Is drinking coffee or tea against the fifth precept?

The literal meaing there is avoiding fermented drink that causes heedlessness.

  Surā-meraya-majja-pamāda-ṭṭhānā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi

  I undertake the precept to avoid [that big long word]

Big long word happily rendered as "beer-cider-carelessness-intoxication-condition" by Kare.

This is talking specifically about fermented things like beer, wine, etc. Neither coffee nor tea are fermented, nor do they cause heedlessness. I've heard of monks drinking tea. (I've heard of monks smoking too, which I think isn't forbidden by this rule, although perhaps by others)

It's all well and good to look past the behavior prohibited by the precepts to see what further kinds of attachments you have that can be abandoned, but not, I think, at the cost of going back to change the meaning of the precept.

But I do occasionally see attempts at redefining the precepts to be stricter than they are. Take Sulak Sivaraksa's reinterpretation of the five precepts:

  Sulak reinterprets the five classic Buddhist precepts for the modern day.

  Individuals may not be killing outright, but they must examine how their actions might support wars, racial conflict, or the breeding of animals for human consumption.
  Considering the second precept of abstaining from stealing, Sulak questions the moral implications of capitalism.
  Stopping exploitation of women is a natural extension of the third precept of abstaining from sexual misconduct.
  And vowing to abstain from false speech would naturally bring into question how mass media and education promote a biased view of the world.
  Finally, the fifth precept to avoid intoxicants deals with international peace and justice because, “the Third World farmers grow heroin, coca, coffee, and tobacco because the economic system makes it impossible for them to support themselves growing rice and vegetables.

All good points and things worth thinking about, but these are going beyond the five precepts. The precepts are intended to take you to a point where you can examine all of your behavior to see what is skillful, what leads to affliction, etc.

But the precepts shouldn't be redefined to also include these new things. This would only lead to divisiveness between people as one person preaches getting rid of coffee and others disagree. Remember the Buddha refused to make vegetarianism mandatory for the sangha, even though the killing involved in eating meat can easily be seen to pertain to the first precept.

In the case of coffee, I could see a person getting riled up by it and possibly being less able to control their mind, being quicker to anger, etc. If this is the case, then it should certainly be examined, and perhaps that behavior should be abandoned, but this is not covered by the fifth precept.


Is samadhi the same as samatha? Is there khanika samatha?

If I sit dow on the cushion for a moment, that's momentary samatha. Samatha is simply calmimg.  It can take place anywhere.  Samatha can lead to samadhi, but the two are by no means identical.  It would be akin to equating the ingredients to a fully baked cake.


How to stop comparing oneself with others?

Actually start, not stop to compare yourself with others! , but only with the wise, if looking for a longer lasting good.

It's against the mainstream believe totally not wrong to compare "oneself" to others, Eggman, according to the teachings of the Buddha and the path going beyond comparing individuals.

If looking and reading the Suttas one will not find many places where not good or bad samples are used for orientation purposes. Path to liberation is all about learning how and what to judge.

Others then in usually wordily regards the objectivity does not focus on material thing to be compared, but virtues, and while ordinary man judges in the frame of gain, loss, status, disgrace, censure, praise, pleasure, & pain. (the 8 worldily Dhammas on which the world turns around), a Dhammika (one following the path, "Buddhist") look for orientation amoung the seven treasures. Which seven?

  The treasure of conviction, the treasure of virtue, the treasure of conscience, the treasure of concern, the treasure of listening, the treasure of generosity, the treasure of discernment...

That means that one goes after, associate with virtuose people and compares ones own deeds, and this is importand, with people seemingly having such virtues. But like when one seeks for orientation for material skills, one tries not to do it in a battle way, but by reducing to regard individuals. One compares action and tendencies.

When ever there is much notion of "I" and "you", it gives much rise to envy, issa.

That is the result of conceit, and conceit (mānā) ends only for an Arahat totally. A big amout of this notion of comparing in the three conceit-full ways "better I am", "lower I am" but also "equal I am", falls with the reach of the Stream and the lose of personal-views (sat/k kaya ditthi).

Todays popullar notion "equal are we" is in fact most dangerous, because it forms even bigger groups (kayas) as if as individual for identification.

For the daily live with material items to trade, one of course needs to compare certain gains of others, but if wise one puts also the factor "in what way was this gained", in therms of virtues, into it, gives that more and more value for orientation. "How does he find so much peace while merely poor", for example.

How ever, envy, jealousy, does not end at the point when going even a total spirital way and the best description of what is really and most worthy to compare with, is given in the Cula Saropama Sutta: The Shorter Heartwood-simile Discours

So again, it's not bad at all, but foolish if one puts it more or lesser into such as a lasting person and it's qualities, when knowing that the 8 Wordily-Dhammas are not for sure and change sometimes very quick. So it's good the seek after the possession of the seven treasures, with what one does not only have a good and legitime source for ones healthy selfestimate but also would not be easy excelt by material things. At least, who ever had not found the real heart-wood, will not be perfect and secure, aside of all needs for comparisons, beyond.

One compares oneself not to put others down, but to possible learn from them, become equal, seeing that this also does not lead to lasting ease and searches again for better, till on possible sees and recognice Noble ones, listen to their Dhamma and by understanding loses the gross problems of comparisons of the world, able to even be an island for oneself.

Aside the "Self" and the Devas and gods, admirable friends are always good for comparing oneself, and should be ones govering principles all the time.

And to add a short note on "watching the aggregats", if not having accomplished the treasures, is not really possible to do such, so it is good to compare oneself in regard of generousity, moral and their virtues first, become as good as possible equal with that of the Noble Ones. There then is the place to enter the stream.

May this brief talk about a big issue, as well as the advices to a "youngster" in this manner be of understanding it and with it a help for those able to take.

[Note: This is a gift of Dhamma and not meant for commercial purpose or other wordily gains.]


Tathagata and the seeker after knowledge!

One is bound with the bondage of craving, and the arahant has become released from this bondage, and become unbound.
From Iti 58:

This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, so I have
heard: "There are these three cravings. Which three? Craving for
sensuality, craving for becoming, craving for non-becoming. These are
the three cravings."
Bound with the bondage of craving,
their minds smitten
with becoming & non-,
they are bound with the bondage of Mara —
people with no safety from bondage,
beings going through the wandering-on,
headed for birth & death.
While those who've abandoned craving,
free from the craving for becoming & non-,
reaching the ending of fermentations,
though in the world,
have gone beyond.

The second noble truth says that the cause of suffering is craving.
But what's the relationship between craving and ignorance?
Have you heard of the old South Indian Monkey Trap (from this article)?

In Zen And The Art Of Motorcycle Maintenance, Robert Pirsig’s
bonkers-but-brilliant philosophical novel that turns 40 this year, he
describes “the old South Indian Monkey Trap”. ... The trap
“consists of a hollowed-out coconut, chained to a stake. The coconut
has some rice inside which can be grabbed through a small hole”. The
monkey’s hand fits through the hole, but his clenched fist can’t fit
back out. “The monkey is suddenly trapped.” But not by anything
physical. He’s trapped by an idea, unable to see that a principle that
served him well – “when you see rice, hold on tight!” – has become
lethal.

The monkey needs to let go of the rice in order to free himself from his suffering. The way to end his suffering, is to end his craving for rice.
But in order to end his craving for rice, he must first understand how his hand is stuck inside the coconut. When the monkey overcomes his ignorance about how the trap works, he would let go of his craving for rice, and release his clenched fist. With this, he would be free from his suffering.
Also you can say that the monkey's suffering originated with his ignorance of the trap.
Knowing how the trap works, i.e. gaining insight and wisdom into the nature of reality, is the way to overcome ignorance.

(Illustration above: Paul Thurlby for the Guardian)

The Upanishadic "That thou art" is unrelated to Buddhism, because it tells you that you are actually that eternal Self. In Buddhism, all phenomena is not self and the self, being a mental idea, is not eternal or permanent.


Is there any volition or will that I can manage or control?

I guess this question relate to the discussion we had with regards to free will here, or at any rate, there are some overlap.

I think the answer to your question is given in Attakārī Sutta

  So, brahmin, when there is the element of endeavoring, endeavoring
  beings are clearly discerned; of such beings, this is the self-doer,
  this, the other-doer. I have not, brahmin, seen or heard such a
  doctrine, such a view as yours. How, indeed, could one — moving
  forward by himself, moving back by himself — say ‘There is no
  self-doer, there is no other-doer’?*

Also reads on the notes:

  Although the Buddha taught that there is no permanent, eternal,
  immutable, independently-existing core “self” (attā), he also taught
  that there is “action” or “doing”, and that it is therefore meaningful
  to speak of one who intends, initiates, sustains and completes actions
  and deeds, and who is therefore an ethically responsible and culpable
  being.

If only will/volition/desire direct to the path to Nibbana are controllable, all other volition including all bad volition are uncontrolled, and to say this is not wise because it offers a free licence for unaccountability.


How do I prevent non-buddhists from going against fourth precept?

Simply ask him whether he likes to be deceived and cheated if some one else did it to him. If someone cannot be trusted would you act on what he says. How comfortable would he be to have to put up or deal with a person who is trying to deceived him. Lies cannot always be kept under wrap and if it surfaces what might happen. This would be a better way to a Buddhist also.


What is the Buddhist interpretation of the flow state?

Although meditation/immersion is, in general, unification of the mind, one must be careful.

“Yā kho, āvuso visākha, cittassa ekaggatā ayaṁ samādhi;

“Unification of the mind is immersion. MN44

One must be careful here because there is Right Immersion and Wrong Immersion. Flow unifies the mind with a feeling of effortless, peaceful, and expansive limitlessness in the pursuit of an activity. Yet flow always ends and is therefore unsatisfactory. One can actually crave flow--let's go surfing (or whatever) for the rest of our lives. So flow can lead to suffering. A flowing surfer who cannot surf due to old age and illness is suffering. Although flow is peaceful, it is incomplete. We need to look beyond flow.
If we observe any well-practiced Buddhist monk, we see something quite interesting. The robes of a monk flow, but the monk is invariably steady, imperturbable, radiant, and equanimous. The world flows around the monk without clinging.
What is that monk doing?

