, what should be our Strategic approach to this problem?

Why we need Samadhi to attain enlightement ? Do people with better samadhi can think more than the people with less within short amount of time ? >experiment of people with low IQ, and high IQ, put them in the same room, and you give them the same job. Rob a bank. You’ll find out that the low IQ people probably do a much better job of robbing a bank, plotting the bank robbery, than high IQ people, who get all messed up with legal implications and stuff like that. - Michio Kaku Is widom something like that ? What is the connection between samadhi and wisdom ?

The attached discourse was delivered a few days back from New York and presents a very comprehensive approach to face the corona pandemic from a spiritual standpoint. The wisdom of the Buddha is quoted at the very beginning and the entire discourse is structured on this quote. It would be appreciated if someone could source the original sutta from which this quotation is made. [Fighting Anxiety and Depression: Four Great Practices](https://youtu.be/vzFtOOVQPmA?t=255) > Buddha speaks of the nature of suffering as a person who is hit by an arrow. Imagine the pain and the shock of being hit by an arrow. And immediately after that, this person, unfortunate person is hit by a second arrow.

There are many sutras and they are on different topics. Many people got enlightened by asking different sutras. Ven. Saripuththa thero got sothapanna by asking to cause and effect. Ven. Kondanna thero got sothapanna by asking to middle path and kamma. So, What is the core teaching of **all** the suttas ? What wisdom all they have in common ? **Edit:** I think all people have some understanding of the world. Lord Buddha recognized those and help them to complete their understandigs. Ex: When Ven. Sariputhta thero hearing to the Cause and effect, He already have the understanding of Impermanance. (Because of that, He started to find the truth).