Is there any kind of stress and suffering the Buddhas medicine would not help?

In the Virecana (Tikicchakka) Sutta (AN10.108):

  "Monks, doctors give a purgative for warding off diseases caused by
  bile, diseases caused by phlegm, diseases caused by the internal wind
  property. There is a purging there; I don't say that there's not, but
  it sometimes succeeds and sometimes fails. So I will teach you the
  noble purgative that always succeeds and never fails, a purgative
  whereby beings subject to birth are freed from birth; beings subject
  to aging are freed from aging; beings subject to death are freed from
  death; beings subject to sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress & despair
  are freed from sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress & despair. Listen &
  pay close attention. I will speak."

The Buddha claimed above to be a doctor who treats the disease of suffering of samsara and all its symptoms: birth, death, aging, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress and despair.

From Kucchivikara-vatthu of the Vinaya, the Buddha taught:

  "A nurse endowed with five qualities is fit to tend to the sick: He is
  competent at mixing medicine; he knows what is amenable or unamenable
  to the patient's cure, taking away things that are unamenable and
  bringing things that are amenable; he is motivated by thoughts of good
  will, not by material gain; he does not get disgusted at cleaning up
  excrement, urine, saliva, or vomit; and he is competent at
  instructing, urging, rousing, & encouraging the sick person at the
  proper occasions with a talk on Dhamma. A nurse endowed with these
  five qualities is fit to tend to the sick."

He treats the general disease of the suffering of samsara, but not the specific diseases of the body like diabetes or malaria or even neuropsychological diseases.

So, if you need specialized treatment for a specific disease, you should see the doctor who is specialized in that area. The Vinaya quote above implies that the nurse should know how to mix medicines and be competent to treat the disease in question.

In this question, you can see that sometimes apparent psychological disorders actually originate from physical ailments. That's why medical doctors are still needed to treat them. Buddhist teachings do not treat all diseases because that is not their objective.

This answer is also relevant here. In DN16, the Buddha experienced dysentery:

  And soon after the Blessed One had eaten the meal provided by Cunda
  the metalworker, a dire sickness fell upon him, even dysentery, and he
  suffered sharp and deadly pains. But the Blessed One endured them
  mindfully, clearly comprehending and unperturbed.

So, although he had attained Nibbana, he could still experience dysentery and all its pains. However, he was unperturbed by it because suffering had indeed ended for him due to him having attained Nibbana. And after his passing away, suffering does not continue in a new life.

So what does this show? The Buddha's cure or medicine of Nibbana ends the suffering of samsara, but it does not end dysentery as a physical disease. For curing dysentery, please see a medical doctor. To cure all suffering permanently through Nibbana, please see the Buddha's teachings (which is same as seeing Dr. Buddha according to Vakkali Sutta).

The medical doctor only treats a temporary disease. If the treatment is successful, you get cured, but you could still get another disease later. But that's the point, for neuropsychological diseases and other medical diseases, you should get treated by a doctor, but to end all suffering permanently, you should seek Buddha's treatment. If you are suffering from severe pains, it's very hard to meditate isn't it? It's easier to get a doctor to treat it first, then you can meditate better.


In Mahayana abhidharma, we speak of the two mental factors that I would think are quiet similar to the "moral conscience" that you allude to. These two might be the same as 'shame' and 'conscience' in MA45. The two are:

Shame (Tib. ngo tsha shes pa)
Embarassement (Tib. khrel yod pa)

Regarding shame, the Compendium of Knowledge says:

  Question: What is shame?

  Answer: It is an avoidance of misdeeds on
  account of oneself. It has the function of acting as a support for
  effective restraint from misconduct.

An example of shame is to restrain from stealing even when nobody would have known. It is akin to self-respect.

Regarding embarrassment, the Compendium of Knowledge says:

  Question: What is embarrassment?

  Answer: It is an avoidance of
  misdeeds on account of others. It has the function of just that [i.e.,
  acting as a support for effective restraint from misconduct].

An example of embarrassment is to restrain from stealing by thinking "there is a camera", paying heed to what others would think of our negativity, or thinking "what would my teacher think if he knew?".


There is an interesting relationship between the first four precepts and the fifth precept.

For e.g. from the Kalama Sutta (quoted below), we can see that the fifth precept is not included. You can find a similar grouping of the first four precepts in the Sigalovada Sutta as the four vices. It also appears in this way in the Sankha Sutta.

But there's a reason for this. Consuming intoxicating substances is by itself not a vice or evil act (unlike killing, stealing, telling lies and sexual misconduct), but it can cause you to become heedless and violate the first four precepts.

In this sense, the fifth precept is only there to support the first four precepts (and the rest of the training).

From the Kalama Sutta:

  “A greedy individual, overcome by greed, kills living creatures,
  steals, commits adultery, lies, and encourages others to do the same.
  Is that for their lasting harm and suffering?” “Yes, sir.”

  “A hateful individual, overcome by hate, kills living creatures,
  steals, commits adultery, lies, and encourages others to do the same.
  Is that for their lasting harm and suffering?” “Yes, sir.”

  “A deluded individual, overcome by delusion, kills living creatures,
  steals, commits adultery, lies, and encourages others to do the same.
  Is that for their lasting harm and suffering?” “Yes, sir.”

From the Sikkha-Dubbalya Sutta:

  "Monks, these five are things that weaken the training. Which five?
  The taking of life, stealing, sexual misconduct, the telling of lies,
  and distilled & fermented beverages that are a cause for heedlessness.
  These five are things that weaken the training.

Please see this question for more info on heedfulness (appamāda).


Does being in a commited married life make it impossible to attain Nirvana? If not, how can one progress towards Nirvana?

how someone can be in a commited relationship and at the same time achieve nibbana

I had a dream recently in which my wife went out for the evening without me: I was jealous, craving her and self-centred (wanting her to pay attention to me instead), clinging (wanting to not to lose her, wanting to not lose or to repeat the happy experience/relationship I had earlier with her), and averse to the situation (not wanting to be left alone), and angry (with her for making the decision to go out without me).

Because I was jealous and so on I was unhappy. Even when she came home she still seemed unhappy and avoided me.

Then I thought (after I woke up), maybe it's because I was unhappy like that she wanted to go out without me. Who wants to spend time with some unhappy man? Can you even ever satisfy someone who is craving and clinging?

Our relationship would be better if I were happier in myself, more "unconditionally" happy ... or more possessed of equanimity and metta and less of ego and so on. Then when she came home I could say, "Oh, nice to see you, how are you?" and so on and be a better friend.

a commited relationship is bound to have a multitude of attachments

Perhaps it's helpful to distinguish between "attachment" and "responsibility".

For example maybe you have a responsibility to try to help your children, feed and educate them.

When I was first born my father wanted me to grow up to be a good cricket player: that was his ambition, he put a cricket bat in my cradle, etc. I tried cricket a few times (he played) but not very often. It's probably best that he wasn't too "attached" to the idea of me becoming a cricket player.

In this answer yuttadhammo wrote,

  In brief, duty and responsibility should be what dictate our worldly affairs, not concern or care.

advice for marriage partners

In the book I mentioned in this answer the author tries to summarize the Buddha's advice for laypeople. Chapter 6 of that book is about "establishing a marital partnership" and includes the following advice:

For him:

Show respect to her
Refrain from words that might hurt her
Practice faithfulness
Give up dominance
Respect her fondness for beauty

For her:

Work in an organized way
Handle family relationships
Be faithful
Take steps to protect the family wealth
Show skill and energy
Play an active role as his companion and guide

Te book mentions that a lot of Buddhist literature is written by and for monks, and that the role of lay people in society isn't the same as monks'.

Chapter 5 of that book suggests that your partner should be someone who might help your own spiritual progress and life.


There's no question of tolerance or intolerance. Nibbana is non-experiential(Avedeita) peace.


Was the Buddha a bodhisattva (for the benefit of all) before his awakening?

Absolutely he was! In fact, there is no way to become a Buddha without becoming a Bodhisattva first. Numerous Mahayana Sutras attest to this. Without developing the immeasurable compassion of a Bodhisattva there is no way for a sentient being to become a Buddha.

As for the Theravada who do not regard the Mahayana Sutras as authentic Buddhavacana: the Pali canon still has many references to the past lives of the Buddha where he was a Bodhisattva. And they are not all part of the so-called Jataka tales either. See here for many examples.

You can find an example here - AN 5.196 - which is not one of the Jataka tales:

  “When the Tathagata—worthy & rightly self-awakened—was still just an
  unawakened bodhisatta, five great dreams appeared to him. Which five?

  “When the Tathagata—worthy & rightly self-awakened—was still just an
  unawakened bodhisatta, this great earth was his great bed. The
  Himalayas, king of mountains, was his pillow. His left hand rested in
  the eastern sea, his right hand in the western sea, and both feet in
  the southern sea. When the Tathagata—worthy & rightly
  self-awakened—was still just an unawakened bodhisatta, this was the
  first great dream that appeared to him.

Emphasis mine.

And here is the original Pali:

  “Tathāgatassa, bhikkhave, arahato sammāsambuddhassa pubbeva sambodhā
  anabhisambuddhassa bodhisattasseva sato pañca mahāsupinā pāturahesuṃ.
  Katame pañca? Tathāgatassa, bhikkhave, arahato sammāsambuddhassa
  pubbeva sambodhā anabhisambuddhassa bodhisattasseva sato ayaṃ
  mahāpathavī mahāsayanaṃ ahosi, himavā pabbatarājā bibbohanaṃ ahosi,
  puratthime samudde vāmo hattho ohito ahosi, pacchime samudde dakkhiṇo
  hattho ohito ahosi, dakkhiṇe samudde ubho pādā ohitā ahesuṃ.
  Tathāgatassa, bhikkhave, arahato sammāsambuddhassa pubbeva sambodhā
  anabhisambuddhassa bodhisattasseva sato ayaṃ paṭhamo mahāsupino
  pāturahosi.

Emphasis mine again.

Here is another example from the Pali-canon which is not one of the Jataka tales:

  “So it is, Ananda. So it is. Even I myself, before my Awakening, when
  I was still an unawakened Bodhisatta, thought: ‘Renunciation is good.
  Seclusion is good.’ But my heart didn’t leap up at renunciation,
  didn’t grow confident, steadfast, or firm, seeing it as peace. The
  thought occurred to me: ‘What is the cause, what is the reason, why my
  heart doesn’t leap up at renunciation, doesn’t grow confident,
  steadfast, or firm, seeing it as peace?’