That mendicant feels inspired by the meaning and the teaching in that Dhamma, no matter how the Teacher or a respected spiritual companion teaches it. Feeling inspired, joy springs up. Being joyful, rapture springs up. When the mind is full of rapture, the body becomes tranquil. When the body is tranquil, one feels bliss.
And when blissful, the mind becomes immersed in samādhi. AN5.26

Although this sounds "flowy", notice that the focus is the Dhamma, not some random activity.
Read the suttas, study the Dhamma, learn from good teachers and good friends. May that flow lead to peace.


Unnecessarily Complicated Analysis of Anapanasati

calm bodily fabrications

Calm the bodily fabrications is to calm the breath. This is not by controlling it but having the intention but not the action to calm the breath. In many cases you don't need even this. It will calm down on it's own.

More on this see: page 35, Knowing and Seeing 4th Ed by Pa-Auk Sayadaw and Lecture 3 in Anapanasati: Mindfulness with Breathing - Unveiling the Secrets of Life by Ven Buddhadasa Bhikkhu

Preceding to trying to calm your your fabrication you should feel the whole body and breath otherwise this step will be premature. This is you should be able the feel the whole breath as well as you body. When breathing there are sensations that arise tied to breathing elsewhere in your body like expansion and contraction. You should be able to feel all this as well as any feeling even in remote areas of your body like your earlobes, toes, etc.

  Question 1: Do they mean calming the body's physical tension, i.e. muscle tension or the mental sensation of tension in the body?

Calm the bodily fabrications is not the same as claiming physical tension thought this also seeds to be done.

You have to let go of physical and mental tension. These tensions manifest as an unpleasant sensation. You should look closely at these sensations as mere sensations without any aversion towards it. For a beginners you should try to divide and dicest the pain to see its constituent parts. If you can see it's arising and passing nature then perhaps you can concentrate on this. Initially even when you look at it the pain linger for a while. Not to worry just let go of this bring it to your meditation object. At later stages once you have look at its arising and passing nature the pain will just disappear. Do not wish or crave for this in which case this might not happen.

In summary the way to release tension is to try to see the tension or pain clearly and closely and once you see it its arising and passing nature.

Maha Saccaka Sutta your body should not be stained. So if your are fatigues maybe try lying posture. Also if you muscles are tensed loosen them. Sometimes you facial muscles may become tense. Best way to loosen them is to smile. Also smiling reduces tension and brings about pleasant or neutral sensations.

  This occurs with the decrease of conceptualization.

Conceptualisation happens in verbal fabrication. Verbal fabrications is not explicitly mentioned in the Anapana Sutta but should be calmed before calming the mental fabrication. This can be achived by keeping your attention focused on a object you are bringing down creation of new verbal fabrications. In the Abhidhamma there is 5 fold Jhana classification. In the Sutta there a 4 fold classification. In the Suttas the 1st and 2nd Jhana in the Abhidhamma system is amalgamated into one. The 1st Jhana has initial application and the 2nd Jhana is sustained application in the Abhidhamma system and in the Sutta system both initial and sustained application is considered in the 1st Jhana. Initial and sustained application is what enables thinking and conceptualisation. Once these fall away (Abhidhamma 3rd Jhana and Sutta 2nd Jhana) there is no conceptualisation or the mind does not have the ability to think or conceptualise. The definition of verbal fabrication is found in Cūla Vedalla Sutta and Aṭṭhaka,nāgara Sutta mention how verbal fabrication is stilled after the 1st Jhana.

  Question 2: What do we mean by calming thoughts? Calming all thoughts? Gross thoughts? Trying to calm thoughts even though they will not ultimately subside?

This is to reduce verbal fabrication as discussed above. The main thing here is trying to reduce them. You have to have sustained effort to calm the fabrication by 1st anchoring the mind on an object then then continuously reviewing if it is with the object and re directing it to the object when it wanders away and perhaps even when it still is focused on the object followed by trying to see the object more clearly and closely. What you have to do is try and not develop aversion if you cannot sustain your attention and also not crave or get too attached to the object of being able to keep the mind with the object.

Breath meditation does have calming mental fabrication. This not claiming thoughts calming the perceptions and feelings, i.e., you do not perceive pleasant as agreeable and unpleasant as agreeable. In the Jhanic route this is in the 4th Jhana.

Also keep an eye on potential answers to this question: How does one calm one's bodily fabrications?

  Question 3: Is clarity a kind of brightness of the object, or a greater focus? Is clarity a more detailed object? Is it a part of the object or the mind? How can it be recognized?

Once you keep trying to stay with the object followed by looking closely and clearly in more detail as per its construction and nature, as time progresses you will start seeing the object more clearly and in detail.

If the object or meditation is mind made then the clarity would of this object. If it is related to arising and passing then the clarity would be of this nature.

Looking closely is synonymous with Jhana in some definitions. See: What exactly is Jhana?

  Final question: I seem to have tried to figure out all these things and meditate in a proper way. Yet, if I sit and try to meditate every day, and attempt to focus on the breathing, and I meditating in a proper way? I don't quite get what distinguishes proper and improper meditation, and whether I should meditate or not when possible. How long should it take to see either results or a shift in my meditation.

The worry you are having here might become a hindrance as you are not sure of your pratice. In Breath meditation in most cases you should just try look at things as they are and not control it. A few places you have to be active is to relax body and mind and also calm the fabrication.

What is proper meditation is if the meditation helps reduce your mental defilements. If your pratice feeds into it you are doing it wrong. See Pahāna Sutta which is a short description of letting go of the roots and Avijja Pahana Sutta 2 which concentrated on ignorance.

Also measuring the time to see results or longing for results lead further away from eradicating the mental defilements as this is a form of craving. The results will manifest itself when you have properly let gone (including searching for a result and measuring progress) and not creating any more conditioning / fabrication and past stock of conditioning / fabrication have been depleted.

Also see: Ānâpāna,sati Sutta


I'm not qualified to say for sure what is happening. But some of what you describe sounds like "the knowledge of arising and passing away", which occurs when your mind clearly perceives the rise and fall of every experience. It may result in blissful, ecstatic feelings, lights, and a powerful religious conviction.

Try to remain aware that these are temporary, conditioned phenomena and not "The Truth", although it may feel like it. It is a very important discovery, but it is not the last discovery, and you may soon also experience painful and fearful feelings, too. Be careful of feelings of extreme joy or extreme fear or despair, and be aware that both extremes will pass.


If you compare suffering to a sickness, the first noble truth would be knowing that you are sick. The second noble truth would be knowing the cause of the sickness. The third noble truth would be knowing that the sickness can be cured or knowing that there's a healthy state. The fourth noble truth would be knowing how to cure it or knowing how to reach that healthy state.


Historically, where do the concepts of Karma, Nirvana, Dharma and Samsara come from?

These concepts all (with the exception of Dharma, which is sort of a Pan-Indian concept that's in all Indian religions) derive from the Shramanical tradition, which is a general term referring to those who became Śramaṇa (Samaṇa in Pali) which simply means an ascetic.

These ascetics formed a parallel system of religious thought of both the Veidic religion and the local folk religion focused on worshiping local Devas, Nagas, and Yakshas. The Shramanic tradition had a great deal of internal diversity, but the common denominator for most of these groups was a belief in repeated rebirth, Karma, an enlightened state in which one is free from this repeated rebirth, etc...

The Shramanical tradition even seems to have a sort of common vocabulary. If you compare the religious terminology of Buddhism and Jainism for example, you can see that often one religion uses as a standard term something that the other religion also uses in its terminology, although non-standard. For example, the Buddhist term for someone who has become freed from defilement and rebirth is the term Arahant, and Jainism occasionally uses the Ardhamagadhi equivalent term Arihant. In Jainism, the standard term for the same thing is Jina, which means "one who has achieved victory" which in Buddhism is a title of the Buddha.

Some terms are totally identical. Samsara, Karma, and Nirvana are common to both Buddhism and Jainism and are absent in the Brahmanical literature (e.g. the early Upanishads) from the same period, so logically, the commonality has to stem from their common non-Vedic source, which is their shared ascetic tradition.

We can see then that when the Buddha uses these terms he is adopting an idea that already existed and we can also see that he often gives them a radically new interpretation. In Jainism for example, Karma is imagined to be almost like an invisible sticky substance that sticks to your soul (called Jiva in ardhamagadhi) and causes suffering, and so the goal of Jain practice is to purge all karma through ascetic spiritual practice after which one's soul would ascend to a formless perfect heaven inhabited by disembodied souls. In contrast to this the Buddha defined the cause of suffering to be craving, and ultimately ignorance of reality, and emphatically insisted quite often:

  "Intention, I tell you, is kamma. Intending, one does kamma by way of
  body, speech, & intellect."

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.063.than.html#part-5

If you want some contempraneous sources on what some of the other Shramanical schools thought, the Samanaphala Sutta (http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.02.0.than.html) has a listing of six such schools and their teachings. Note that Mahavira, the leader of the Jains, is given the name Nigantha Nataputta. Also, some of those groups believed some pretty far out things that aren't nessisarily representative of what all Shramanas thought, and in all likelihood the most outlandish aspects of their doctrines are stated in the most unappealing way possible so I wouldn't take it as an overly accurate depiction of some of the groups. You do clearly the common elements with some of them though, even in the more outlandish ones in that they were at least considering questions about rebirth and karma.


What did Buddha taught about space time?

In terms of meditation experiences involving space and time, it may be useful to read up on suttas that describe such experiences. For example in AN8.66 Liberations, we have:

  Going totally beyond perceptions of form, with the ending of perceptions of impingement, not focusing on perceptions of diversity, aware that ‘space is infinite’, they enter and remain in the dimension of infinite space

However, these designations are subjective, so one has to be very careful assuming anything about one's own experiences without consultation with teachers.

For example, your experience might also be a pre-cursor to first jhana in its seclusion from bodily sensation:

  It’s when a mendicant, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, enters and remains in the first absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of seclusion, while placing the mind and keeping it connected.

The Early Buddhist Texts (EBTs) have many suttas that describe such meditative experiences. Study as many as you can to develop a feeling for the landscape of meditation. Don't get too caught up about attainment, however, since that would trap you in Identity View.

To understand this caution about identity view, it is useful to read MN44:

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

  “It’s the fading away and cessation of that very same craving with nothing left over; giving it away, letting it go, releasing it, and not adhering to it. The Buddha said that this is the cessation of identity.”

MN44 also has critical advice on the cessation of perception (ant that includes time and space) per your question:

  “But ma’am, how does someone attain the cessation of perception and feeling?”

