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

One thing that seems fascinating about the rules of the monastic life, the rules of poverty and celibacy, and so forth, is that as strict as the rules are, it seems that compliance is voluntary. A monk could, at any moment, choose to disrobe and leave the order, and he would still be welcome to hear the Buddha and practice as a lay believer. It seems almost as if he is lauded for acknowledging his limitations rather than continuing to struggle without making progress, and continuing to eat the alms food in vain. I haven't yet read any sutras where a lapsed monk is told that he earned himself a rebirth in a bad destination. Am I mistaken? Does a lapsed monk earn bad karma from leaving the order, or from having mistakenly joined the monastic order? On the other hand, is it possible that he earns good karma and a good rebirth for having been in the Sangha? Suppose that his time in the Sangha makes him more wise, compassionate, forbearing as a lay person than he was previously. Suppose a recently divorced banker or stock broker resolves to join an established Therevadin order for exactly seven years. He will memorize the teaching and meticulously follow the rules during that time, after which he will return to his profession (and find a new wife). Is this permissible and beneficial, according to the Dhamma?

**Anyone reaching nirvana in recent years?** People practise buddhism for many years but no one achieves nirvana. No one reaches *anātman* (pali: anattā). The only theories Buddhism offers are anātman, nirvana, and the five aggregates, so my question is this: Is the Buddha's path corrupt, because no one achieves the goal?

Eckhart Tolle is a spiritual teacher who is influenced by Christianity and Buddhism etc. Now he says that there are Buddhists who claim that his teachings are not really Buddhist. But in what way are his teachings not really Buddhist?

What is the difference between lay person and a person who achieves sotapanna?Does sotapanna person experience less thoughts?Would they experience as dukka,happiness,pain like mind states?

I am primarily interested in following the teachings of Mahayana. Mahayana refers to the path of the Bodhisattva, a person capable of achieving Nirvana, a state in which the practitioner is released from the effects of karma and the cycle of death and rebirth, but instead chooses to save other beings from suffering. Zen and Tibetan Buddhism are two different schools of Mahayana. What is the essence of these two paths, and how do I determine which path to follow in order to become a Bodhisattva?

Some people believe in rebirth after this life because (for them) it seems that the suttas claim literal rebirth. And it somewhat makes sense because in some passages it'd be harder to believe in "just" mental birth, especially here: "With the break-up of the body, re-appeared in..." (difficult here ro believe that body means the "body" of the 5 aggregates) & here: >"Now this, bhikkhus, is the noble truth of suffering: **birth is suffering**, **aging is suffering**, **illness is suffering**, **death is suffering**; union with what is displeasing is suffering; separation from what is pleasing is suffering; not to get what one wants is suffering; in brief, the five aggregates subject to clinging are suffering. “Now this, bhikkhus, is the noble truth of the origin of suffering: it is this **craving which leads to renewed existence**, accompanied by delight and lust, seeking delight here and there; that is, craving for sensual pleasures, craving for existence, craving for extermination. SN 56.11 ________________________________________________________________ Elsewhere I read that birth (jati) means birth in a particular realm (mind dwelling), which is caused by a sense of "I", and this in turn is caused by craving & the underlying asavas, but even if this is true (& per the sutta it arguably is), **Why have samvega (sense of urgency that death may strike) without believe in literal rebirth** Why not live a normal life? This may sound provocative, but it really should not. Surely one can reply "because suffering", but most people living their live imperfectly okay, with some suffering here & there, but still find meaning & go through live with all its ups & downs. With warm wishes.

What is the difference between "Khandha" and "Kaya". Are the words related? The translations for khandha that I've found are "groupings", "aggregates", "heaps". Also for Kaya I have found that the most used translation is "Body", but the meaning can also be "heap", "collection", "group". There's also an interesting document that says that "kaya" did not originally mean "body" but "sentient being capable of consciousness". The argument proposed by Kuan is in Chapter 4, "4.2.2 Kayagata sati/ kayasati and the individual possessed of consciousness", page 100. https://www.amazon.it/dp/B001QEQR92/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1 http://watflorida.org/documents/Mindfulness-in-Early-Buddhism_Kuan.pdf It seems to me that understanding the word Kaya correctly can be very important for practice and right view.