Emphasis mine.

And here is the original Pali:

  “Evametaṃ, ānanda, evametaṃ, ānanda. Mayhampi kho, ānanda, pubbeva
  sambodhā anabhisambuddhassa bodhisattasseva sato etadahosi: ‘sādhu
  nekkhammaṃ, sādhu paviveko’ti. Tassa mayhaṃ, ānanda, nekkhamme cittaṃ
  na pakkhandati nappasīdati na santiṭṭhati na vimuccati etaṃ santanti
  passato. Tassa mayhaṃ, ānanda, etadahosi: ‘ko nu kho hetu ko paccayo,
  yena me nekkhamme cittaṃ na pakkhandati nappasīdati na santiṭṭhati na
  vimuccati etaṃ santanti passato’?

And here is yet another one:

  “Bhikkhus, before my enlightenment, while I was still a bodhisatta,
  not yet fully enlightened, it occurred to me: “What now is feeling?
  What is the origin of feeling? What is the way leading to the
  origination of feeling? What is the cessation of feeling? What is the
  way leading to the cessation of feeling? What is the gratification in
  feeling? What is the danger? What is the escape?”

Here is another one:

  ‘Both the quotations you have made, O king, are accurate. But when he
  spoke of Āḷāra Kālāma as his teacher, that was a statement made with
  reference to the fact of his having been his teacher while he (Gotama)
  was still a Bodisat and before he had attained to insight and to
  Buddhahood; and there were five such teachers, O king, under whose
  tuition the Bodisat spent his time in various places—his teachers when
  he was still a Bodisat, before he had attained to insight and to
  Buddhahood. And who were these five?

And another:

  At Sāvatthī. “Mendicants, before my awakening—when I was still
  unawakened but intent on awakening—I thought: ‘What’s the path and
  practice for developing the bases of psychic power?’

Now, why did I emphasize "intent on awakening?" Because, this translation chose to use "intent on awakening" as a substitute for the original Pali which has this:

  Sāvatthinidānaṃ. “Pubbeva me, bhikkhave, sambodhā anabhisambuddhassa
  bodhisattasseva sato etadahosi: ‘ko nu kho maggo, kā paṭipadā
  iddhipādabhāvanāyā’ti?

So I hope you can clearly see that according to both the Mahayana and the Theravada that the Buddha was an unenlightened Bodhisattva before he became the Buddha.

Now, was the Buddha as a Bodhisattva for the benefit of all? Here is a passage from a canonical Pali sutta describing the Bodhisattva Gotama being born into the world for the benefit of all:

  “The Bodhisatta, the foremost jewel, unequaled, has been born for
  welfare & happiness in the human world, in a town in the Sakyan
  countryside, Lumbini. That’s why we’re contented, so wildly elated.
  He, the highest of all beings, the ultimate person, a bull among men,
  highest of all people, will set turning the Wheel [of Dhamma] in the
  forest named after the seers, like a strong, roaring lion, the
  conqueror of beasts.”

And from that same sutta here is the testament to his motivation:

  He, seeing the utmost purity, will set rolling the Wheel of Dhamma
  through sympathy for the welfare of many.

So, to sum up: have no doubt The Buddha was a Bodhisattva who manifested the Mind of Enlightenment - pure Bodhicitta - for the benefit of all before his awakening.


Can/should we actively use thoughts as part of mindful awareness?

Mindfulness (sati) does not mean "awareness" or "observation" of objects.

Mindfulness means to carry or maintain a wise thought or view in the mind.

The original scriptures say:

  One is mindful to abandon wrong view & to enter & remain in right view: This is one's right mindfulness.

  MN 117

  One recollects the Dhamma and thinks it over. Whenever, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu dwelling thus withdrawn recollects that Dhamma and thinks it over, on that occasion the enlightenment factor of mindfulness is aroused by the bhikkhu.

  SN 46.3

For example, if the teaching of non-craving & non-unwholesomeness is maintained in the mind using mindfulness, the mind will be clear & quiet. When the mind is clear & quiet, it will naturally become observant of the breathing without any intention to observe the breathing. However, it is not mindfulness observing the breathing. It is consciousness that observes the breathing. All mindfulness does is keep the mind free from distracting thoughts.

The scriptures (AN 10.58) say all dhamma practises are "governed" by mindfulness. This is the role of mindfulness, namely, to govern practise and keep practise on the right path. Mindfulness does not observe objects. The observing of objects happens automatically because it is the mind's nature to be observant, conscious or aware.


How buddhists see/deal with Gaslighting?

Here's an answer without claiming it's extraordinarily Buddhist.

Buddhism might recommend you be resistant to (or perhaps transparent to) blame and censure.

From two traditions:

Lokavipatti Sutta (AN 8.6)
Eight worldly preoccupations

I think they're also called "eight winds" -- so just let the wind blow through you, as it were, or don't be there for the wind to blow on, might be my advice to you based on my small experience of it.

And the fart is a related story -- trying to explain not being moved by reputation -- though possibly harsh.

That's not to say that you "don't care" -- I think we're warned that people who are "incapable" of remorse will tend towards being ill-behaved.

I think you're supposed to accept the teaching of your teacher perhaps (and/or "spiritual friends"), but perhaps you might be a better judge of your own character and intentions than other people are.

If you want to avoid being gaslit then perhaps "remembering your own virtue" then is important. And then again in this story -- Is That So? -- the question of "Am I the one to blame?" was not the important question.

Another doctrine is that "skilful virtue" on our part should occasion "lack of remorse" and, from there, some joy -- a "lack of remorse" (though not "incapable of remorse") is perhaps a good "defence" against being gas-lit -- except that perhaps it's not a defence (an ego-defence), in the sense that some absence of remorse is non-existent (see e.g. this topic).

People attempt to blame or appear to gaslight "me" on this site, sometimes, I could reference comments as examples. It might help to see that as neither true (it isn't a brilliant description) nor false (they are really saying that at the moment), it's perhaps their "view"? Whether it's even a semi-accurate view is another story, your saying "gaslighting" implies you think it isn't accurate.

But communication problems exist between people. And what people say -- e.g. about relationships and how they perceive you -- might also be based on something like their own experience with their own family and society ... so it isn't always easy to agree with everyone and about everything, and of course people might reach different conclusions when they start from different premises, and when egos become involved.

As for your gaslighting other people I'm not sure why you think you are or want to be doing that at all. It might perhaps be typical of the competitions which people get into -- like "I am superior to you", or, "I am more deserving", see also this answer (about "conceit" and identity view) -- and a reason to be careful of what relationships and personal relationships you engage with -- see also Any authentic sutta from any tradition that gives guidance on what kind of partner to choose?

For more on whether you're gaslighting people try to pay attention to right speech and to not being a sectarian.


The relation between Dhamma and reality itself

Buddha's Dhamma and the Reality is one thing. Why we are facing problems in this world? And why we are running after different things?

It is because we haven't understood the reality of the world.

Different people run after different things (Youngers -> Money, Politicians -> Power, Who-does't-have-water-to-drink -> Water, Mother -> Children, Students -> Knowledge, etc...) They all has one thing in their mind, that is they will get satisfied after they achieved their goal. If you ask from an old person has he/she achieved their goals, they will replying saying Yes, But then if you ask them whether they are Satisfied. They will think twice to answer. Because What they really ran after was, Satisfaction, or Ultimate Satisfaction But they couldn't find the ultimate satisfaction on any of their goals.

(Note: If you are ultimately satisfied of something you don't want to do it any more and you should have the happiness in your mind about it. Isn't it?)

Why? Why they couldn't get satisfied? Because They don't know where they should look for ultimate satisfaction which gives them the ultimate happiness. Then where's that place which will make someone happy forever. Which will make someone stress-free, suffer-free.

Buddha's teaching is to teach us where that ultimate satisfaction / happiness is. If you understand the problem of the world, which I mentioned above, according to the science you will identify there's a problem. And If you follow the path of Buddha you will see that how it can be solved. Basically when you are following the path you will see why we are not satisfied with this world and what's the reason for that. And how the ultimate happiness feels like.

If I answer to the example you gave;

  We can say that the khandhas are not the self, but does that imply
  that there is not self at all? How can we reach that conclusion
  without any doubts?

You can't reach there because that's not the correct Dhamma. In Canon, Cūḷavedalla Sutta  Sakkaya is defined as below. (Please replace the word identity with Sakkaya and read the below) And you will understand that Sakkaya has nothing to do with Self or Identity. These translations doesn't give the exact meaning of Buddha's teaching.

  “Ma’am, they speak of this thing called identity. What is this
  identity that the Buddha spoke of?”

  “Visākha, the Buddha said that these five grasping aggregates are
  identity. That is: form, feeling, perception, choices, and
  consciousness. The Buddha said that these five grasping aggregates are
  identity.”

So instead of trying to conclude with there is not self at all Find Buddha's meaning of Sakkaya Ditti. Because that's the entrance to Buddha's Dhamma.

Update - 1
Based on the comment below part is added. It's hard to say Yes, No as Buddhism is towards the Nivana = Englightment.

Epistemology (Epistemology is the study of the nature of knowledge, justification, and the rationality of belief.) : Yes, Buddhism concerned about this. Because We don't understand the nature of knowledge, justification, and the rationality of belief that's why we are in suffering. The Buddha studied this and understand the nature of how we think towards above factors, and that made him realized the root cause for this Sansara journey.
Ontology (Ontology is the philosophical study of being) : Buddhism explains the existence of the world, the reality of the world, and how beings are related. The main thing Buddhism focus is the reality of the world. While getting there how things are related to each other and how/why that exist are also get explained.
Pragmatism (An approach that evaluates theories or beliefs in terms of the success of their practical application) : In the path to Nivana he / she can evaluate which makes him/her success. Because how Buddha has advised is it's up to us to follow the path getting advises from the teacher which is Dhamma not a person.


Are there different types of emptiness (Śūnyatā)?

In Tibetan Buddhism, emptiness is analyzed in many different ways. Madhyamakavatara by Candrakirti lists 16 types of emptiness. These include emptiness of emptiness, emptiness of the unobservable etc. I will not list them all here, but if you are interested you can find detailed explanations in Chandrakirti's Madhyamakavatara with Commentary by Ju Mipham.

While it is utterly impossible to give justice to such deep subject as emptiness in one answer, let me try and mention the most important points.