  “A mendicant who is entering such an attainment does not think: ‘I will enter the cessation of perception and feeling’ or ‘I am entering the cessation of perception and feeling’ or ‘I have entered the cessation of perception and feeling.’ Rather, their mind has been previously developed so as to lead to such a state.”

Note that since you feel that your body has disappeared, you are still perceiving and therefore not in the cessation of perception and feeling. There are many subtleties here. Read much and be very cautious about conclusions and easy answers.


Dharma-ending age in suttas and solution?

Below is "Exhortation to Protect and Propagate" by Tripitaka Master Hsuan Hua, prefacing the  "Shurangama Sutra."

  Within Buddhism, there are very many important sutras. However, the
  most important Sutra is the Shurangama Sutra. If there are places
  which have the Shurangama Sutra, then the Proper Dharma dwells in the
  world. If there is no Shurangama Sutra, then the Dharma Ending Age
  appears. Therefore, we Buddhist disciples, each and every one, must
  bring our strength, must bring our blood, and must bring our sweat to
  protect the Shurangama Sutra. In the Sutra of the Ultimate
  Extinction of the Dharma, it says very, very clearly that in the
  Dharma Ending Age, the Shurangama Sutra is the first to disappear, and
  the rest of the sutras disappear after it. If the Shurangama Sutra
  does not disappear, then the Proper Dharma Age is present. Because of
  that, we Buddhist disciples must use our lives to protect the
  Shurangama Sutra, must use vows and resolution to protect the
  Shurangama Sutra, and cause the Shurangama Sutra to be known far and
  wide, reaching every nook and cranny, reaching into each and every
  dust-mote, reaching out to the exhaustion of empty space and of the
  Dharma Realm. If we can do that, then there will be a time of Proper
  Dharma radiating great light.

  Why would the Shurangama Sutra be destroyed? It is because it is too
  true. The Shurangama Sutra is the Buddha’s true body. The Shurangama
  Sutra is the Buddha’s sharira. The Shurangama Sutra is the Buddha’s
  true and actual stupa and shrine. Therefore, because the Shurangama
  Sutra is so true, all the demon kings use all kinds of methods to
  destroy the Shurangama Sutra. They begin by starting rumors, saying
  that the Shurangama Sutra is phony. Why do they say the Shurangama
  Sutra is phony? It is because the Shurangama Sutra speaks too truly,
  especially in the sections on The Four Decisive Deeds, the Twenty-five
  Sages Describing Perfect Penetration, and the States of the Fifty
  Skandha Demons. Those of off-center persuasions and
  externally-oriented ways, weird demons and strange freaks, are unable
  to stand it. Consequently there are a good many senseless people who
  claim that the Shurangama Sutra is a forgery.

  Now, the principles set forth in the Shurangama Sutra are on the one
  hand proper, and on the other in accord with principle, and the weird
  demons and strange freaks, those in various cults and sects, all
  cannot hide away their forms. Most senseless people, in particular
  unwise scholars and garbage-collecting professors “Tread upon the holy
  writ.” With their extremely scant and partial understanding, they are
  confused and unclear, lacking real erudition and true and actual
  wisdom. That is why they falsely criticize. We who study the
  Buddhadharma should very deeply be aware of these circumstances.
  Therefore, wherever we go, we should bring up the Shurangama Sutra.
  Wherever we go, we should propagate the Shurangama Sutra. Wherever we
  go, we should introduce the Shurangama Sutra to people. Why is that?
  It is because we wish to cause the Proper Dharma long to dwell in the
  world.

  If the Shurangama Sutra is regarded as true, then there is no problem.
  To verify its truth, let me say that if the Shurangama Sutra were
  phony, then I would willingly fall into the hells forever through all
  eternity—for being unable to recognize the Buddhadharma—for mistaking
  the false for true. If the Shurangama Sutra is true, then life after
  life in every time I make the vow to propagate the Great Dharma of the
  Shurangama, that I shall in every time and every place propagate the
  true principles of the Shurangama.

  Everyone should pay attention to the following point. How could the
  Shurangama Sutra not have been spoken by the Buddha? No one else could
  have spoken the Shurangama Sutra. And so I hope that all those people
  who make senseless accusations will wake up fast and stop creating the
  causes for suffering in the Hell of Pulling Out Tongues. No matter who
  the scholar is, no matter what country students of the Buddhadharma
  are from, all should quickly mend their ways, admit their mistakes,
  and manage to change. There is no greater good than that. I can then
  say that all who look at the Shurangama Sutra, all who listen to the
  Shurangama Sutra, and all who investigate the Shurangama Sutra, will
  very quickly accomplish Buddhahood.

  Composed by Gold Mountain Shramana Tripitaka Master Hua Translated by
  Bhikshuni Heng Hsien Reviewed by Shramanerika Heng Wen

The answer to the first part of the question is provided in the sutra that is mentioned in bold in the above quote.

Below is the sutra:

  The Buddha Speaks the Ultimate Extinction of the Dharma Sutra

  Thus I have heard. At one time the Buddha was in the state of
  Kushinagara. The Tathagata was to enter nirvana within three months
  and the bhikshus and Bodhisattvas as well as the great multitude of
  beings had come to pay homage to the Buddha and to bow in reverence.
  The World Honored One was tranquil and silent. He spoke not a word and
  his light did not appear. Worthy Ananda bowed and asked the Buddha,

  ”0 Bhagavan, heretofore whenever you spoke the Dharma, awesome light
  would naturally appear. Yet today among this great assembly there is
  no such radiance. There must be a good cause for this and we wish to
  hear the Bhagavan’s explanation.”

  The Buddha remained silent and did not answer until the request had
  been repeated three times. He then told Ananda,

  ”After I enter nirvana, when the Dharma is about to perish, during the
  evil age of the five turbidities, the way of demons will flourish.
  Demonic beings will become shramanas; they will pervert and destroy my
  teachings. Monastics will wear the garb of laypersons and will prefer
  handsome clothes. Their precept sashes will be made of multi-colored
  cloth. They will use intoxicants, eat meat, kill other beings and they
  will indulge in their desire for flavorful food. They will lack
  compassion and they will bear hatred and exhibit jealousy even among
  themselves.

  ”Even then Bodhisattvas, Pratyekabuddhas, and Arhats will reverently
  and diligently cultivate immaculate virtue. They will be respected by
  all people and their teachings will be fair and egalitarian. These
  cultivators of the Way will take pity on the poor, they will be
  mindful of the aged, and they will save and give counsel to those
  people they find in difficult circumstances. They will at all times
  exhort others to worship and to protect sutras and images of the
  Buddha. They will do meritorious deeds, be resolute and kind, and
  never harm others. They will make physical sacrifices for others’
  benefit. They will hold no great regard for themselves but will be
  patient, yielding, humane, and peaceful.

  ”As long as such people exist, the hordes of demonic bhikshus will be
  jealous of them. The demons will harass them, slander and defame them,
  expel them from their midst and degrade them. They will ostracize the
  good monks from the monastic community. Thereafter these demons derive
  no virtue from their practice. Their monastic buildings will be vacant
  and overgrown with weeds. For want of care and maintenance their
  Way-places will drift into ruin and oblivion. The demonic bhikshus
  will increase their greed for wealth and will amass great heaps of
  goods. They will refuse to distribute any of it or to use it to gain
  blessings and virtue.

  ”At this time, the evil monks will buy and sell slaves to till their
  fields and to slash and burn the mountain forests. They will do harm
  to living creatures and they will feel not the least bit of
  compassion. These slaves will themselves become bhikshus and
  maidservants will become bhikshunis. Totally lacking in Way-virtue,
  these people will run amok, indulging in licentious behavior. In their
  turbid confusion they will fail to separate the men from the women in
  the monastic communities.

  From this generation on, the Way will be weakened. Fugitives from the
  law will seek refuge in my Way, wishing to be shramanas but failing to
  observe the moral regulations. Monastics will continue to recite the
  precepts twice a month, but in name alone. Being lazy and lax, no one
  will want to listen any longer. These evil shramanas will be unwilling
  to recite the sutras in their entirety and they will make
  abbreviations at the beginning and at the end of the texts as they
  please. Soon the practice of reciting sutras will stop altogether.
  Even if there are people who recite texts, they will be unlettered,
  unqualified people who will insist, nonetheless, that they are
  correct. Bumptious, arrogant, and vain, these people will seek fame
  and glory. They will put on airs in the hope of attracting offerings
  from other people.

  ”When the lives of these demonic bhikshus come to an end their
  essential spirits will fall into the Avichi Hell. Having committed the
  five evil deeds, they will suffer successive rebirths as hungry ghosts
  and as animals. They will know all such states of woe as they pass on
  through eons as numerous as sands on the banks of the Ganges River.
  When their offenses are accounted for they will be reborn in a border
  land where the Triple Jewel is unknown.

  ”When the Dharma is about to disappear, women will become vigorous and
  will at all times do deeds of virtue. Men will grow lax and will no
  longer speak the Dharma. Those who are genuine shramanas will be
  looked upon as dung and no one will have faith in them. When the
  Dharma is about to perish, all the gods will begin to weep. Rivers
  will dry up and the five grains will not ripen. Pestilences will
  frequently take millions of lives. The masses will toil and suffer
  while the local officials will plot and scheme. No one will adhere to
  principles. Instead, the human race will multiply, becoming like the
  sands of the ocean-bed.

  Good persons will be hard to find; at most there will be one or two.
  As the eon comes to a close, the revolutions of the sun and the moon
  will grow short and the lifespan of people will decrease. Their hair
  will turn white by the time they are forty. Because of excessive
  licentious behavior they will quickly exhaust their seminal fluids and
  will die at a young age, usually before sixty years. As the lifespan
  of males decreases, that of females will increase to seventy, eighty,
  ninety, or one hundred years.

  ”The mighty rivers will flood and lose harmony with their natural
  cycles, yet people will not take notice or feel concern. Extremes of
  climate will soon be taken for granted. Beings of all races will mix
  together at random, without regard for the noble and the mean. Their
  births and rebirths will cause them to sink and float, like feeding
  aquatic creatures.

  ”Even then Bodhisattvas, Pratyekabuddhas, and Arhats will gather
  together in an unprecedented assembly because they will all have been
  harried and pursued by the hordes of demons. They will no longer dwell
  in the assemblies but the Three Vehicles will retreat to the
  wilderness. In a tranquil place they will find shelter, happiness, and
  long life. Gods will protect them and the moon will shine down upon
  them. The Three Vehicles will have an opportunity to meet together and
  the Way will flourish.