In Buddhism there are six levels of heavens in the 31 different realms . These are ranged from the lowest heaven up to the highest heaven . Then , what is Nirvana ? , Is Nirvana the seventh heaven ? The ultimate heaven ? Is Nirvana the 32 th realm ? . If there are so many pleasures and happiness in the 6 heavens (in the 31 realms) , then what kind of pleasures and happiness we will find in Nirvana ?

Physical body always change with time. But I can't say this is me because I am not child now. I am Not teen now. I am lose with time slowly slowly.

In terms of Buddhist thought Is this accurate? It doesn't seem to jive with cause and effect which is more often referenced.

Q: > 1) Can someone name the most important commentaries, sub-commentaries, > etc. I should read while reading the Tipitaka?

If someone was holding many hostages and I came along and offered to trade myself for the hostages place so they can be let free, would this be right to do or wrong to do and would be detrimental to my practice if I am killed?

I've been reading Thich Nhat Hanh's 'The Miracle of Mindfulness'. It's a wonderful, short book that I wish I had found years ago. There's one very basic thing I still struggle with. This is a quote from the book: > 'When you are walking along a path leading into a village, you can > practice mindfulness. [...] You practice by keeping this one thought > alive: "I'm walking along the path leading into the village"' Since I began mindfulness meditations a few years ago I've always aimed to practice an awareness where thoughts are merely things that happen whilst I am being aware, and that I should let them pass as they come, not engaging but not strenuously pushing away. However, is Thich Nhat Hanh suggesting in the quote that we can 'hold' a thought in our minds that mirrors the subject of our awareness, or this instead just a way of articulating the experience of awareness? He also mentions similar practices regarding mindful breathing throughout the book. This is such a basic thing that I'm concerned why I haven't 'got' it after all these years, it often feels like I understood mindfulness more when I was relatively new to it! All the best, James

The existence of Ghosts is taught in many religions. And Buddhist sites (mainly Tibetan Buddhists) claim the existence of "Hungry Ghosts". However I didn't see sites saying that the Buddha claimed that ghosts exist. Did Lord Buddha teach about Ghosts, or is it only Buddhist sects which teach that? Also do ghosts exist here on this earth, do they affect or possess people, are they visible? Or are they only in some other real of existence?

q: > Can someone name the books in the shelf of Yuttadhammo in his videos > or all the books in the Tipitaka and sources to get them in English? > or at least what has been translated to english?

I have chosen to practice meditation *on* and mindfulness *of* the breath, at the tip of the nose, as prescribed by the Buddha. My difficulty, simply put, is that I am able to sense and focus on the breath everywhere ***BUT*** the tip of my nose! I suspect that focusing on where I *do* perceive it (in the nostrils) might be sufficient, but I want to precisely follow the instructions given by the Buddha. I came to notice on my own one day that projecting my attention onto a fixed location in the space in front of my head (with eyes closed) seemed to facilitate absorption in single-minded awareness. I had hoped that directing my awareness to the tip of my nose would produce similar results. Imagine my disappointment upon finding that I was unable to fixate my focus as the Buddha recommended! I will be very grateful for any guidance... May all beings find perfect freedom from dukkha and samsara!

I have come to learn the fact that the idea if maha meru is not only included in the buddhist canon but in many other beliefs and cultures which are not Buddhist. This is what Wikipedia says - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Meru I belong to the theravada tradition so i am very interested in knowing sources in the canon for further learning if you can mention some. Also if you can ease me into the topic with a small explanation it is also very much appreciated. > *I know that this has nothing to do with nirvana but i am curious of this and i also read this* > > https://muslimanswersfiles.wordpress.com/2013/05/01/buddhism-modern-science/ I guess i want an answer to the question "While all other things are logical and also even scientific, why this (Maha meru) makes no sense?" Namo Buddhaya!

If someone sees self is an illusion.it disappears with dvesha.is that the state lord buddha said, anatta ?how do you meditate thereafter?

Could someone please clarify for me what to do with the eyes? I have heard that we should keep our eyelids half open, but could someone describe it in detail (or refer me to someone else who does)? Thank you.