First, there are the two types of emptiness that represent the crucial distinction between a beginner practitioner's view and an advanced practitioner's view:

emptiness of self
emptiness of all dharmas

It is said that beginner practitioners ("hinayana") only understand corelessness of beings (anatta), but still assume various stuff to be objectively/ontologically existing. This results in them erroneously reifying such concepts as the five skandhas, 12 nidanas, 4 noble truths, nirvana, and enlightenment. Advanced practitioners ("mahayana") clearly understand that all knowable phenomena without exception are contextually defined composites.

Another classification scheme I like is the one used by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche:

External Emptiness
Internal Emptiness
Absolute Emptiness

External emptiness ("form is emptiness") means: the apparent objects of the so-called physical world are not real entities. There are no real boundaries between objects, and as the time goes and the elements mix and recombine, there are no identities carried over from moment to moment. All objects are imputations of the mind. If we start with any form (a generic object of thought) and engage into analytical decomposition we will never find any stable reference point; everything is defined against of, and in terms of, something else. In other words, phenomenal reality is an illusion, or in modern terminology, what we naively assume to be reality is but an interpretation we make.

Internal emptiness ("emptiness is form") means: and yet, through the power of dependent-coarising, phenomenal reality spontaneously exists. In other words, the illusions are manifestations of the ultimate reality; our mind with its interpretations is a result of beginningless process. Our mind with all its experiences and emotions is but an interplay of forms. So not only all forms are empty imputations of the mind, the mind itself is empty interplay of forms.

Finally, absolute emptiness is the Liberating Realization, what Gotama Buddha called "the final knowledge". According to Chogyam Trungpa, "Absolute emptiness means that there is nothing particularly to do. There is nothing to work on, no one to make a reference point, nothing whatsoever."

Yet another way to explain the same progression is the Four Emptinesses of Completion Stage Meditation:

Emptiness, experienced when the first five consciousnesses (of sense-organ experiences) dissolve into the sixth (the consciousness of mental experiences).
Great Emptiness, experienced when the sixth consciousness dissolves into the seventh (emotional consciousness).
Extreme Emptiness, experienced when the seventh consciousness dissolves into the eighth (ground consciousness).
Total Emptiness, experienced when the eighth consciousness dissolves into primal wisdom.


The sutta says:

  Abiding thus mindful, he investigates and examines that state (dhammaṃ) with wisdom and embarks upon a full inquiry into it. On whatever occasion,
  abiding thus mindful, a bhikkhu investigates and examines that state (dhammaṃ) with wisdom and embarks upon a full inquiry into it—on that occasion
  the investigation-of-states enlightenment factor is aroused in him,
  and he develops it, and by development it comes to fulfilment in him.

The word 'dhammaṃ' above is 'singular' (rather than plural). Therefore, dhammavicayasambojjhaṅgo (the investigation-of-states enlightenment factor) appears to mean examining satisambojjhaṅgo (the mindfulness enlightenment factor) with wisdom.


Is it ok for a Buddhist to participate in a demonstration?

The Buddha himself protested silently on at least two occasions in the Dhp commentary; both relate to his family, though. He never seems to have protested against the cruelty of kings, etc. and his actions seem always to have been in the form of teaching.

A protest is always a showing that you are against something. If you are truly against it, this is paṭigha, or aversion, and it is always unwholesome. In Buddhism we look at the bigger picture, and try to see that samsara as a whole is meaningless. As such, we try to teach all people to give up their unwholesomeness - this means teaching all rather than taking sides. The Buddha was exemplary in this regard, teaching even the basest of human beings and never challenging evil directly.

If the protest is instructional - i.e. a means of reminding certain parties of the error of their ways, then it seems to be reasonable, provided one is an involved party (e.g. a relative or intimate to one party in a conflict).

Finally, one might argue a civic responsibility for lay people - e.g. voting, or even demonstrating simply as a duty (e.g. H. D. Thoreau's Civil Disobedience). As long as one simply sees it as a duty, this seems reasonable.


This is what Sujato has to say;

  No, “gain a footing” is incorrect. Amatogadha is a common term,
  frequently used alongside amatapariyosāna and amataparāyana in the
  sense of ‘culminate, climax, finish’.

  The basic meaning of ogadha is to be grounded or gain a footing, but
  here it clearly has an idiomatic sense. I think the root of the
  metaphor may lie with a boat crossing a river: when it reaches the far
  shore (parāyana) it is beached or grounded. Perhaps we could translate
  something like “gains a safe harbor in the deathless”.

Which is imho not much of substantiation.

As for your inquiry it is somewhat noteworthy that 8 out of 10 points from 10.58 appear in AN 8.83 (which covers the first eight of the ten questions), commentary to the Sutta has it that "all phenomena" (sabbe dhamma) there means the five aggregates. This is important because it comes into play when people express their interpretations where some might say that sabbe dhamma refers to only "wholesome qualities" for example, this has happened.

This is not the only place where this disagreement between translators plays out, there is also AN7.48 wherein the amatogadhā amatapariyosānā occurs as well as sn48.44. It is the same disagreement however if one looks at Bodhi's translations one will see that he has previously translated amatogadha as footing for sn48.44.


Is there something specifically wrong with keeping the 8 precepts as a lay person?

No.

In fact, an anagarika (literally a homeless one) would observe the Eight Precepts on a full time basis, but in addition, would not maintain a lay household i.e. they would live a nomadic lifestyle or live in a monastery.

An anagarika is neither a novice monk (samanera) or a fully ordained monk (bhikkhu), but is a kind of informal state between lay life and novice monk, with far less rigid rules compared to monkhood. For e.g. they can deal with money and perform financial transactions. They can also cook their own meals. Monastic rules related to non-intimate interactions with the opposite sex also do not apply to them.

Usually, those who are interested in becoming monks would be asked to spend some time in a monastery, first as an anagarika, then some more time as a novice monk (who keep the Ten Precepts), before undergoing full ordination.

However, there are some people who have preferred to become full time anagarikas like Anagarika Munindra.

Even if one is not an anagarika, it is still foreseeable that a lay person could keep the Eight Precepts on a full time basis.


Does an arahant ever reveal that he is an arahant?

I think the Buddha said he was an Arahant. The Ariyapariyesana Sutta says,

"Then, wandering by stages, I arrived at Varanasi, at the Deer Park in Isipatana, to where the group of five monks were staying. From afar they saw me coming and, on seeing me, made a pact with one another, (saying,) 'Friends, here comes Gotama the contemplative: living luxuriously, straying from his exertion, backsliding into abundance. He doesn't deserve to be bowed down to, to be greeted by standing up, or to have his robe & bowl received. Still, a seat should be set out; if he wants to, he can sit down.' But as I approached, they were unable to keep to their pact. One, standing up to greet me, received my robe & bowl. Another spread out a seat. Another set out water for washing my feet. However, they addressed me by name and as 'friend.'
"So I said to them, 'Don't address the Tathagata  by name and as "friend." The Tathagata, friends, is a worthy one, rightly self-awakened. Lend ear, friends: the Deathless has been attained. I will instruct you. I will teach you the Dhamma. Practicing as instructed, you will in no long time reach & remain in the supreme goal of the holy life for which clansmen rightly go forth from home into homelessness, knowing & realizing it for yourselves in the here & now.'

The book In the Buddha's Words by Bhikkhu Bodhi translates "is a worthy one" in this sentence as "is an Arahant",

"Thereupon I told them: 'Monks, do not address the Tathagata by name and as "friend." The Tathagata is an Arahant, a Perfectly Enlightened One. Listen, monks, the Deathless has been attained. I shall instruct you, I shall teach you the Dhamma. Practicing as you are instructed, by realizing it for yourselves here and now through direct knowledge you will soon enter and dwell in that supreme goal of the holy life for the sake of which clansmen rightly go forth from the home life into homelessness.'

I suppose the reason was to persuade the five to listen to his teaching, to benefit them.

FYI page 136 of The Patimokkha Training Rules Translated and Explained,

This would have led some people to
remain secretly convinced of Ven. Dabba Mallaputta’s guilt and—because he was
an arahant—would have been for their long-term detriment and harm.

... which might imply that someone who is (secretly or not-so-secretly) against an arahant would be so to their detriment. So might that perhaps be another reason for an aharant's "revelation"?

Page 86 through 98 explains the following rule,

Should any bhikkhu, without direct knowledge, claim a superior human state, a truly
noble knowledge and vision, as present in himself, saying, “Thus do I know; thus do I
see,” such that regardless of whether or not he is cross-examined on a later occasion,
he—being remorseful and desirous of purification—might say, “Friends, not knowing, I
said I know; not seeing, I said I see—vainly, falsely, idly,” unless it was from overestimation,
he also is defeated and no longer in affiliation.

So I suppose the rule is to forbid knowingly lying about it.
There might be another rule for not saying such a thing to a lay person (page 92),

Claiming a superior human state that one mistakenly thinks one
has achieved is no offense under this rule, although if addressed to a lay person
the claim would come under Pc 8.

Note that "superior human state" is not just "being an aharant" but also attainments of jhana, samadhi, fruits of the path, abandoning defilements, being free from hindrances, etc.


I'm looking for the translation of the Dharmaskanda Sutra

If you're referring to the Abhidharmadharmaskandhapādaśāstra, the Sanskrit fragments have been discussed in English in J. Takasaki, Remarks on the Sanskrit Fragments of the Abhidharmadharmaskandhapādaśāstra. JIBS 13,1 (1965) 411-403 <33-41>.


Personally, the relatively few times I have examined Sanskrit, I have found it more useful than the Pali dictionaries. It is important to be aware Buddhism became totally corrupted in India in its attempt probably under King Ashoka to convert India to Buddhism. Straightforward words such as "jati" ("social identity") were changed by the later Buddhists to mean "physical birth"; which, from a Sanskrit perspective, is ridiculous. This ridiculousness was then exported to non-Indian lands, such as Sri Lanka, Burma & Thailand. The Pali dictionaries were far more superstitious than the Sanskrit I have examined. Fortunately, the Dhamma is preserved due to the excellence of the Buddha's teachings. Words are understood in their contextual use (rather than from the Pali dictionaries).


According to Buddhism, how can a woman get a male soul?

Upasaka (lay follower) Lal shared a nice approach on his website: Sexual Orientation – Effects of Kamma and Gathi (Sankhara), Olivia Glad.

Whether one seeks direct liberation or best possible conditions also afterwards, there is only making merits which is conductive.