  However, within fifty-two years the Shurangama Sutra and the
  Pratyutpanna [Standing Buddha] Samadhi, will be the first to change
  and then to disappear. The twelve divisions of the canon will
  gradually follow until they vanish completely, never to appear again.
  Its words and texts will be totally unknown ever after. The precept
  sashes of shramanas will turn white of themselves. When my Dharma
  disappears it will be just like an oil lamp that flares brightly for
  an instant just before it goes out. So too, will the Dharma flare and
  die. After this time it is difficult to speak with certainty of what
  will follow.

  ”A period of ten million years will follow before the time when
  Maitreya is about to appear in the world to become the next Buddha. At
  that time the planet will be entirely peaceful. Evil vapors will have
  dissipated, rain will be ample and regular, and crops will grow
  abundantly. Trees will grow to a great height and people will grow to
  be eighty feet tall. The average lifespan will extend to 84,000 years.
  It will be impossible to count all the beings who will be taken across
  to liberation.”

  Worthy Ananda addressed the Buddha, “What should we call this Sutra
  and how shall we uphold it?”

  The Buddha said, “Ananda, this sutra is called The Ultimate Extinction
  of the Dharma. Tell everyone to propagate it widely; the merit of your
  actions will be measureless, beyond reckoning.”

  When the four-fold assembly of disciples heard this sutra they grieved
  and wept. Each of them resolved to attain the true path of the Supreme
  Sage. Then bowing to the Buddha, they withdrew.

  End of The Buddha Speaks the Ultimate Extinction of the Dharma Sutra.

  From the Seng You Records, translator anonymous. Appended to the Song
  Annals.

Is there a solution?

The solution once again is as Master Hsuan Hua says in the top-most quote: to protect the first to disappear sutra: The Surangama Sutra.

It is a gem of an exegesis of the Shakyamuni's original teachings and a consummating addition to Theravadin sutras...


How to combine Buddhism with being a parent?

Parents are supposed to practice Brahmavihara towards children. Attachment doesn't benefit them in any way. What benefits them are kindness, compassion, empathetic joy and equanimity. Attachment or clinging just makes you sad and afraid. Lord Buddha had no attachment. But he still preached the Dhamma, Vinaya and created a system which benefited many beings. Sometimes he would travel a great distance to help people attain enlightenment. He advised the Arya Sangha to do the same. Even after 2500 years, millions of people around the world still benefit from it. All that good work is done because of compassion. Not because of attachment.

You provide for your children because of Metta (friendliness).
When they get sick, you take them to the doctor because of Karuna (compassion).
When they study well and get into good positions in the society, you become happy because of Muditha (sympathetic joy).
When they get married and leave you or when they get busy in life and don't visit you as much as they used to, you stay calm because of Upekkha (equanimity).

Attachment doesn't do any of that. It only makes you sad & afraid.


severe flu-like symptoms with profound malaise after intensive meditation

While aches and pains sound very general and while severe chill symptoms are not familiar to me, often various 'excess wind' (prana) & physical/nervous tension (nervous system) symptoms can occur when too much mental energy or 'suppression' is applied to meditation. Therefore, it is likely 'suppression' meditation could result in aches, pains, immature nimittas and other symptoms.
The renowned 'Buddhist' commentary called the 'Visuddhimagga' refers to the 'uggaha-nimitta' and describes the attainment of jhana (absorption) via "suppression" and mental application ("vitakka"). Many Buddhists follow the Visuddhimagga.
However, the techniques & definitions found in the 'Visuddhimagga' in relation to meditation & jhana often have little support in the documented teachings of the Buddha.
To the contrary, the Buddha taught jhana (absorption) is developed by making "letting go" / "surrender" / "relaxation" ("vossagga") the meditation object, as follows:

And what is the faculty of concentration? There is the case where a monk, a disciple of the noble ones, making it his object to let go, attains concentration, attains singleness of mind. Quite withdrawn from sensuality, withdrawn from unskillful mental qualities, he enters & remains in the first jhana
Indriya-vibhanga Sutta


But are they also used in buddhism?

There are some references to chakra in certain types of Buddhism. E.g. see Are the Chakras present in the original Buddha's teachings?

  Or what is similar to chakra's in buddhism?

In Theravada Buddhism the closest is the places to fix attention or resting places of attention. See my answer to: Are the Chakras present in the original Buddha's teachings?


Does any sect claim that only Shakyamuni will ever achieve great nirvana

No, there are no schools that claim this. All the schools accept that there were previous Buddhas before Buddha Shakyamuni and that there will be Buddhas after him as well.


What Buddhist babies' names or meaning should be?

You should probably start from the Buddhist Dictionary of Pali Proper Names and then find proper Sanskrit versions of the Pali names.

For example, the Pali name Sariputta is Śāriputra in Sanskrit. The full version of this name is known as Śāradwatīputra.


Vedana is pleasant/unpleasant/neutral feelings at the sense doors. Being aware of that is called Vedananupassana.

Emotions (including for example the five hindrances) are covered under Dhammanupassana.

Here is a simple guide book, How to Meditate, you can follow.

  It is customary to memorize
  these four categories before proceeding with the
  meditation practice:

  Body – the movements and postures of the body;
  Feelings – bodily and mental sensations of pain,
  happiness, calm, etc.;
  Mind – thoughts that arise in the mind – of the past
  or future, good or bad;
  Dhammas – groups of mental and physical
  phenomena that are of specific interest to the
  meditator, including the mental states that cloud
  one's awareness, the six senses by which one
  experiences reality, and many others.

Ex: When sitting for meditation, you might feel pain in your legs. That pain is still Vedana(feeling). You can note it as pain... pain... pain... It becomes emotion, if you start to dislike the pain. If you are wishing the pain to go away, you are already emotional. Simply note it as disliking... disliking...

Similarly, you might feel very calm when meditating. Simply note it as calm... calm... calm... If you start to like that calmness, it is emotion. Note it as liking... liking... liking... This liking becomes clinging and when the calmness goes away, sadness/disappointment arises as a result of clinging. That is again Vedana which you can note as sad... sad... sad...


Bodhipakkhiya: Panca Indriya versus Panca Bala

You use the faculty (Indriya) to exert the strength (Bala). Say you are a person generally strong in saddha you can use this fact to apply saddha for your spiritual development.


How does one cultivate uplifted energy (paggaha)?

From your quote, it sounds like the lack of uplifted energy is the hindrance of sloth and torpor, one of the five hindrances to practice. To quote Ajahn Brahmavamso:

  Sloth and torpor refers to that heaviness of body and dullness of mind
  which drag one down into disabling inertia and thick depression. The
  Lord Buddha compared it to being imprisoned in a cramped, dark cell,
  unable to move freely in the bright sunshine outside. In meditation,
  it causes weak and intermittent mindfulness which can even lead to
  falling asleep in meditation without even realising it!

  Sloth and torpor is overcome by rousing energy. Energy is always available but few know how to turn on the switch, as it were.
  Setting a goal, a reasonable goal, is a wise and effective way to generate energy, as is deliberately developing interest in the task at
  hand. A young child has a natural interest, and consequent energy,
  because its world is so new. Thus, if one can learn to look at one's
  life, or one's meditation, with a 'beginner's mind' one can see
  ever new angles and fresh possibilities which keep one distant from
  sloth and torpor, alive and energetic. Similarly, one can develop
  delight in whatever one is doing by training one's perception to see
  the beautiful in the ordinary, thereby generating the interest
  which avoids the half-death that is sloth and torpor.

  The mind has two main functions, 'doing' and 'knowing'. The way of
  meditation is to calm the 'doing' to complete tranquillity while
  maintaining the 'knowing'. Sloth and torpor occur when one carelessly
  calms both the 'doing' and the 'knowing', unable to distinguish
  between them.

  Sloth and torpor is a common problem which can creep up and smother
  one slowly. A skilful meditator keeps a sharp look-out for the
  first signs of sloth and torpor and is thus able to spot its approach
  and take evasive action before it's too late. Like coming to a fork in
  a road, one can take that mental path leading away from sloth and
  torpor. Sloth and torpor is an unpleasant state of body and mind, too
  stiff to leap into the bliss of Jhana and too blinded to spot any
  insights. In short, it is a complete waste of precious time.


How can I become less affected by politics?

This is an easy one. Stop looking at the media so much. The media is not reality. It's a small negatively skewed snippet of it. There is so much more to life than the perpetual negativity we see in the media.

It's only in recent times that the media has become way more invasive.
We now have 24/7 news cycles and people walk around addicted to and staring at devises all day. All that negativity is going into your mind and colouring your world view. It pretty much works the same way as porn. People are addicted to the dopamine/adrenaline hit they get when something in the media fires them up.

The politicians thrive on dividing people. Refuse to play into their game. Stop watcing it just for a few days and notice how much calmer you feel.   It's good to stay informed about important world issues but that but does not mean habitually checking the media every 5 minutes or even everyday. If Kim Jung is about to launch another missile what can I do about it?? Nothing!! So why do I need to know about it? So I can go on Facebook and rant? I don't need to know. It's pointless. Far better to use your energy in effecting real change where you can.

You will need to break the habit. It's the only way. If you continue to look at that stuff on a daily basis it will continue to colour your mind in that divisive angry way that only politics can do.  Let go of it. You don't need it.


What is the meaning of 'Om mani padme hung'?

You will probably not find a better explanation than that of the Dalai Lama.

  It is very good to recite the mantra OM MANI PADME HUM, but while you
  are doing it, you should be thinking on its meaning, for the meaning
  of the six syllables is great and vast. The first, OM, is composed of
  three pure letters, A, U, and M. These symbolize the practitioner's
  impure body, speech, and mind; they also symbolize the pure exalted
  body, speech and mind of a Buddha.

The entire talk can be found here:
http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/tib/omph.htm

  Thus the six syllables, OM MANI PADME HUM, mean that in dependence on
  the practice which is in indivisible union of method and wisdom, you
  can transform your impure body, speech and mind into the pure body,
  speech, and mind of a Buddha. It is said that you should not seek for
  Buddhahood outside of yourself; the substances for the achievement of
  Buddhahood are within. As Maitreya says in his SUBLIME CONTINUUM OF
  GREAT VEHICLE (UTTARA TANTRA) all beings naturally have the Buddha
  nature in their own continuum. We have within us the seed of purity,
  the essence of a One Gone Thus (TATHAGATAGARBHA), that is to be
  transformed and full developed into Buddhahood.   (From a lecture
  given by His Holiness The Dalai Lama of Tibet at the Kalmuck Mongolian
  Buddhist Center, New Jersey.)


Similarity between creation in Abrahamic religions and beginning of life in Earth mentioned Agganna Sutta?

In buddhism eating anything is not forbidden. Is it the the desire to experience also and the creatures evolved to have the respective faculties like the tongue. These experiences increase carving and lust which worsened the conditions of beings.

Also according to Jesus lived in India by Holger Kersten, abrahamic religions were influenced by Buddhism. Hence there can be similarities. Some may be pure coincidence. As Buddha mentioned his teaching is not previously taught it is unlikely to be influenced by any other religion.


Who is really suffering in Hell and Enjoying in Heaven?

From Milindapanha:

  -- “What is it, Nàgasena, that is reborn?”
  -- “Mind and matter (namarupa).”
  -- “Is it this very mind and matter that is reborn?”
  -- “No, it is not, but by this mind and matter deeds are done and because of those deeds another mind and matter is reborn; but that mind and matter is not thereby released from the results of its previous deeds.

Just like an adult "inherits" results of the choices made by the child - even though most of the original body cells are gone, similarly future existence "inherits" karma from the past existence.

  --“Can there be any rebirth where there is no transmigration?”
  --“Yes there can, just as a man can light one oil-lamp
  from another but nothing moves from one lamp to the
  other; or as a pupil can learn a verse by heart from a teacher
  but the verse does not transmigrate from teacher to pupil.”

It is information and causation that is reborn, or is re-embodied. Or, as Chogyam Trungpa said, it is our neuroses that are reborn.

as there is no physical body to feel pain and pleasure?

Oh yes, there is definitely a body every time. Information always needs some kind of media, it does not exist without media... But that media could be virtual as well -- after all, form is emptiness and emptiness is form. Depending on a particular realm it may not be a crude material body. Besides, pain and pleasure do not require a body. Did you never experience mental pleasure and mental pain?

If that person has learnt the art of detachment, how can s/he suffer/enjoy in hell/heaven?

If that person has learnt the art of detachment, why would he or she be reborn in heaven or hell?

Does different realms really exists and do we travel through them?

Of course they really exist, just not necessarily in a naive way below the ground or above the sky ;) Yes, we do travel through them. Even in this world some people live in hell - don't you agree?


The aim should not to be to avoid reincarnation in 'lower' realms, but to alleviate suffering for all sentient beings. Please do keep that in mind. Focusing on reincarnation encourages selfish thinking.


Buddha's Power of Seeing Other Beings Mind

Katamañca, kevaṭṭa, ādesanāpāṭihāriyaṃ? Idha, kevaṭṭa, bhikkhu parasattānaṃ parapuggalānaṃ cittampi ādisati, cetasikampi ādisati,
vitakkitampi ādisati, vicāritampi ādisati: ‘evampi te mano, itthampi
te mano, itipi te cittan’ti.
And what is the miracle of telepathy? There is the case where a monk reads the minds, the mental events, the thoughts, the ponderings of
other beings, other individuals, [saying,] 'Such is your thinking,
here is where your thinking is, thus is your mind.'
Kevatta (Kevaddha) Sutta
ādesanā = pointing out, guessing, prophesy; only in phrase -pāṭihāriya trick or marvellous ability of mind-reading or guessing other peoples character

Parasattānaṃ parapuggalānaṃ cetasā ceto paricca pajānāti
He knows the mind of other beings, other individuals, having encompassed it with his own mind.
Kayagata-Sati Sutta
paricca = distinguished or understood
pajānāti = knows clearly
para = other
sattānaṃ = beings'
puggalānaṃ = persons
cetasā = minds
ceto = mind

Hinduism: para citta ādi abhijñatā: knowing the minds of others


How is Recollection of peace (upasamānussati) practiced?

One should begin by reflecting on the qualities of nibbana, according to the Buddha's words:

  “Bhikkhus, in so far as there are dhammas, whether formed or unformed,fading away is pronounced the best of them, that is to say, the disillusionment of
  vanity, the elimination of thirst, the abolition of reliance, the termination of the
  round, the destruction of craving, fading away, cessation, Nibbāna”

  A II 34 (Nyanamoli, trans)

Practice most likely involves a mantra for each quality, for example, "madanimmadano" (disillusionment of vanity).

According to the Visuddhimagga, upasamaanussati doesn't lead to aapana samadhi, only upacara samadhi:

  As he recollects peace in its special qualities of disillusionment of vanity,etc., in this way, then: “On that occasion his mind is not obsessed by greed or obsessed by hate or obsessed by delusion; his mind has rectitude on that occasion, being inspired by peace” (see VII.65, etc.). So when he has suppressed the hindrances in the way already described under the recollection of the
  Enlightened One, etc., the jhāna factors arise in a single moment. But owing to
  the profundity of the special qualities of peace, or owing to his being occupied
  in recollecting special qualities of various kinds, the jhāna is only access and
  does not reach absorption. And that jhāna itself is known as “recollection of
  peace” too because it arises by means of the special qualities of peace.

  Vism VIII.249 (Nyanamoli, trans)


There is a qualitative difference between a practice which uses Avalokitasvara (Chenrezig) for visualizations, etc., and the practice that was used by Avalokitasvara to reach enlightenment. They are not the same.
The Mahayana/Vajrayna Surangama Sutra is of immeasurable value in this regard. It describes this path, which was taken by Buddha and Manjusri, as well as Avalokitasvara, and all Buddhas. See Manjushri’s Summation from the Surangama Sutra: https://bit.ly/ManjushriSummation
Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö’s “The Light That Makes Things Clear: A Prophecy of Things to Come,” (“ma 'ongs lung bstan gsal byed sgron me zhes bya ba bzhugs so”) indicates this meditation method is the one most useful for beings such as we, in the Dharma ending time. See: http://bit.ly/TheLightThatMakesThingsClear
Using this method with the support of inner spontaneous sounds* results in the accomplishment of Great Responsiveness (Mahakaruna) and the supreme siddhi.
There is a universal understanding of this path. See: http://bit.ly/PathToEnlightenment
The Tibetan Nyingma teacher, Khenpo Sodargye Rinpoche, is teaching the Surangama Sutra at the Larung Gar center, in Sêrtar County of Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, in Sichuan, China, also known as Kham, which he is the head of, since late 2019.
The english translations of those teachings are on Youtube. This is the webpage announcing his teachings: http://khenposodargye.org/teachings/khenpos-classical-teachings/surangama-sutra/
Note: many traditions use inner spontaneous sounds to different purposes and with different interpretations. Here are a list of keywords to search with: Abstract Sound, Astral Sound, Anāhata Nāda, Dharma Sound of the Diamond Samadhi, Chönyid kyi rangdra (Chos Nyid Kyi Rang Sgra), Dharmata Swayambhu Nada, Divine Tremoring, Eternal Sound, Holy Stream of Sound, Inner sacred sound, Inner Sound, Music of the Spheres, Nada-Brahman, Omkara Dhvarni, Primordial Sound, Resonance of Emptiness, Sawt-e-sarmad, Sacred Sound, Shabda, Shabda Brahman, Sound of Creation, Sound of Silence, Soundless Sound, Thunder of Silence, Transcendental Sound, Unborn Sound, Unstruck Sound, Word of God.


How can I talk to my mother (who idle-chatters) without getting angry?

When we want to deal with someone, we need to first understand that someone. The more information or knowledge we have of that someone, the easier it gets.
Now in the case of your mother, isn't it obvious that she desires to stay on the phone as long as possible with you? She doesn't do the same when you're physically with her, because she's happy enough that you're already there. So what do you think is happening here?
As I see it, she wants you to be present. Talking to you on the phone allows her to feel that you are present. And what does she get with that? No much actually, except for short periods of relief, I guess, from loneliness. And why talk about unnecessary things? Why not? The subject obviously doesn't matter. Even if it's a repetition, whatever comes to her mind is a way to keep you with her, to keep her from feeling lonely.
You, as her child, wish to please her, and so you keep listening. While wanting to be nice, you listen with anger. Even if there's not much of that in the beginning, it builds up in you. And when you can't hold it anymore, you explode.
Frustrating, isn't it?
You might think that by listening quietly she might eventually recognize that you want to end the conversation and that solves your problem. Hasn't work so far, huh?
When we let someone with lots of desire lead a conversation, then it's to be expected that the conversation becomes dominated by desire. Since between you and her, you have a clearer head (i.e. more wisdom), and you want the conversion to be more meaningful, then you are the one who has to take the lead.
Stop trying to be nice, and start being kind instead, and courageous.
Help her. Help yourself. Lead the conversation. Choose the time to call her. Tell her how much time you have with her on the phone. Ask her about her day, her feelings. Don't let her defilements lead. Let your wisdom and love lead. Let her feel your presence, your love for her.
All the best to you.


It's not accurate that the suttas do not address aversion (dosa) and the antidote for it.

For example, in the Nakulapita Sutta, the Buddha advises householder Nakulapita with regards to his aversion to old age and disease:

  Then the householder Nakulapita 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 am a feeble old man, aged,
  advanced in years, having come to the last stage of life. I am
  afflicted in body & ailing with every moment. And it is only rarely
  that I get to see the Blessed One & the monks who nourish the heart.
  May the Blessed One teach me, may the Blessed One instruct me, for my
  long-term benefit & happiness."

  "So it is, householder. So it is. The body is afflicted, weak, &
  encumbered. For who, looking after this body, would claim even a
  moment of true health, except through sheer foolishness? So you should
  train yourself: 'Even though I may be afflicted in body, my mind will
  be unafflicted.' That is how you should train yourself."

Later, Ven. Sariputta explained this in more detail to Nakulapita, which incidentally provides the antidote for aversion (dosa) through the contemplation of not-self (anatta):

  "And how is one afflicted in body but unafflicted in mind? There is
  the case where a well-instructed disciple of the noble ones — who has
  regard for noble ones, is well-versed & disciplined in their Dhamma;
  who has regard for men of integrity, is well-versed & disciplined in
  their Dhamma — does not assume form to be the self, or the self as
  possessing form, or form as in the self, or the self as in form. He is
  not seized with the idea that 'I am form' or 'Form is mine.' As he is
  not seized with these ideas, his form changes & alters, but he does
  not fall into sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, or despair over its
  change & alteration.