A short quote from the article:

  One is born male or female due to whether one cultivates “purisa sankhara” or “iththi sankhara” by thinking, speaking, and doing things accordingly. One does not do either punna abhisankhara or apunna abhisankhara here.

A nice approach that might have some personal hints that are maybe not so tasty for moderns, but over all a very releasing work on this most hard opinioned topic.

And a Verse of the Blessed One given in regard of Growth  of female lay disciples (SN 37.4):

  She grows in conviction & virtue,
  discernment, generosity, & learning:
  A virtuous female lay disciple
      such as this
  takes hold of the essence
  right here within herself.

Important for oneself, one thinking "I am a woman", "I am a man", "Neither woman nor man I am", conceit and suffering is not abandoned.

So here a list of some inspirations, "Women and Buddhism", and may Olivia and other be careful not to fall into strong conceit and greed, hatred and delusion in regard of gender and situations which had causes.

Note: This answer is a gift of Dhamma and not meant for commercial purposes or to use the content for other wordily gains.


I want to understand the technicality of rebirth and what happens to conditioned self

The question of how karma works in light of the concept of non-self has been answered several times on this site (see "Related" in the sidebar). That being said, you raise a couple of interesting objections, namely the seemingly impossible jump through time and space.

First, let's be clear. The Buddha never said "there is no self". What he did say is that all things are non-self and that he didn't see any view of self that wouldn't lead to suffering for someone who held it.  This may sound like splitting hairs, but it is important in helping understand the nature of reality, as well as karma and rebirth.

Reality, according to the Buddha, is experience-based; this means that, to some extent, even time and space are dependent on the mind.  This is why body and mind (naama-ruupa) are said to be dependent on consciousness (vi~n~naa.na). Experience doesn't admit of things like "self" or "soul", or "cat" or "dog", for that matter. But it also doesn't admit of existential questions like "is there a self?" The question itself doesn't work in an experiential paradigm, since there is no impersonal spatio-temporal framework in which to place the object in question. "Is there a cat in the room?" requires the existence of a room to make sense.

In fact, experience doesn't admit of continuity, either, which is perhaps more pertinent to your question. The mind only lasts for a moment, being defined as the awareness of a single experience, arising and ceasing with the object of experience. Hearing this, it is common to question how rebirth and karma can therefore have any effect over space-time. Given, however, the premise that reality is based on experience, such questions are a matter of a conflation of paradigms.

Simply put, the mind doesn't move from one place to another, or last from one moment (or life) to another, "place" and "time" are considered a product of experience. An experience of seeing is "real" whether it occurs with eyes opened or closed. The idea that "I am in this room" is only valid in the context of the experiences that give rise to it.

I recently had an opportunity to watch a demo on Occulus Rift, my first experience of virtual reality. It's amazing how easily the mind is completely tricked into thinking that what it sees is "real". But that is the point; it is real, from within an experiential paradigm.

Scientists have done studies wherein they tricked a subject into thinking they were behind themselves, and the subject felt like they were outside their bodies. When sleeping, it is common for people to have out-of-body experiences. Near death, it is common to have OOBEs or or even visions of other worlds or deceased individuals. Some people claim to be visited by people who have recently died, or are on their death bed in far away cities. All of this is anecdotal, but it lends credence to the idea that the mind is at least somewhat independent of space, which from a Buddhist point of view is empirically true.

So, to actually answering your question, how does it work? The mind doesn't travel through space or time, space and time are a product of matter, which in turn is at least somewhat dependent on the mind ("Interdependent with" might be a better description). During life, body and mind work together to create the illusion of an impersonal spatio-temporal reality that is, in reality, made up of a causal framework (i.e. based on cause and effect) of momentary experiences that affect each other and direct one's life according to one's past deeds.

At the moment of death, something weird happens, but not categorically different. "The mind" has been habitually focussed on "the body", meaning that there is a habit for most experiences to occur in a specific locale, dependent on specific stimuli. The body, for all intents and purposes, is more like a prison than a progenitor for the mind. This is why OOBEs are uncommon and NDEs are actually fairly common (~20% by one doctor's estimation). Even still, the mind is capable of procuring visions of far away places and long-lost memories, especially when the body is dormant (i.e. dreaming when asleep).

At the moment of death, however, there is no pull of attraction to the body, so the mind is (mostly) free to wander. Strange things apparently happen after physical death, but eventually the mind states coalesce and decide upon a new object of attachment, usually based on old, engrained habits (humans become humans, etc.). As a result, and based on various karmic qualities, a new path is chosen and set out upon, giving rise to rebirth. This may lead the mind to appear to "travel" thousands or even millions or billions of kilometres in a moment, but what is really happening is that the new physical phenomena are being created by the mind, wherever the mind happens to incline. I.e., the newborn foetus's mind is affected by the prior mind of the being to be born, regardless of "where" that mind occurred.

This concept of "movement" of the mind from one location to another actually occurs all the time; in human life, however, it is loosely limited to the confines of this six-foot frame. The point is, space-time is dependent on matter, not the other way around, and the mind is not entirely dependent on either (being able to remember past (and present) lives and even have visions of the future). This doesn't mean that the mind is entirely free to do as it chooses, it just means that it is confined to a different set of laws, ones that don't preclude the potential for it to arise in conjunction with physical phenomena in diverse reaches of the physical universe.

Interestingly, there are stories in the texts of rebirth-preparatory matter arising before one's mental relocation; mansions arising spontaneously in heaven to await their master who is busy doing good deeds on Earth, for example. This only presents difficulty if we are stuck in a spatio-temporal, impersonal paradigm for reality, which from a Buddhist point of view is absolutely false.

Karma is far more complex, but not difficult to understand in principle. The interactions between streams of conscious experience is causal as well, and leads beings to be reborn in connection with other beings who share their karmic histories, simply based on the energy of their past interactions, similar to the complex attractions and repulsions between physical particles. So, fifty years later, something you did in a past life might come back to kick you in the pants, just like a rock you throw away from the Earth can come back to hit you on the head. More importantly, everything we do at every moment has the potential to affect the immediate direction of the individual, meaning karma is very much about momentary causality, rather than future incidental results.

Sorry for the length, but I think this is actually a very important issue; what seems like a bit of tangential dilemma from a practical meditative point of view turns out to be a crucial sticking point towards proper understanding of reality and giving up views of self. Ultimately, however, you can only really understand these concepts by meditation on experiential reality; be reassured, however, that that is all it takes - no abstract ratiocination required :)


This article Ministering to the Sick and the Terminally Ill contains examples (references to suttas and the vinaya), certainly of caring for or ministering to people who are physically unwell.

There are also some accounts of people being "healed": see for example the paragraphs which begin,

  It seems that those who are highly developed mentally are able to suppress illness ...

See also the paragraph which begins,

  The advice given by Nakulamata to Nakulapita ...


There is this section on being a warrior regarding right livelihood.

Right Livelihood : samma ajivo
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-ajivo/

Considering becoming a soldier? You may want to reconsider...

Then Yodhajiva the headman went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there he said to the Blessed One: "Lord, I have heard that it has been passed down by the ancient teaching lineage of warriors that 'When a warrior strives & exerts himself in battle, if others then strike him down & slay him while he is striving & exerting himself in battle, then with the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in the company of devas slain in battle.' What does the Blessed One have to say about that?"

"Enough, headman, put that aside. Don't ask me that."

A second time... A third time Yodhajiva the headman said: "Lord, I have heard that it has been passed down by the ancient teaching lineage of warriors that 'When a warrior strives & exerts himself in battle, if others then strike him down & slay him while he is striving & exerting himself in battle, then with the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in the company of devas slain in battle.' What does the Blessed One have to say about that?"

"Apparently, headman, I haven't been able to get past you by saying, 'Enough, headman, put that aside. Don't ask me that.' So I will simply answer you. When a warrior strives & exerts himself in battle, his mind is already seized, debased, & misdirected by the thought: 'May these beings be struck down or slaughtered or annihilated or destroyed. May they not exist.' If others then strike him down & slay him while he is thus striving & exerting himself in battle, then with the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in the hell called the realm of those slain in battle. But if he holds such a view as this: 'When a warrior strives & exerts himself in battle, if others then strike him down & slay him while he is striving & exerting himself in battle, then with the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in the company of devas slain in battle,' that is his wrong view. Now, there are two destinations for a person with wrong view, I tell you: either hell or the animal womb."

When this was said, Yodhajiva the headman sobbed & burst into tears. [The Blessed One said:] "That is what I couldn't get past you by saying, 'Enough, headman, put that aside. Don't ask me that.'"

"I'm not crying, lord, because of what the Blessed One said to me, but simply because I have been deceived, cheated, & fooled for a long time by that ancient teaching lineage of warriors who said: 'When a warrior strives & exerts himself in battle, if others then strike him down & slay him while he is striving & exerting himself in battle, then with the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in the company of devas slain in battle.'

— SN 42.3


Many working artists are also Buddhists. A number of high profile creative people such as Leonard Cohen, Herbie Hancock and Steve Jobs are Buddhists. See Wikipedia's long list of celebrity Buddhists, many of whom work in creative industries.

Most people report that creativity increased after taking up meditation. At least one scientific study reported that meditation enhances creativity. The Huffington Post has reported much the same news.

Buddhist practice requires not just moment to moment awareness, but also considerable continuity of purpose. If one emphasises only the former then one is unlikely to make much progress. It's a bit like walking downstairs and forgetting why you went down there.

So there seems to be no reason to think that being a practising Buddhist would "kill creativity". And no reason to think you cannot balance being a practising Buddhist and a creative artist. I personally know at least a dozen people who do just this.


Metta is to be friendly. If one is friendly to people without discrimination them you are developing compassion. This element does not need meditation but meditation can also be used to develop it.

What Metta meditation tries to do is to:

adjust one's perception, thoughts and views so one does not discriminate against a class of beings or particular beings - one may be classified living being as: me, friendly, indifferent, foes or any other classification and draw boundaries and identify certain attributes one favours or disfavors. Metta breaks the discrimination due to classification, attributes or groupings so one can be friendly to any being.
develop friendly thoughts


There's the Milinda Panha. It records a dialogue between the Buddhist sage Nāgasena, and the Indo-Greek king Menandernda_Panha). English Translation available here. It's not considered a core text by all Buddhist disciplines, but it is one of the oldest surviving apologetic dialogues between Buddhism and Hinduism.