  "He does not assume feeling to be the self...

  "He does not assume perception to be the self...

  "He does not assume fabrications to be the self...

  "He does not assume consciousness to be the self, or the self as
  possessing consciousness, or consciousness as in the self, or the self
  as in consciousness. He is not seized with the idea that 'I am
  consciousness' or 'Consciousness is mine.' As he is not seized with
  these ideas, his consciousness changes & alters, but he does not fall
  into sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, or despair over its change &
  alteration.

  "This, householder, is how one is afflicted in body but unafflicted in
  mind."

When the Buddha visited the sick ward of monks in Gelañña Sutta, he advised the contemplation of impermanence (anicca), which also works as an antidote for aversion (dosa):

  "Sensing a feeling of pleasure, he discerns that it is inconstant, not
  grasped at, not relished. Sensing a feeling of pain... Sensing a
  feeling of neither-pleasure-nor-pain, he discerns that it is
  inconstant, not grasped at, not relished. Sensing a feeling of
  pleasure, he senses it disjoined from it. Sensing a feeling of pain...
  Sensing a feeling of neither-pleasure-nor-pain, he senses it disjoined
  from it. When sensing a feeling limited to the body, he discerns that
  'I am sensing a feeling limited to the body.' When sensing a feeling
  limited to life, he discerns that 'I am sensing a feeling limited to
  life.' He discerns that 'With the break-up of the body, after the
  termination of life, all that is sensed, not being relished, will grow
  cold right here.'

  "Just as an oil lamp burns in dependence on oil & wick; and from the
  termination of the oil & wick — and from not being provided any other
  sustenance — it goes out unnourished; in the same way, when sensing a
  feeling limited to the body, he discerns that 'I am sensing a feeling
  limited to the body.' When sensing a feeling limited to life, he
  discerns that 'I am sensing a feeling limited to life.' He discerns
  that 'With the break-up of the body, after the termination of life,
  all that is sensed, not being relished, will grow cold right here.'"

  OP: [comment] I was hoping that this topic would be more about choosing or failing to do what one is or feels averse to -- to some
  extent Nakulapita's growing old wasn't a choice (extent to the extent
  of choosing to identify with form, feeling, etc.).

In Vajjiputta Sutta (quoted below), the monk alone in the forest, heard music and festivities in a neighbouring village, and felt aversion towards his seclusion (which is considered good for monks by the Dhamma). This is an aversion by choice (unlike disease and old age), which was overcome by changing his perspective or changing his view of the situation.

  On one occasion a certain monk, a Vajjian princeling, was dwelling
  near Vesali in a forest thicket. And on that occasion an all-night
  festival was being held in Vesali. The monk — lamenting as he heard
  the resounding din of wind music, string music, & gongs coming from
  Vesali, on that occasion recited this verse:

    I live in the wilderness all alone
    like a log cast away in the forest.
    On a night like this,
    who could there be
    more miserable than me?

  Then the devata inhabiting the forest thicket, feeling sympathy for
  the monk, desiring his benefit, desiring to bring him to his senses,
  approached him and addressed him with this verse:

    As you live in the wilderness all alone
    like a log cast away in the forest,
    many are those who envy you,
    as hell-beings do,
    those headed for heaven.

  The monk, chastened by the devata, came to his senses.

I agree with Andrei: In this answer, by understanding the underlying reasons for others' sufferings, we can generate compassion towards them. This was proposed as an antidote towards contempt. This is one example of overcoming aversion by changing one's perspective or view of a situation.

In fact, disgust (nibbida) to cure passion (lobha), compassion to cure contempt, not-self or impermanence to cure aversion towards old age or suffering, and changing one's perspective to cure aversion towards skillful things like seclusion, are all examples of changing one's perspective or view of a situation, to turn unwholesome into wholesome.


MN128 has a long long discussion about what to do when nimitta vanishes:

MN128:15.3: “Well, sir, while meditating diligent, keen, and resolute, we perceive both light and vision of forms. But before long the light and the vision of forms vanish. We haven’t worked out the reason for that.”

It's rather lengthy, so I won't repeat it but it starts here:

MN128:16.1: “Well, you should work out the reason for that. Before my awakening—when I was still unawakened but intent on awakening—I too perceived both light and vision of forms.  But before long my light and vision of forms vanished. It occurred to me: ‘What’s the cause, what’s the reason why my light and vision of forms vanish?’  It occurred to me: ‘Doubt arose in me, and because of that my immersion fell away.

And continues for a very long explanation...
Regarding what is actually seen, that too is mentioned in DN16. Specifically, visions can be internal or external; limited or limitless; blue, red, yellow or white.

DN16:3.26.1: Perceiving form internally, someone sees visions externally, limitless, both pretty and ugly. (...)

Notably, one should also not be attached to such visions. Let them come and go. Watch without grasping.

MN111:4.5: And he meditated without attraction or repulsion for those phenomena; independent, untied, liberated, detached, his mind free of limits.

In particular, limited visions will have forms, since forms are limited. Just watch.


What will be a video game version of Buddhist Samsara be like?

Whenever you die, it shows a blind turtle, in a deep slumber, in the depth of the ocean. At the surface of the ocean, a small yoke moves around randomly. You have to wait for days before you can actually control the blind turtle. You have to get the turtle to surface, and to pass its head through the yoke. If you succeed, you get one chance on two to get a good rebirth.

Then, you control your mental consciousness (like the spirit/soul in World of Warcraft) but instead of finding your body back, you have to find parents that are having sex. Of course, you only see the parents of the class you can, according to your karma and the turtle test.

Every time you are reborn, you get another body, your character is of another race, another class, etc. Whatever you were previously familiar with will come a little bit easier to you.

Your body grows and decays and even if you are not killed, you'll die of old age or sickness eventually. Your mind also degenerates with time and you forget your skills and lose your items.


Is it true that enlightenment is equivalent with perfect knowledge?

In buddhism, Enlightenment is the "direct knowledge" about suffering, the origin, the cessation https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.than.html

the four immeasurables  is just how to get to Brahma world, like here https://suttacentral.net/mn99/en/sujato  so it is not Enlightenment. When you claim that the four immeasurables  is Enlightenment you are a hindu and that's totally wrong in buddhism.

So you are mixing hinduism and buddhism. In hinduism the path to nibanna is to generate merits over and over, same thing with the jains. They have to burn up past bad karma and create lots of good karma..
But that's very wrong view.

In buddhism generating merit is useless to get enlightened. Merit gets you a good birth and that's all. In buddhism you need to know about suffering, the origin, the cessation and the path to the cessation of suffering.
So do not confuse the path of merit, the path of Enlightenment and Enlightenment itself.


You have to look at which reality you are dealing with.

If you are dealing with sammuti-sacca which is the conventional reality then one can say that a soul, self, spirit, being etc. exists. Why?
Because conventional reality is dealing with concepts. A soul is a concept. A self is a concept. If you try to search for them through the method of insight meditation you will not find a lasting, permanent, indestructible entity anywhere.

Instead you will come to see that the false idea of a self is merely a mental formation belonging to the 4th aggregate.

If you deal with paramattha-sacca which is ultimate reality then concepts do not exist and there is no problem with a soul/self to begin with.

The thing is that things work fine without the need for a self. By adding a self to the equation one is enforcing and strengthening the suffering by identifying and taking ownership of it.
There is a profound difference in saying "i am angry" and "anger has arisen in the mind".

There is also a build-in problem in the way language is used. We are forced to speak about e.g. consciousness by using nouns which can imply that there is something there. But there is not. Consciousness is not a thing. Its a knowing.

What we normally think is consciousness is really a series of cittas (momentary acts of consciousness) that are happening in rapid succession.

The Buddha once said that its okay to use conventional language but do not be fooled thereby.


How are the Seven Purifications (satta-visuddhi) practiced in daily life?

This book is focused only on this question.

http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/bm7insight.pdf

Hope it helps.


In what ways have Buddhists responded to the apparent impossibility of saving all sentient beings?

From the Mahayana viewpoint, the mind of enlightenment is the wish to achieve buddhahood in order to benefit all sentient beings. It is true we also often say "to set them in enlightenment" as well.

The omniscient mind of a buddha gives birth to the teachings of the buddha in that it causes him to teach us the Dharma. We say that the teachings of the buddha emanate from his omniscient mind (the wisdom truth body part of the dharmakaya). In a way, he teaches all of us but some do not have the ears to listen to him. This is merely an analogy. The meaning is that not all sentient beings have the karma to listen to the Buddha dharma but his enlightened deeds (in particular his teachings) pervade all sentient beings, just like the rays of the sun illuminate indiscriminately. However, the deeds of a buddha do not engage with all sentient beings, they are capable of doing so.

In his Commentary to Maitreya/Asanga's Great Vehicle Treatise on the Sublime Continuum (mahayanottaratantra-ratnagotravibhanga) Gyaltsab Je says:

  These three can be illustrated: meditating on the path of utilizing
  the basic element results in the attainment of the dharmakaya of a
  perfect buddha whose enlightened deeds emanate and pervade to all
  sentient beings. These enlightened deeds of the dharmakaya are capable
  of engaging with sentient beings and exist exclusively for the mind
  streams of sentient beings. Because of this it is said that all
  sentient beings possess tathagata essence. This is similar in meaning
  to the Abhisamayalamkara when it says, "Because enlightened deeds are
  vast, it said that the buddha is all pervasive."

And

  Illustrating the teachings of conventional and ultimate truth with
  similes gives further explanation of the term "emanate" in the line,
  "The perfect buddha body emanates. " This is because "dharmakaya
  emanates" means "dharmakaya pervades," which in turn refers to being
  pervaded by enlightened deeds, and enlightened deeds engage with all
  sentient beings by way of the speech of the tathagatas teaching the
  dharma to various disciples. The capability of the enlightened deeds
  to engage with sentient beings is always present and this is the
  meaning of "pervaded by the dharmakaya.

Additionally, according to Mahayana tenets, the continuum of a buddha is not severed. His enlightened deeds will not stop as long as one being remains in samsara.


Buddhism teaches there are five aggregates. Consciousness (vinnana) is one aggregate; feeling (vedana) is another aggregate; perception (sanna) is another aggregate; and mental formations (sankhara) are another aggregrate. A 'conception' is a 'sankhara' ('mental formation') and is not a perception.

'Perception' is distinguishing differences in conscious sense impressions (such as different shades of color) and is inseparable from consciousness; as follows:

  Perception, perception': Thus is it said. To what extent, friend, is it said to be 'perception'?" 'It perceives, it perceives': Thus,
  friend, it is said to be 'perception.' And what does it perceive? It
  perceives blue. It perceives yellow. It perceives red. It perceives
  white. 'It perceives, it perceives': Thus it is said to be
  'perception.'

  Feeling, perception & consciousness are conjoined, friend, not disjoined. It is not possible, having separated them one from another,
  to delineate the difference among them. For what one feels, that one perceives. What one perceives, that one cognizes.

  MN 43

Where as a 'conception' is a subjective idea or thinking that is added onto a conscious perception, as follows:

  Dependent on eye & forms, eye-consciousness arises. The meeting of the three is contact. With contact as a requisite condition, there is
  feeling. What one feels, one perceives. What one perceives, one
  thinks about.

  MN 18

  He perceives fire as fire. Having perceived fire as fire, he conceives himself as fire, he conceives himself in fire, he conceives
  himself apart from fire, he conceives fire to be ‘mine,’ he delights
  in fire. Why is that? Because he has not fully understood it, I say.

  MN 1

The difference between 'perception' and 'conception' is (when conscious sense experience occurs) perception is unavoidable; where as 'conception' is avoidable.

Right now, my mind cannot avoid perceiving the 'shapes' & 'colours' that make up my computer. However, my mind can choose to not make 'conceptions' about those 'shapes' & 'colours'. In other words, those shapes & colours can be observed without the conception of the thought or word "computer".


Irritation due to breathing noises in dojo

I hear other people breathing loudly through their noses, it drives me nuts and puts me in an extremely bad mood.

You are quite fortunate to have these kind souls gently show you the rough spots in your meditation. If you were alone, steeped in quiet, there would be no such disturbance. If there is suffering somewhere, it is attached to delight (MN1). For example, if one delights in quietness, seeking refuge from chaos on the cushion, then such disturbances would irritate. It would irritate especially if there is a sense of "my meditation" and "their noise". This is identity view and SN22.155 says:

  But by not grasping what’s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, would identity view arise?”
  “No, sir.”

Breathing noises come and go. In and out. They are not permanent. Instead of thinking "that person keeps breathing loudly!", simply think "There is an in-breath." Later, notice that "There is an out-breath".  In doing so, the impermanence manifests. Seeing the impermanence, the next step is to recognize that it really has nothing to do with you:

  This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self --MN62

Knowing that this is not your self, simply count your own breath and return to that peace you thought threatened. It's not just your peace, it's also their peace. They, over there, are hearing your own breathing. Give them the gift of peace by gently attending to your own breath.


Which is a good book to read about history of Buddhism?

Buddhism: Its History and Literature, by T.W. Rhys Davids
Buddhist India, by T.W. Rhys Davids
Early Buddhist Monachism (600 B.C. - 100 B.C.), by Sukumar Dutt
History of Buddhism in Ceylon: The Anurādhapura Period, 3rd Century BC – 10th Century AC, by Walpola Rahula
History of Indian Buddhism: From the Origins to the Śaka Era, by Étienne Lamotte
The Buddhist Religion: A Historical Introduction, by Richard H. Robinson
The History of Buddhist Thought, by Edward J. Thomas
Theravada Buddhism: A Social History from Ancient Benares to Modern Colombo: (Second Edition), by Richard F. Gombrich
Indian Buddhism (A.K Warder),
History of Indian Buddhism (Hirakawa Akira),
How Buddhism Began (Gombrich).
The Birth of Insight (Erik Braun).
The Origin of Buddhist Meditation (Alexander Wynne),
Buddha and Buddhist Synods in India and Abroad (Amarnath Thakur).
Bones, Stones, and Buddhist Monks: Collected Papers on the Archaeology, Epigraphy, and Texts of Monastic Buddhism in India (Gregory Schopen).

There is a more of such books at http://www.ahandfulofleaves.org/


Difference between mundane concerns of praise and honour/fame

Praise and blame is whether what you're doing is right or wrong, according to someone.

Fame and insignificance is whether a lot of people consider you special or not.

For example, if you have a Buddhist teacher, and your teacher tells you that worrying about fame is wrong, then you may completely abandon all concerns about being popular, but you may still be attached to receiving praise from your teacher and not receiving blame.

Or, if you so much want to deserve popularity, that you don't mind doing a crime like killing the Queen of England. You know you will get a lot of blame, but you still like the fame it gives you.

So the two issues are orthogonal, independent of each other.


Are there any descriptions of the deathless/unborn in any tradition of Buddhism?

I think that in the Pali suttas:

"The deathless" is a synonym for nibanna (see this answer).
Samsara is conditioned and has no construable beginning (which, I think, means 'perpetual' but 'without an original creator')
Nibanna is (in contrast) unconditioned

I don't think there is (I don't know of any) doctrine which explains how/why conditioned existence comes into being from the unborn.

There is a theory of dependent origination which explains how one thing leads to another, i.e. how samsara is perpetuated.

And I think that Buddhism is seen as a way to escape from (to be liberated from) samsara.

Speaking of Siva, I've noticed that akalika (timeless) is given as one of the attributes of Dharma. Kali is a (Hindu) goddess of Time, consort of Siva, and associated with (among other things) Destruction.

So, conversely, perhaps it makes sense that that which is akalika is associated with what's Deathless (and Unborn).

My understanding of it in conventional terms is that "Born" means that 'it' comes into existence as a result of conditions, and Death means that it stops existing in the same way (see e.g. this essay, Anicca Vata Sankhara by Bhikkhu Bodhi) -- and thus, 'it' is impermanent.

Conversely the Unborn and the Deathless is not impermanent.

In its description of the Mahāparinirvāṇasūtra, The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism claims,

  Th nirvana of the arhat is said to be merely the absence of the afflictions (KLESA) but with no awareness of the buddhadhatu. The nirvana of the Buddha is instead eternal, pure, blissful, and endowed with self, a primordially existent reality that is only temporarily obscure by the klesa; when that nirvana and buddhadhattu are finally "recognised," buddhahood is then achieved. The Buddha reveals the existence of this nirvana to boddhisatvas.

Incidentally it also says,

  To assert there is no self is to misunderstand the true dhamma. The doctrine of emptiness (SUNYATA) this comes to mean the absence of that which is compounded, suffering, impermanent.

So if you're looking for doctrine about the "unborn" as something other than an absence of defilement, something with a self-existence, then you might want to be looking into later Buddhist doctrines, for example to do with Buddha-nature.

If you read the Mahāparinirvāṇasūtra there's a lot of talk about Self, for example,

  Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! Is there Self in the 25 existences or
  not?" The Buddha said: "O good man! "Self" means "Tathagatagarbha" [Buddha-Womb,
  Buddha-Embryo, Buddha-Nature]. Every being has Buddha-Nature. This is the Self. Such Self
  has, from the very beginning, been under cover of innumerable defilements. That is why man
  cannot see it.

You're asking "what it is", which I think assumes that "it is": i.e. that there is an 'it', which is existent. That existent 'it' I suppose might be Buddha-nature (which I think the Pali sutta describe more as a non-it: not-born, not-dying, trackless, unconditioned, not suffering, etc.).

Even so I'm not sure that it's right to talk about the unborn as a creator or source of conditioned existence.

Apart from "Buddha-nature" there's another word from the later doctrine, Tathāgatagarbha,

  The Tathāgatagarbha sūtras are a group of Mahayana sutras that present the concept of the "womb" or "embryo" (garbha) of the tathāgata, the buddha.

Calling it "womb" implies that maybe it's a creator of something, but I think that what it's said to be creating is Buddhahood rather than creating conditioned existence:

  Every sentient being has the possibility to attain Buddhahood because of the tathāgatagarbha.

For example the Tathagata-garbha Sutra says,

  "Or, kulaputras, it is like a kernel of wheat that has not yet had its husk removed. Someone
  who is impoverished might foolishly disdain it, and consider it to be something that should
  be discarded. But when it is cleaned, the kernel can always be used. In like fashion, good
  sons, when I observe beings with my Buddha cakshur, I see that the husk of kleshas covers
  their limitless Tathagata vision. So with appropriate upayas I expound the Dharma, to enable
  them to remove those kleshas, purify their jnana paramita (tenth bodhisattva stage) and to
  attain in all worlds the anuttara-samyak-sambodhi."

... and,

  "Or, kulaputras, it is like the genuine gold that has fallen into a pit of waste and been
  submerged and not seen for years. The pure gold does not decay, yet no one knows that it is
  there. But suppose there came along someone with supernatural vision, who told people,
  'Within the impure waste there is a genuine gold trinket. You should get it out and do with it
  as you please.' Similarly, kulaputras, the impure waste is your innumerable klesha. The
  genuine gold trinket is your tathagatagarbha. For this reason, the Tathagata widely expounds
  the Dharma to enable all beings to destroy their kleshas, attain correct perfect enlightment
  and perform Buddha deeds."

In summary I don't know of a doctrine which says that the conditioned comes into existence because of the unborn.

If anything perhaps it's the reverse, e.g. there's the image of the (pure) lotus which grows out of the (impure) mud.

Even so, attaining the unborn might change the way in which you see conditioned existence.


Can a being be reborn into more that one body in Tibetan Buddhism?

Because Buddhism denies independent existence of substantial "self", it does not posit literal reincarnation, as in someone literally being a come back of e.g. Ananda (Buddha's favorite student).

Tibetan Buddhism does have a notion of Tulku though, which is similar. Tulku is a new person that inherits the life stories and responsibilities of a previous person. This is done through teaching this person to deliberately identify with their predecessor, to learn predecessor's history, and to carry on his or her work.

Because the new person's life is so heavily influenced and inspired by the predecessor, we can say that the new person is an embodiment of the abstract energy of the previous one.

In this sense, multiple people could embody the same predecessor. In fact, it is more often  than not a case with Great teachers, that they have multiple "emanations" (usually, of mind, of speech, and of enlightened activity) -- because a regular limited person can't give justice to all of that greatness, so declaring one Tulku would not be appropriate.


There's a really long footnote here, which starts with a paraphrase of the commentary ...