Another interesting text is the Buddhist critique of the Advaita Vedanta as explained in Michael Myers' Comparative Theology


In Buddhism it is recognized that mind is not static, it's not like a lense that can be focused. Mind is something that unfolds, moment after moment. If you sit down and watch your mind unfold for a while (an exercise called meditation) you can notice that the state of mind flows from current to next through its associations in memory (plus distractions from the senses).

One simple way to achieve concentration (after calming down and reducing inner and outer distractions) is to condition this associating process to come back with questions and thoughts about the same "thing", instead of it coming back with other related topics. Basically, you can keep asking yourself questions about the object, and for each question instead of answering from memory you should come back to the object and reexamine it.

This is not really a one pointed concentration yet though, just regular meditation on a given topic. To achieve real one pointed concentration you need to shift attention from object itself to the image of object in your mind. If you look very carefully, you can see that the image of the object in your mind is never complete, it only has one-two elements or attributes of the object at any given time, not all at once. In fact, if you pay attention you can see how your mind is hard at work assembling the experience of the object from its multiple attributes by cycling through them.

If at this moment, when seeing this cyclic assembly process, you shift your attention from the image of the object to mind itself, while letting it continue doing its assembly thing, you will have achieved one-pointed concentration.


Looking for a Buddhist Monastery in UK, Ireland, Scotland or Australia - All traditions are welcome

Forest Sangha United Kingdom branches - Amaravati, Cittaviveka, etc.


In the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta, the Buddha teaches how a practitioner should dwell with (right) mindfulness of body and mind;

  (The Four Postures)

  “Again, bhikkhus, when walking, a bhikkhu understands: ‘I
  am walking’; when standing, he understands: ‘I am standing’;
  when sitting, he understands: ‘I am sitting’; when lying
  down, he understands: ‘I am lying down’; or he understands
  accordingly however his body is disposed.

  -- MN 9: Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta, p. 146 - (Bodhi, Trans.)

and

  (Contemplation of Mind)

  “And how, bhikkhus, does a bhikkhu abide contemplating
  mind as mind? Here a bhikkhu understands mind affected
  by lust as mind affected by lust, and mind unaffected by lust as
  mind unaffected by lust. He understands mind affected by hate
  as mind affected by hate, and mind unaffected by hate as mind
  unaffected by hate. He understands mind affected by delusion
  as mind affected by delusion, and mind unaffected by delusion
  as mind unaffected by delusion. He understands contracted
  mind as contracted mind, and distracted mind as distracted
  mind. He understands exalted mind as exalted mind, and unexalted
  mind as unexalted mind. He understands surpassed mind
  as surpassed mind, and unsurpassed mind as unsurpassed
  mind. He understands concentrated mind as concentrated
  mind, and unconcentrated mind as unconcentrated mind. He
  understands liberated mind as liberated mind, and unliberated
  mind as unliberated mind.

  -- MN 9: Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta, p. 150 - (Bodhi, Trans.)

It is taught that one should be mindful of whatever phenomena arises in the body and mind.

Insight-meditationally speaking this means that one should take whatever physical or mental object that arises and cultivate insight from it. If a feeling of anger arises, one takes that feeling as an object. If aversion towards that feeling of anger arises, one takes the aversion as an object and so forth.

One practices to realize the Three Characteristics of Existence; "impermanence, unsatisfactoriness and uncontrollability". All conditioned phenomena are subject to these three characteristics. They are also the 3 gateways to Liberation as taught in the Visuddhimagga;

  [The Triple Gateway To Liberation]

  It enters upon the state of the triple gateway to liberation now with the
  predominance of [one of] three faculties according as the contemplation occurs
  in [one of] the three ways.
  For it is the three contemplations that are called the three gateways to liberation, according as it is said: “But these three gateways to liberation lead to the outlet from the world, [that is to say,]

  (i) to the seeing of all formations as limited and circumscribed
  and to the entering of consciousness into the signless element,

  (ii) to the stirring up of the mind with respect to all formations and to the entering of consciousness into
  the desireless element,

  (iii) to the seeing of all things (dhamma) as alien and to the
  entering of consciousness into the voidness element. These three gateways to
  liberation lead to the outlet from the world”.

  -- Visuddhimagga: The Path of Purification, p. 685-88, by Ven. Buddhaghosa


In my opinion commentaries and sub commentaries are important. Even the Tipitaka is a tabulation by certain Arahants.
In any case, I ask a similar question in the Dhamma Wheel.

https://dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=35754


What is the Pali word for mundane knowledge ?

Lokīya ñāṇa, as opposed to lokuttara ñāṇa (supramundane knowledge)


So Radha is asking kimatthiya --

“But sir, what is the purpose of extinguishment?”
“Nibbānaṃ pana, bhante, kimatthiyan”ti?

That is kim plus atthiya
So asking "kimatthiya?" is like asking, "Nibbana is with the intention of satisfying a desire for what beyond nibbana?"
The question implies that nibbana is a stepping-stone to something else -- like a way of getting from here to somewhere else.
But it isn't -- instead it's the destination, the end-result, the goal.
I think that's explained in the Uṇṇābhabrāhmaṇa Sutta (SN 51.15)

“The purpose of living the spiritual life under the Buddha, brahmin, is to give up desire.”
“But is there a path and a practice for giving up that desire?”
“There is.”
“What is that path?”
“It’s when a mendicant develops the basis of psychic power that has immersion due to enthusiasm … energy … mental development … inquiry, and active effort. This is the path and the practice for giving up that desire.”
“This being the case, Master Ānanda, the path is endless, not finite. For it’s not possible to give up desire by means of desire.”
“Well then, brahmin, I’ll ask you about this in return, and you can answer as you like. What do you think, brahmin? Have you ever had a desire to walk to the park, but when you arrived at the park, the corresponding desire faded away?”
“Yes, sir.”


Why activity makes me material & full of desires?

What really matters for a lay person as per Buddhist teaching is whether you are at least a Sotapanna which assures you the enlightenment withing seven births. As far as you have the right livelyhood you do not have to worry being materialistic and being rich.


If you find some motivation then there are worldly practices to cultivate motivation.
 When the beginners enthusiasm wore off I just googled how to get motivated. Like how to keep to a schedual. You can trick yourself. You just schedule a sit for only 2 minutes. That's easy to actually do and then when you sit you often will have more momentum past 2 minutes. Then you keep doing it and grow a habit and gradually increase your time. This is just an example. There are different ways to be unmotivated.

You can chant up some motivation.
   Read inspirational quotes over and over.
   There are all kinds of little practices.


Yes, most Buddhists do believe that the Bodhisatta walked 7 steps immediately after being born and also believe in the miracles mentioned in the scriptures literally. Within this group some believe the details of miracles in scriptures  word for word and others may say certain descriptions might be embellished.

Then there are others who like to call themselves Buddhists, but reject all supernatural aspects of Buddhism and try to map it all to the ordinary, either symbolically or giving different meanings to the words. When that task proves too difficult, they usually say it's not the teaching of the Buddha.


Do you know of a Buddhist text explaining why living in a community?

the question is why to live in community. a little effort to answer has arisen out by a slight thought giving and personal experience. we are very unfortunate not having buddha among us . if he would have been then without asking whether it is need to live in community or not , we would have gone with him .thanks to his magnetism and charisma. then how we would go to live in community?. buddha has said that his teachings will be the guide/lighthouse in place of him after his mahaparinirvana. so we have now option of understanding/studying/practicing his teachings. even though we are kicked by life so many times we dont understand its futility. we think everything as  permanent . . with this understanding if we go to any commune, we will play there also with all our weapons i.e greed,anger,hatred etc. so as per my experience it is worthy to be in community membered by like minded members only after having experiential understanding of anitya  /impermanence by practising the teaching of buddha . otherwise the community becomes a sort of resort with some sort of resort having some sorts of disciplines of getting up from bed, eating timings etc etc.


Is it possible to adhere to the practices and beliefs of both Buddhist and Christianity?

It is not possible to be both a Buddhist and a Christian because Buddhism teaches all things without exception are 'anatta' ('not-self') & 'the elements' ('dhatu') as its core & fundamental principle; where as Christianity includes 'self' in the form of Christ & The Father as a core principle.

In other words, Buddhism is strictly 'impersonal' where as Christianity is 'personal', where salvation is based on a personal relationship between the 'small-self' & a personal god (Christ & The Father).

For example, Matthew 16:25 states:

  Whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.

Luke 23:42 states:

  Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom!” And Jesus said to him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with Me in
  Paradise.”…

Buddhism explains there are many types of liberation/salvation of mind (MN 43), which include liberation via loving-kindness & liberation via emptiness of self, the later being the foremost & unshakeable.

  He keeps pervading above, below & all around, everywhere & in every respect the all-encompassing world with an awareness imbued with good
  will (loving-kindness): abundant, expansive, immeasurable, free from hostility, free
  from ill will... This is called the immeasurable mind-release.

  And what is the emptiness mind-release? There is the case where a monk, having gone into the wilderness, to the root of a tree, or
  into an empty dwelling, considers this: 'This is empty of self or of
  anything pertaining to self.'

  Now, to the extent that there is immeasurable mind-release, the unprovoked mind-release is declared the foremost. And this
  unprovoked mind-release is empty of passion, empty of aversion,
  empty of delusion.

  MN 43

Christianity is merely liberation via loving-kindness where as Buddhism is liberation via emptiness of self.

Also, Christianity teaches salvation is 'Eternal Life' where as Buddhism teaches salvation is 'dispassion' that occurs via the realisation of impermanence & not-self. In other words, Christianity is a doctrine of 'Eternalism' (the belief a self exists after death), which is a wrong view in Buddhism; where as Buddhism is a doctrine of impermanence.

In its most esoteric interpretation (which is rejected by most Christians), Christianity is 'mysticism' where as Buddhism is 'straightforward'.

Jesus said he taught using parables to hide teachings & the New Testament is replete with the language of metaphor, which results in most Christians being unable to discern between the literal & metaphorical.

Where as the Buddha taught straightforwardly & plainly, with key terms explicitly defined.

Also, Christianity is fatally connected to the Old Testament of Judaism, which allows killing in many circumstances, such as war & heresy. This is why Christianity has had many Inquisitions.

In conclusion, Buddhism states it is "impossible" for a person of right view to take refuge in another teacher, thus it is not possible to be both a Buddhist and a Christian.

Since Buddhism states: "‘It is impossible, it cannot happen that two Accomplished Ones, Fully Enlightened Ones, could arise contemporaneously in one world-system", the view of Buddhism is those teachings of Jesus that are similar to Buddhism have their source in Buddhism. Therefore, the Buddha is the teacher & Jesus is the student.