This is a riddle verse the clue to which lies in the identification of the metaphors used. According to the comm., the root is craving; the two whirlpools (ie. 'dviraava.t.tam': rendered above as 'turning-twice') are the eternalist and annihilationist views; the three stains are lust, hatred and delusion; the five arenas are the five types of sense-pleasure; the ocean is craving itself in its insatiable aspect; the twelve eddies are the internal and external spheres (of sense) and the abyss is craving in its 'bottomless' aspect. (Note that craving plays a triple role in this interpretation).

... and which then goes on to doubt the commentary by pointing out that some of these metaphors are used to refer to other things in other suttas.


Should I consult psychologist or should I go for monk-life?

If you are ready to be a monk and live by the Vinaya, by all mean do.

A householders life is not cut out for fasting for everyone. Even monks who are engaged in lot of activity find it difficult to fast afternoon. If you meditate for long hours fasting afternoon is not a problem, but when you get many worldly activities this becomes problematic.

I don't think this is something a psychologist can help but more to do with the amount or meditation you pratice.

  How to stop worrying about others or why do I feel like worrying about others during metta?

There are 4 Brahmavihara of which Metta is one. The objective of Metta meditation is to develop loving-kindness and benevolence and also break mental tendency to classify being as favourable and unfavourable hence reacting with craving and aversion.

In your case, if you are developing worrying thoughts due to the concern for others or their situation, the best is that you concentrate on Upekkha and later develop the other Brahmaviharas.


This may not be directly related to your tradition but maybe of some value to you or perhaps another reader.

Generally when your bodily fabrications calm down, your breath becomes very short, becomes far apart and even stop for a while. At this point you have to switch to sensations. Generally this will be pleasant sensations but sometimes maybe even gross. If you want to increase your concentration keep it at a point in your upper lip. If not you can choose your whole body.

There are 16 stages of Anapana. This is where you transition at the 5th stage.

Also see: Mindfulness With Breathing : A Manual for Serious Beginners by Buddhadasa Bhikkhu (Author), Santikaro Bhikkhu (Translator) which is a good book to read.

Also another and free books is: Manual of Mindfulness of Breathing (Anapana Dipani) by Ledi Sayadaw Mahathera, Aggamahapandita, D. Litt.


What is the "Unconditioned" that the Buddha is talking about? And vinjana in Buddhsm

OP: In advaita vedanta, consciousness is the self.

In Buddhism, it is considered all conditioned and unconditioned is not-self/non-self. "

    sabbe dhammā anattā

Therefore, there nothing that can be identified as a self. Not even Nirvana.

  OP: Is pure consciousness, or being aware of being aware, the same as what the Buddha called the "unconditioned"?

No. In Buddhism consciousness is just to knows what is felt.

    Then there remains only consciousness, purified and cleansed.What does one know [cognize]with that consciousness?

    One knows, „It is pleasant.‟

    One knows. „It is painful.‟

    One knows, „It is neutral.‟

Dhātu Vibhaṅga Sutta. See below for a full quote of the section on consciousness.

What is unconditioned in Nirvana.

    "There is, monks, an unborn — unbecome — unmade — unfabricated. If there were not that unborn — unbecome — unmade — unfabricated, there would not be the case that emancipation from the born — become — made — fabricated would be discerned. But precisely because there is an unborn — unbecome — unmade — unfabricated, emancipation from the born — become — made — fabricated is discerned."

    — Ud 8.3

Source: Nibbana

  OP: They said if consciousness was not aware of itself, none of us would know that we are aware.

In Buddhism, consciousness is part of the 6 sense bases. It knows what you have come in contact with.

    On account of a contact that is felt ... conditioned by that contact ...

Dhātu Vibhaṅga Sutta. See the full section quoted below.

    (iv) The six groups of contacts are to be understood, thus it is said, and in what connection is this
    said?

    Dependent on eye and forms,
    eye-consciousness arises. When the three meet, there is contact.

    Dependent on ear and sounds,
    ear-consciousness arises. When the three meet, there is contact.

    ...

    The six groups of contacts are to be understood, thus it is said, and it is said in this connection.

Cha Chakka Sutta

    The consciousness element

    Then there remains only consciousness, purified and cleansed.What does one know [cognize]with that consciousness?

    One knows, „It is pleasant.‟

    One knows. „It is painful.‟

    One knows, „It is neutral.‟

    On account of a contact that is felt as pleasant, there arises a pleasant feeling.

    When one feels a pleasant feeling one understands, „I feel a pleasant feeling.‟
    One understands, „With the cessation of that same contact that is felt as pleasant,
    the pleasant feeling conditioned by that contact ceases, it is stilled.‟

    On account of a contact that is felt as painful, there arises a painful feeling.

    When one feels a painful feeling one understands, „I feel a painful feeling.‟

    One understands, „With the cessation of that same contact that is felt as painful, the painful
    feeling conditioned by that contact ceases, it is stilled.‟

    On account of a contact that is felt as neither pain nor pleasure, there arises a neutral feeling.

    When one feels a neutral feeling one understands, „I feel a neutral feeling.‟

    One understands, „With the cessation of that same contact that is felt as neither painful nor
    pleasant, the neutral feeling conditioned by that contact ceases, it is stilled.‟

Dhātu Vibhaṅga Sutta


Explaining non-attachment to the very attached

Sounds like your realization of Emptiness is not complete. Evidently, there are still some leftover attachments in you, specifically attachment to Dharma. Have you read Choguyam Trungpa's work? "Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism" comes to mind.

Have you worked with live Zen teachers or with higher levels of Tantra? Integrating Samsara and Nirvana is not a joke, and it is exactly simple but insightful women like this that were almost designed to call our bullshit.


Threefold division of noble eightfold path

The forerunner of the path is right view (MN117) and basically this means that you must understand something about Buddhism correctly before starting to practise.

However, the rest of the practice of the Noble Eightfold Path is not sequential. It's rather, iterative.

Here are some metaphors.

When you first learn to drive a car, do you learn how to start the car on one day, how to accelerate on the second day, how to brake on the third day, how to turn the steering wheel to the left on the fourth day and how to turn the steering wheel to the right on the fifth day? No. It doesn't make sense. You have to learn and develop these steps altogether in tandem, and practise them together.

Another example is this. When you learn to cook, would you learn to cut vegetables on one day, then learn how to wash ingredients on another day, then learn to boil on another day, then learn to simmer on another day and so on? No. Instead, you learn and practise them altogether at once by trying to cook a certain recipe. By practising them together, you slowly deepen your cooking skills. You would then expand to add frying, broiling, baking, steaming, poaching, sauteeing etc. to your techniques, but you would practise them together in one recipe.

Similarly, in the case of the Noble Eightfold Path, you would have to first cultivate Right View (the forerunner of the path) by learning the Buddha's teachings (the Dhamma). Then you would start developing Right Resolve, and decide to take refuge in the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha, and practise the five precepts (which form the core part of the virtues - Right Action, Right Speech and Right Livelihood).

As you deepen your progress into Right View by studying more of the Dhamma, you then increase your knowledge of the virtues (Right Action, Right Speech and Right Livelihood) and try to practise them with more fervour. That's more of Right Resolve and Right Effort being applied.

As you deepen your contemplation of the teachings, you start cultivating Right Mindfulness and Right Concentration, and then go into the meditation practices. These meditation practices would then lead you to better understanding of the Dhamma through first hand experience, which is improving the Right View once again. If you stumble into the five hindrances during meditation, you may need to deepen your practice of the virtues once again. This of course again is applying Right Resolve and Right Effort towards making progress in meditation and cultivation of wisdom.

So, every step helps the other. You can't practise only one of them at a time. But of course, learning the Dhamma and practising virtues tend to come before meditation, in general. This is just as in the case where you need to start a car and accelerate, before braking, but you would anyway do them in one session of driving, with repetition of all the steps as needed, to take you to your destination.

Even if you have not tried to meditate, if you continually reflect and ponder upon the teachings (that you have studied) and see how they match your experiences in life, you would still begin to understand the teachings from first hand experience. Then meditation could still progressively come later.


What are the differences between Zen Buddhism and Tibetan Buddhism?

From my experience, the biggest diff is in the amount of rational explanation.

Tibetan teachers and texts are much more inclined to giving a step by step logical rational reasonable conceptual framework. Zen teachers and texts speak to direct experience, using spur of the moment analogies and play on words.

Judging by the very fact that you asked this question, you seem to be inclined towards the Tibetan style. (It seems to me if you were a good Zen material, asking this kind of question would not even occur to you. You would not trust anyone's opinion and would be inclined to try both and find out for yourself.)

And judging by how you mentioned "essence" and your practical tone, I suspect Kagyu may be a good lineage for you.

If you are interested in differences between Tibetan schools, you may want to see this answer.


Does feeding animals with dead chicks and live worms break precepts?

though they also feed them worms that are alive. Is it breaking the first precept since they don't kill them ?

Sure. While you do not actively terminate life by your own hand, handing it over to others to take care of the bussiness requires the volition to end life. And since volition is kamma, you'd incur the appropriate kammic consequences. You wouldn't send over some live worms to that endangered animal to keep company or with the hope that they'd become best buddies, right?


the value of a regular vipassana meditation practice

We practice meditation to purify our minds of greed, hatred, and delusion. We can't do this by yearning for ourselves to reach a particular stage of realization nor by yearning for special experiences within meditation.

We purify our minds of greed, hatred, and delusion by seeings these tendencies within ourselves and by seeing the objects of our greed, hatred, and delusion for what they are and becoming bored with them. When we become bored with them; we stop clinging to them. When we stop clinging altogether; we'll reach Nibbana.

This doesn't take months; it takes lifetimes. Who knows how many lifetimes we've already had to reach this point of being interested in bhavana at all? To be a human interested in the development of one's mind is very precious. You don't have to look far to see humans who are only interested in strengthening and beautifying the body, or accumulating money or possessions, or reputation or power, etc. But to be a human interested in the development of your mind, is an extraordinary opportunity.

Yes, it's valuable to practice your meditation regularly even when you don't "see" the progress. Venerable Yuttadhammo recently gave an especially encouraging dhamma talk regarding when you feel like "nothing is happening", in your meditation; it's actually bringing tremendous benefit. I will look for the dhamma talk and add it to this answer if possible. Be well. :)

added

This 10 minute long dhamma talk by Venerable Yuttadhammo has some very encouraging words for this situation. He is reflecting on the July 20 passage from http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/words_of_buddha.pdf.