  He understands: ‘It is impossible, it cannot happen that a person possessing right view could acknowledge another teacher ― there is no
  such possibility.’ And he understands: ‘It is possible that an
  ordinary person might acknowledge another teacher ― there is such a
  possibility.’

  He understands: ‘It is impossible, it cannot happen that two Accomplished Ones, Fully Enlightened Ones, could arise
  contemporaneously in one world-system ― there is no such possibility.’
  And he understands: ‘It is possible that one Accomplished One, a Fully
  Enlightened One, might arise in one world-system ― there is such a
  possibility.

  MN 115


Is it necessary for a Buddhist to believe that existence is suffering?

The gateway premise is not that "existence is suffering", it is that "something is wrong here". In other words, if you are perfectly satisfied with everything (are you?), if you are clear about the purpose of life, if you are a master in dealing with all possible kinds of situations -- then there is no reason for you to look out for anything at all, be it wisdom or liberation. If that is the case, then you are in a temporary heavenly state (to use Buddhist metaphorical language, wink-wink), which temporarily precludes any motivation to set on a spiritual quest to get to the bottom of things.

However, if you feel that you are not living the life you should be living, if you clearly see society as fundamentally messed-up, and are not willing to be complacent about that, if you are haunted by the underlying feeling of wrongness, of incompleteness, if you feel that something is missing - then obviously you will be very motivated to seek a solution!

Even if life is relatively good - still, if you are any attentive and smart, you may find yourself not being satisfied with superficial success, with solving problems at superficial level -- instead you may want to take a step back and solve the underlying problem, and the problem underlying the underlying problem, and the problem underlying that problem, and so on - you want to get leverage over things, you want to find the fundamental solution, the universal principle... You have a sense that the way you deal with things, however well, still leaves something to be desired - but what?

This feeling of deep buried wrongness, of aching incompleteness, of fundamental restlessness, of subtle unsatisfactoriness - that's what we're talking about here. This is where Buddhism begins: "something is wrong here". This is known as "the ground". You begin with what you have right here and now, the feeling of underlying incompleteness - and you are determined to not stop until you solve this most fundamental of all problems. The having solved the problem is known as "the fruition". And the steps from here to there are called "the path". These are the basic rules of the game. Makes sense, huh? :)


Is there a tradition or practice involving fasting in Buddhism or Buddhist countries?

In Tibetan Buddhism there is a special practice called Nyungne. Essentially it is a practice on Thousand-Armed Chenrezig who is the embodiment of loving kindness and active compassion (the active aspect is represented by his standing not sitting posture, see the picture below).

The practice is done in retreat settings usually for 2,5 - 3 days. From the day one the practitioners refrain from talking and from the day two they fast and do a number of meditation sessions per day, all focused on Chenrezig. I've been told that it should done with someone who has a direct transmission on this practice and who can give fine details about it. Overall, I know many Western practitioners who took part in such retreats so it is definitely not an old-forgotten, exotic ritual.

In general, Nyungne is a purifying practice on the level of body, speech and mind and helps to nurture compassion and loving kindness towards all the sentient beings.


Dealing with angriness or sadness that comes up with "meditation"

How to deal with it without being ashamed of such feelings?

There's nothing wrong with feeling shame. How to deal with it? From a Buddhist point of view, you should practice meditation, and in my opinion, Vipassana meditation.

By doing so you will come to terms with these feelings as they arise and they will no longer effect you in such a way, and by the sound if it, you will also be able to come to terms with this aversion you've built up to the intense experiences of pain you had in the past, which may have had some role to play in leading to your present experiences of anger and depression.

Here is a brief article on pain and how meditation can help you come to terms with it: http://www.shinzen.org/Articles/artPain.pdf

And here is a good talk from a Buddhist point of view on the experience of pain and how it can be useful for us: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BldDclolLCg

In any case, I would suggest you shift your focus from the healing of your knee, to the healing of your mind, as that is where both these negative emotions are arising, and the suffering from the pain in your knee. We dont always have a choice in experiencing pain, but suffering because of it is a choice. Best of luck.


I suppose you can separate mother and father into those of nature and those of nurture. Whoever provides the genetic code becomes the natural parent, whoever raises the kid becomes the nurturing parent. I wouldn't place much value on the code though - the seriousness of the act of killing a parent is probably more tied to the fact that they have devoted a large fraction of their lives to the rasing of a child.


Object of Focus for Mindfulness (Non-judgment)

How one can be aware without any object? To be aware or mindful means to be aware/mindful of something, isn't it? Therefore, in the context of Buddhist meditation one can choose an object like breath or body and fix attention on it or be aware of it, while it changes from moment to moment (in-breath/out-breath, body sensations etc.). One can also be aware of the "present moment", which means not focusing on anything specific, but maintaining open field of awareness and registering whatever enters that field (again: breath, body sensations, but also sounds, thoughts, emotions, internal commentator, smells, tastes etc.). Anything that natural flow of our everyday experience brings to us. And then comes in the other element you mentioned, our reactions to these experiences, which can also be an object of our non-judgemental awareness. Observing these reactions is much more beneficial than focusing only on the experiences of the so called first order. By becoming aware of these reactions we first of all see which one of them increase our frustration and which one contribute to our inner peace. By learning that, we can slowly start changing these reactions and thus transforming our life.


Vesak 2561/2017 TODAY Where in western world can traditional & benefical celebrations be aspected?

For this Vesak, I will be going to the Mahamevanawa Buddhist Monastery & Buddha Meditation Centre of Greater Toronto. On this day I, together with 300+ others will be observing 24+ Uposatha Sil. Buddha recommended that the disciples follow additional precepts to the first 5 precepts whenever time permits. These are known as the Uposatha Precepts, or simply the Eight Precepts. They are traditionally observed on the full-moon days (uposatha). This give us the opportunity to practice some of the renunciation that those who follow the Buddha’s teaching to the highest goal of enlightenment give up completely. So when we spend time following these training rules, we can remember that we are imitating these great spiritual beings. It is said that:

  Whatever wealth exists within this sphere— pearls, gems, and beryl, an excellent stone, singi gold or natural mountain gold, and the gold called hataka— those are not worth a sixteenth part of an uposatha complete in the eight factors, just as all the hosts of stars do not match the moon's radiance.  - Visakha Uposatha Sutta (Numerical Discourses, AN 8:43)

On this day I will participate in a special “Pirith Sajgayana” (recitation) that will last till dawn. We normally get together at least once every month to chant Pirith (from 7.00 pm to past midnight usually & covering all of the important suttas) to help turn away all sorrows, (sabba dukkha), ailments, (sabba roga), and all fears ( sabba bhaya).

The Supreme Buddha said, “One who abides in the Dhamma, delights in the Dhamma, meditates on the Dhamma and bears the Dhamma well in mind, does never fall away from the Sublime Dhamma". By reciting Pirith we do all of the above and help invoke the blessings of the Triple Gem for protection.

On this Vesak Day we celebrate three great events. These three great events in the life of the Buddha are - the birth of Prince Sidhartha, the Bodhisatva at the Royal Park of Lumbini, His attainment of the Perfect Enlightenment in his 35th year under the shade of Sri Maha Bodhi at Buddha Gaya, His demise after a noble ministry that lasted 45 years at Kusinara in the Sala Grove, Upavartana that belonged to Royalty of Malla. These 3 events occured on the Vesak Full Moon Poya Day. It is renowned as the most sacred Poya Day in the Buddhist world over.

There is an additional Vesak Poya called "Adhi Vesak Full Moon Poya Day" that occurs once in 3 years, due to the change of planetary movements. Whether it is Wesak or Adhi Wesak, or any other day, the need of the hour is to follow the Message of the Buddha Dhamma. The knowledge of Buddhism is the key to the higher Path.

Mahamevnawa was established by much venerated monk, Ven. Kiribathgoda Gnanananda (VKG). He was not born Buddhist. Baptized as Jude Cabraal, born on 1st July 1961, he was the third child & the first son of the Roman Catholic family. When in University (age 17?) he became a monk. But his higher ordination, his disillusion of a namesake ordination made him opt out to become a Samanera again, since the Vinaya is not given a due prominence. He de-robed, misguided that his search for truth can be achieved as a lay “Upasaka”. Later he became a monk again, portraying his unwavering resolve to achieve his final goal. Today the Mahamevnawa Buddhist Monastery, that he formed has several branches in the Western World. Given below is a list of most of them:

Mahamevnawa Buddhist Monastery Toronto, Canada.  - 11175 Kennedy Road , Markham , Ontario , L6C 1P2 Canada   Tel: (905) 927 7117  E-mail: info@mahamevnawa.ca

Mahamevnawa Buddhist Nuns' Center and Meditation Center of Halton Hills. 9148 MAIN STREET SOUTH, ACTON, HALTON HILLS, ONTARIO, L7J 1X9. Canada.

Mahamevnawa Buddhist Monastery Edmonton, Canada. 13036 SHERBROOKE AVE NW, EDMONTON, AB T5L 4E8.

Buddha Meditation Centre Saskatoon, Saskatoon, Canada. 602 Stonebridge Common, Saskatoon SK S7T 0M9. Telephone: (306) 374-2840, Email: info@mahamevnawasaskatoon.com

Buddha Meditation Centre, Winnipeg, Canada. 2610 St Mary’s Road, Winnipeg, MB R2N 4A2

Mahamevnawa Meditation Monastery, Offenbach, Germany

Mahamevnawa Monastery, Sydney, Australia 105, Wisemans Ferry Road,
Cattai NSW 2756 Australia. +61 245 728 872

Mahamevnawa Monastery, Melbourne, Australia 71 Monbulk Road,
Mount Evelyn, VIC 3796  +61 03 9736 3937

Mahamevnawa Buddhist Monastery, Adelaide, Australia 1105, Grand Junction Road,
Hope Valley, SA 5090. +61 08 8364 4879

Mahamevnawa Monastery,  UK Dhamma land, Hardings Elms Road
Crays Hill, BILLERICAY, Essex CM11 2UH.  01268 533870.. Web    mahamevnawaimc.org;
mahamevnawaimc.co.uk;  mahamevnawa.uk;  buddhameditation.uk;  Email  admin@mahamevnawaimc.org

Mahamevnawa Monastery, New Jersey, United States

Mahamevnawa Monastery, California, USA 9917, Mission Blvd, Jurupa Valley, CA 92509
Phone: 714 884 3894

Mahamevnawa Monastery, Florida, USA. 2714 DOERUN CT, TAMPA, FL 33618
(813) 961-5296

Mahamevnawa Monastery, Washington D.C., USA 5004 Stone Rd, Rockville, MD 20853, USA

Mahamevnawa Monastery, Ireland

Mahamevnawa Monastery, France 6 bis Rue Maurice Laisney, 92600 Asnières-sur-Seine.  +33 9 70 99 46 65


Were the Buddha's earliest followers bhikkhus?

There are 4

Bhikkhu - Male monk
Bhikkhuni - Female nun
Upasaka - Lay male follower
Upasika - Lay female follower

Also note that in the Suttas all of the above are referred as Bhikkhus in addressing.


Well this form of meditation is not well established or part of the more common meditation object but Bhanthe Vimalasiri does teach forgiveness meditation. The instructions are here: http://www.dhammasukha.org/forgiveness-meditation.html


Nirvana is the ground layer underneath them all

1. Does the notion "Nirvana is the ground layer" come from Mahayana? From which Mahayana subschool or text?

Yes. Well, they don't call it "Nirvana" - because they think this word got spoiled by abuse and acquired a dualistic meaning (as the opposite of Samsara). Instead, they simply call it "The Ground of All", "The Absolute", "The Unity of Relative and Absolute" etc.

This is certainly a well-known feature of Tibetan Buddhist lineages in Karma Kagyu and Nyungma schools that adhere to the so-called Shentong interpretation of Emptiness:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ground_(Dzogchen)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rangtong-Shentong

  Shentong was systematized and articulated under that name by Dolpopa Sherab Gyaltsen (1292–1361), who identified absolute reality with the Buddha-nature.

...

  The earliest shentong views are usually asserted to have been presented in a group of treatises variously attributed jointly to Asanga and Maitreyanātha, especially in the treatise known as the Unsurpassed Continuum (Uttaratantraśāstra, also called the Ratnagotravibhāga),[22] and in a body of Mādhyamaka treatises attributed to Nāgārjuna (e.g., the Dharmadhātustava, "In praise of the Dharmadhatu").

...

  Rigpa has two aspects, namely kadag and lhun grub. Kadag means "purity" or specifically "primordial purity". Lhun grub in Tibetan normally implies automatic, self-caused or spontaneous actions or processes. As quality of rigpa it means "spontaneous presence". It may also mean "having a self-contained origin", being primordially Existent, without an origin, self-existent.

...

  Buddha-nature is immaculate. It is profound, serene, unfabricated suchness, an uncompounded expanse of luminosity; nonarising, unceasing, primordial peace, spontaneously present nirvana.

...

  The practical training of the Dzogchen path is traditionally, and most simply, described [as:] To see directly the Absolute state, the Ground of our being is the View; the way of stabilising that view, and making it an unbroken experience is Meditation; and integrating the View into our entire reality, and life, is what is meant by Action.

In Chan and Zen schools this is generally discussed under the heading of Buddha Nature and "One's True Nature":

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddha-nature

  ... the ultimate universal ground also has always been with the Buddha-Essence (Tathagatagarbha), and this essence in terms of the universal ground has been taught by the Tathagata. The fools who do not know it, because of their habits, see even the universal ground as (having) various happiness and suffering and actions and emotional defilements. Its nature is pure and immaculate, its qualities are as wishing-jewels; there are neither changes nor cessations. Whoever realizes it attains Liberation

...

  This "dharma of the one mind", which is the "original tathagatagarbha", is said to be "calm and motionless" [...] The tathagatagarbha is equated with the "original edge of reality" (bhutakoti) that is beyond all distinctions - the equivalent of original enlightenment, or the essence.

2. Does the Pali Canon support the notion that "Nirvana is the ground layer"? Does this relate to "amatogadha" some how? What's that?

I believe it does. There are many pointers spread around Dependent Origination teachings, and all the descriptions of Nibbana, with references like amatogadha and amata-dhatu, the Buddha's story about him getting "to the end of the world" etc.

3. The ground layer concept sounds similar to luminous mind. However, we know that Nirvana is unconditioned, while the luminous mind is conditioned. Does this "Nirvana is the ground layer" concept connect to the luminous mind in any way?

I don't know why you say "we know" that luminous mind is conditioned. In Mahayana, the fundamental luminosity of mind is considered unconditioned (see Rigpa, Clear Light).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rigpa
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luminous_mind#Vajrayana

  In Tibetan Buddhist Dzogchen literature, luminosity ('od gsal) is associated with an aspect of the Ground termed "spontaneous presence" (Lhun grub), meaning a presence that is uncreated and not based on anything causally extraneous to itself. This term is often paired with 'original-purity' (ka dag), which is associated with emptiness (shunyata), and are both seen as inseparable aspects of the Ground.


According to my understanding you can learn and start meditation (Samatha or Vipassana) using books and online videos. Of course there are some meditation practices which will be better to learn with a real teacher. Apart form that specially when you have any practical questions or troubles with the meditation or the practice, it is really helpful to get some advice from an experienced teacher.

Further, when you learn by yourself make sure to refer some credible resource (books or online videos) as there are a lot of verities available nowadays. Hope this helps.


Where in the Pali Canon are there Discussions on Reanimated Corpse?

The following appears in the Patika Sutta, DN 24:1.7-10 (iii 8-10) (Walshe, Long Discourses of the Buddha, pp. 373f):

  "The Buddha invites Sunakkhatta to verify this [referring to Korakkhattiya's rebirth as an asura) for himself, which he
  does by performing an act of what amounts to necromancy—the magical
  art of divining using corpses—with the corpse of Korakkhattiya, which
  he finds thrown aside on a heap of grass in a charnel ground. Striking
  the body three times with his hand, Sunakkhatta cries out, “Friend
  Korakkhattiya, do you know your fate?” The corpse sits up, rubs his
  back with his hand, and says, “Friend Sunakkhatta, I know my fate. I
  have been reborn among the Kalakanja asuras.” The corpse then falls
  back, dead once more. This type of divination was reputedly performed
  by witches and sorcerers in Europe during the Middle Ages, and is
  clearly a universal archetype. Afterward, the Buddha reminds
  Sunakkhatta of his complaint that the Buddha has not performed a
  miracle. Sunakkhatta admits that he has, and leaves the sangha in
  disgrace." (Duncan, Conversations with the Buddha, pp. 268f.).


Who said "cease to do evil learn to do good purify the heart"?


What is the physics of the 'phenomena' of Nirvana?

In the case of the human mind (or any kind of mind), we're not talking as much about physics as about cognitive functions and the capacity for interpretation.

Chemistry emerges from Physics and physical phenomena; Biology emerges from chemistry; cognitive functions emerge from biology; language emerge from cognitive function; society emerge from language, and so on. Can we explain society just from laws of physics? The more complex are the new emergent processes, the less useful is to use "basic" laws to explain such new complex phenomena.

"Mind" is a term we use to describe and group all the processes that allow us to build interpretations about the world from sense-data, in orden to make some sense from it and to adapt to the ever changing world.

Emotions and mind-states in general are habitual responses that arise from how the mind has learnt to react under determined circumstances. And those reactions come from the nature of the interpretation built previously in the mind.

We have learnt to control and arrange in specific ways the conditions of the world in order to receive and specific kind of sense-data; namely, that which we perceive as desirable. Also, the opposite is true: we want to put away any part of the sense-data that might be perceived as undesirable.

The Buddhist Path is a gradual training for elininating cognitive ignorance and wrong interpretations about the world and reality, in order to eradicate the habitual emotional and mind-states reactions that lead to insatisfaction and suffering.

Nibbana is the state where, to be at peace, there's no need for an specific set of sense-data information. No matter what enters through the sense-doors, emotions and mind-states will no give rise to insatisfaction, because there's no need to arrange and control the world and the input of sense-data that comes from it. In other words, craving for sense-data and craving for specific states of the idea of the self are uprooted. Nibbana is peace without conditions.

Kind regards!


Through a search I've found use of releasing lanterns to be common in a few Buddhist areas that host both traditions. In Burma (Myanmar) there is the Tazaungdaing festival, which is celebrated as a national holiday and marks the end of the rainy season. It also marks the end of the Kathina, during which monks are offered new robes and alms.

Most of them sound like lay practice to me. Many countries traditionally celebrate with balloon lanterns.
Is there a specific festival you are referring to?


practicing the brahma viharas in meditation

Thanissaro Bhikkhu said the other Brahma viharas are applications of Metta, and that is why Metta is the core focus in the practice.

  Of these four emotions, goodwill (metta) is the most fundamental. It's
  the wish for true happiness, a wish you can direct to yourself or to
  others. Goodwill was the underlying motivation that led the Buddha to
  search for awakening and to teach the path to awakening to others
  after he had found it.

  The next two emotions in the list are essentially applications of
  goodwill. Compassion (karuna) is what goodwill feels when it
  encounters suffering: It wants the suffering to stop. Empathetic joy
  (mudita) is what goodwill feels when it encounters happiness: It wants
  the happiness to continue. Equanimity (upekkha) is a different
  emotion, in that it acts as an aid to and a check on the other three.
  When you encounter suffering that you can't stop no matter how hard
  you try, you need equanimity to avoid creating additional suffering
  and to channel your energies to areas where you can be of help. In
  this way, equanimity isn't cold hearted or indifferent. It simply
  makes your goodwill more focused and effective.

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/headandheart.html


As your question implies, creativity, imagination, empathy and mentalizing all have their root in our ability to think abstractly (among other things).

However, I’m not sure that the psychological constructs of empathy and mentalizing corresponds directly to buddhist theoretical concepts, but they can surely be interpreted as components of the brahmaviharas virtues. They are wholesome, since they ameliorate aversion/dosa.

I don’t know, but I suspect that one can’t consider brahmaviharas an actual decrease in mental formations (if one could ever count/measure formations at all), as much as a replacement of unwholesome formations into wholesome ones (according to the principle of  right effort).


In what timeframe was Jataka tales added to Kuddaka Nikaya?

While I have not studied these matters greatly, the Jataka appear of a similar genre to the belated Buddhāpadāna & Apadānas, each found in the Kuddaka Nikaya.

Based in those suttas where the Buddha is shown to be extremely strict about the purity & accuracy of his teachings (eg, MN 22, MN 38, MN 62, etc), it seems probable after the Buddha passed away, the Brahmanistic elements were entered into Buddhism (such as depicting jhanas as Brahma gods and the gods of the 33) for the primary purpose of spreading the religion, particularly under the zealousness of King Ashoka.

I think it is important to keep in mind Buddhism became extinct in India due to the Hinduisation of the doctrine; that these ideas about past lives ultimately destroyed Buddhism in the land of its birth.

SN 22.79 is the only sutta that explains precisely & clearly what is meant by the term 'recollecting pubbe nivasa', which is erroneously translated as 'past lives'.

SN 22.79 unambiguously states recollecting 'past abodes' means recollecting when in the past the mind mistakenly & ignorantly regarded one or more of the five aggregates to be 'self'. This is perfectly consistent with the essential Buddhist doctrine of 'anatta' ('not-self').

Given the Jataka are totally contrary to the instruction taught in SN 22.79 & SN 22.59 and given the Jataka were so destructive to Buddhism, it would appear probable they have no relationship to anything taught by the Lord Buddha.


Why are the words "mano" & "manasa" used in the opening Dhammapada verses?

As to the word manas, Thrangu Rinpoche said (paraphrasing):

  All mental events—all thoughts, memories and anticipation of the future with all its emotions of happiness, sadness, excitement, and frustration takes place in the manas. It is the manas which differentiates and thinks and makes judgements about the perception. After the eye, ear, nose, tongue and tactile consciousness perceives an object, the manas judges the sensory perception with thoughts.

So the word manas here is used to drive home the idea that it is our mind -- in the sense of our outlook, our way of seeing and interpretation -- is what creates our reality.

In Tibetan Buddhism they have this notion called "pure perception" or "sacred outlook". It's a practice of seeing everything as expression of Buddha-Nature, without a taint.

When we see the world with pure perception, there are no enemies of ours, no aggression is provoked in us, no anger, no antipathy. The reality of our perception is pure. Then our reactions are pure, our karma is pure, and it results in peace.

But when our perception is tainted, we see a different reality, we are in a different world. So naturally this world provokes very different reactions in us, which lead to trouble.

It is our outlook that defines our reality, our actions, and its results.

This outlook is a state of mind.

This is what is meant here by the word manas.

  If one speaks or acts out of an addled manas, dukkha follows him like the cart's wheel follows the ox's hoofprint.

  ...

  If one speaks or acts out of a clear manas, sukha follows him like a shadow which never leaves.

Now, what exactly is addled/dirty manas and what is clear/pure manas?

Manas is not memory, it is only an organ of mental (inner, reflective) perception, thus supporting further interpretation and judgement - so how and why can it be dirty or clean?

Manas is exactly the part of mind where Upadana or Feeding occurs. Upadana is when we keep going over a certain idea or image or event, triggering our interpretation and emotional reaction again and again. As a result of this cyclic feeding, manas constantly keeps this idea "loaded", and presence of this idea affects or skews all new interpretation and judgment.

So the dirty manas or dirty outlook is what happens when we feed on negative, selfish, aggressive, divisive thoughts.

And the pure manas is when we don't feed, don't maintain these tainting dharmas (known as klesha or asava). As a result we see things yathabhuta - as they are. Seeing things as they are leads to right action, and right action leads to the ending of suffering and to harmony and peace.

This is why the subsequent verses of Dhammapada speak about (not) harboring offense and enmity, (not) dwelling on pleasant experiences, and eventually "vomiting all the asavas". These are examples of maintaining the dirty manas vs purifying it.


What are good Buddhist Blogs / articles sites / resource sites out there?

There is Berzin Archives. Although I am not familiar with the whole of it, when it comes to Tibetan Buddhism, it is quiet trustworthy.


How did Arya Nagarjuna reached the direct perception of Emptiness?

Arya Nagarjuna as a scholar, only dispelled the arguments of the reificationists or the annihilationalists. In doing so, he conceptualized sunyata- sunyata is itself sunya (sunyatasunyata). It is merely an analytical tool (certainly of the gretest importance and very profound) to go beyond the obstructs of conceptual thinking- go beyond thinking to the direct experience of reality of mind-body phenomenon in its entirety.

Arya Nagarjuna reached the "perception of emptiness" by the same way as all Budhhas, Boddhisattvas, Arihants have reached and we can reach- by the technique of Vipassana- by the direct experiential insight into the phenomenon of mind-body, which is empty of all conceptual constructs.

But I am sorry to say that I myself do not know of any scrpitures which discuss the meditative experiences of Arya Nagarjuna.

EDITED- It may help you to look at Tsong Kha pa's "The Great Treatise on the States of the Path to Enlightenment". In fact, if you already have not, you may try searching through the Lamrims. Although, I doubt whether it particularly deals with an account of Arya Nagarjuna's meditative expriences. But they may help you make correct inferences and deductions (much Like I have done in this answer).
EDITED (2nd)- It will be very useful for you to look at Arya Candrakirti's The Entry into the Middle Way. In some translations, Stage one "The Joyous" is associated with the direct perception of sunyata.


What kind of vipassana retreats do you recommend in South East Asia?

If you come to Sri Lanka, there's nice place up in hill country called the Rathmalkanda Meditation Center for Insight Knowledge. The head monk there is venerable Madawala Upali thera who has been a meditation teacher over 40 years. The main meditation taught there is the Vipassana(insight) meditation of the Mahasi Sayadaw tradition. But venerable Upali also teaches Anapanasati, Kasina and other Samatha(tranquility) meditation techniques as well.


Sutta on the two kinds of (debt) giver, people of guṇā?

The two kinds of debt can be found in the Ina Sutta.
The first kind of debt is that of money and material possessions:

"Monks, for one who partakes of sensuality, poverty is suffering in
the world."
"Yes, lord."
"And a poor, destitute, penniless person gets into debt. For one who
partakes of sensuality, getting into debt is suffering in the world."
"Yes, lord."
"And a poor, destitute, penniless person, having gotten into debt,
owes interest payments. For one who partakes of sensuality, interest
payment is suffering in the world."
"Yes, lord." ........
"Thus, monks, poverty is suffering in the world for one who partakes
of sensuality. Getting into debt is suffering in the world for one who
partakes of sensuality. Interest payment is suffering in the world for
one who partakes of sensuality. Being served notice is suffering in
the world for one who partakes of sensuality. Being hounded is
suffering in the world for one who partakes of sensuality. Bondage is
suffering in the world for one who partakes of sensuality.

The second kind of debt is that of virtue (sila) and good conduct:

"In the same way, monks, whoever has no conviction with regard to
skillful mental qualities, no sense of conscience with regard to
skillful mental qualities, no sense of concern with regard to skillful
mental qualities, no persistence with regard to skillful mental
qualities, no discernment with regard to skillful mental qualities is,
in the discipline of a noble one, said to be poor, destitute, &
penniless.
"He — poor, destitute, & penniless, having no conviction with regard
to skillful mental qualities, no sense of conscience... no sense of
concern... no persistence... no discernment with regard to skillful
mental qualities — engages in misconduct by way of the body,
misconduct by way of speech, misconduct by way of the mind. For him, I
tell you, this is getting into debt.
"For the purpose of concealing his bodily misconduct, he formulates
evil desires: He desires, 'May they not know about me.' He resolves,
'May they not know about me.' He speaks, [thinking,] 'May they not
know about me.' He makes an effort with his body, [thinking,] 'May
they not know about me.' For the purpose of concealing his verbal
misconduct... For the purpose of concealing his mental misconduct, he
formulates evil desires: He desires, 'May they not know about me.' He
resolves, 'May they not know about me.' He speaks, [thinking,] 'May
they not know about me.' He makes an effort with his body, [thinking,]
'May they not know about me.' For him, I tell you, this is interest
payment.

The two kinds of gifts to help alleviate the two kinds of debt can be found in Iti 100:

"There are these two kinds of gifts: a gift of material things & a
gift of the Dhamma. Of the two, this is supreme: a gift of the Dhamma.
"There are these two kinds of sharing: sharing of material things &
sharing of the Dhamma. Of the two, this is supreme: sharing of the
Dhamma.
"There are these two kinds of assistance: assistance with material
things & assistance with the Dhamma. Of the two, this is supreme: help
with the Dhamma.
"There are these two kinds of mass-donations: a mass-donation of
material things & a mass-donation of the Dhamma. Of the two, this is
supreme: a mass-donation of the Dhamma."


Are the Skandhas reborn from moment-to-moment?

Imagine a camp fire that started in 1982. The original fuel has burned down but new fuel is regularly added. The overall shape and configuration of the fire in 2020 is somewhat reminiscent of the original 1982 fire but of course none of the material is the same.

Now if we were to analytically separate the fire into several categories (skandhas) we would find wood, ash, heat, light, oxygen, and smoke - all playing their roles in the maintenance (upadana) of fire.

Is it the same fire staying or is the fire "reborn" moment to moment? It's neither and both, these are just concepts to explain the working of causal continuity.

One important mistake in the worldview underlying your original question:  it assumes that "the fire" starts when a new human is born. But this is not so. The fire has been continuously burning through generations. "The beginning point is not evident". A new human is just another tongue of flame.


The senses, electroreception, synaesthesia

My answer is based on my experience with Buddhist thought (about 13 years of study and 1-2 years of retreat)--when it comes down to it, it would not be problematic if there were to be a seventh sense door.

While Buddhism talks about the six sense doors (the regular five plus anything experienced purely in the mind [emotion, thought, etc]) which are said to encompass all that a human being could experience in this conditioned world, in theory you could throw in as many sense doors as you like and it doesn't make a difference--just be mindful, practice the eightfold path, and see dukkha as dukkha, and so on.

In another vein, having had some experience with what seems to be electroreception, it seems to fall under the realm of the physical or body sense door.

Regarding synesthesia, I have not heard about that in a Buddhist context, but I would extrapolate from what the Abhidharma says--each second contains millions and millions of mind moments, so no matter how fast or simultaneous anything seems to be, only one mind moment at a time ever happens. I haven't mastered meditation to the extent that I can verify that the Abidharma matches my experience, but from a intellectual standpoint, that would seem to be the answer, i.e. senses mixing is really just rapidly flowing sense perception.

Some interesting questions--all sense contact would fall on the wheel of dependent origination, so that would be a fruitful line of inquiry. And with regard to any sense contact, feeling, perception, etc., as Joseph Goldstein (American Buddhist teacher) once said, "Just notice what arises and don't cling." Can't go wrong with that.