We as Buddhists know that Gautama Buddha didn't believe in a Supreme Being or an universal soul. We also know that the Buddha criticised the Vedic/Astik shastras, rejected the Vedic religion and the Astik school of thought, and challenged the hegemony of the Brahmans. But what about the people who claim that the Buddha was actually preaching the "Sanatan Dharma" as he was an "avatar" of Vishnu? The late S. Radhakrishnan, former President of India who was also a Brahman, claimed that the Buddha was actually preaching Hinduism: "Famous Indian Hindu scholars like the ex-President of India the late S. Radhakrishnan stated: 'The Buddha did not feel that he was announcing a new religion. He was born, grew up, and died a Hindu. He was restating with a new emphasis the ancient ideals of the Indo-Aryan civilization'" (2500 Years of Buddhism, 1971, Government of India) While Babasaheb Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar, the Father of the Indian Constitution and one of the greatest Buddhist personalities of India, called this belief "sheer madness and false propaganda". Hence how do I refute this claim that Gautama Buddha was an incarnation of the hindoo deity Vishnu?

Buddha says the Way of Eightfold path removes the craving. I am looking for a short summary of ways the Way removes the craving. My question is : In which ways does the Way removes the craving ? How does the Way removes the craving ? ( For example if the answer is by holding right view then I would like to know How does holding right view removes craving ?)

How does one control one's thoughts? ESPECIALLY the uncontrollable desires related to sexual drive which are built deep into our conscience. Answers are DEEPLY appreciated.

Most things that we read about in Buddhism describe aspects of the conditioned world: Three Marks of Existence, The Skandhas, The Hindrances, Defilements, and the practice to overcome these and gain insight into the true nature of reality and enter the unborn to gain final freedom from the cycle of birth and death. I would like to read about the unborn: what it is, how/why conditioned existence comes into being (perhaps from the unborn?), etc. I think this is one of the things which the Buddha left unanswered, but did he describe it indirectly perhaps? Are there descriptions in the sutras (from any school of Buddhism) about the unborn/deathless state?

I'm exploring the nature of anger, so want to know.

I had the most profound experience after what felt like a near death experience. I believe I was having a heart attack, and after focusing on my body for 20-30 minutes I ceased being aware of signs of a heart attack for a moment after my body felt slightly better and less like I was dying. At this point what felt like a veil covering my perception was lifted, I had the most profound feeling. I can try to conceptualise what the feeling was like in words but it won't do it justice because that is not how it came to me. But suffice to say it was similar to many instances of 'enlightenment, satori, entering the kingdom of heaven, satchitananda etc etc etc. Some of the attributes/things I experienced for the next 3 weeks were: non-duality, no judgement towards others or myself (no categorising things as good or bad), Falling in love with the present moment, falling in love with every person I met, Feeling the world was perfect, being able to face any fear, being indifferent(apathetic) to new stimuli (however I could turn it on, I was able to get happy about things if I wanted to, but bad news did not affect me). I was no longer looking for a future moment to fulfil me. I felt as if before this experience I was playing a character of myself, I still felt the same after it, however, much more connected to my self. This state lasted for 3 weeks and did not lose any of these attributes the entire time, except for the 'non-judging of things' I noticed slightly lessened towards the end (I noticed a few times me judging but could catch myself and stop it). At the end of the 3 weeks, I drank at a party, Since that time I have not felt these effects. Paradoxically I want nothing else but to get back to that perceptive state, however, it felt almost as if there was nothing to 'get back to' when I was in it, more so like I was always there but just blind to what was there. Some of the words that seemed to ring true after the event were 'nothing is hidden from me, enlightenment is the only constant, the present moment is the only constant, consciousness is all there is, you are everything, the world is perfect, the present moment is perfect'. A part of me thinks that because it felt that by letting go of trying to control my awareness this view opened up to me, so I'm scared that now that I've lost it I will not get it back. It has totally possessed me for the last 3 weeks (6 weeks ago the experience happened) I really would do anything to get back there. Does anybody have any advice on how I could regain and sustain that perception if any glimpses of it re-emerge? Additional questions: I have adhd and have been prescribed ritalin ( i have not taken yet) will this affect me getting back there. This awakening happened during the night after drinking large amounts of alcohol, however losing it was from drinking alcohol.. I am oscillating between drinking a lot to try and get back there and never drinking again. (please note, my symptoms of ADHD go away the morning after drinking and im worried that I could only focus enough to view reality(awakening) because of that). Any help would be greatly appreciated. Ramana Marhashi's experience appears to be similiar to mine except for him expressing that he died but his physical body did not. Wherein my awakening appeared to me not from 'dying' but from the relief of not dying and giving up trying to control my intention/desire/awareness. Part of me is interested in Dzogchen for the phrase 'the self perfected state' as it felt during this period like it was nothing being 'added' to my experience that I was always enlightened but could not see it. There's soooo many books on these topics, its hard for me to grasp. And I fear that I will spend the rest of my life trying to get back to a point i'll never re experience (like so many other people who have chased enlightenment).

Negligence is unintentional, so at least for the first offence due to negligence, there should be no punishment or kammic results (imo). What of recurring negligence?

Can Mano be translated as intellect, cognition, reason; and citta as emotions? How then would the first verse in the Dhammapada be translated?

Sneezing and coughing are voluntary reactions provoked by viruses in order to propagate and reach as many hosts as possible. If a person has a high sense of control of his or her own reactions, they can perfectly control both impulses. Are monks encouraged to observe the rising and passing of the impulse to sneeze or cough, but not give in? Strictly speaking both are propagating disease and generate bad kamma, since you're infecting other people.

Does a stream winner who practices vipassana tend to have a feeling being oblivious to most of things he thought was very important before.It's a feeling as if things don't really be marked in the mind as very important as it used to be. Is it possible to happen?

I have been trying to find a sutta DN.iii.106 on suttacentral.net but couldn't find it. On suttacentral.net DN.iii.99 is given and after that DN.iii.117, DN.iii.106 is missing. I failed to find it on accesstoinsight.org as well. I am looking for it because it talks about the 7 factors of enlightenment which is crucial for the destruction of craving. Can anyone please give me the link to DN.iii.106 ?

I am a Hindu by birth. I am a huge devotee of Lord Buddha as he is considered a god in Hinduism. I wanted to know more about the Buddhist mantra Nam Myoho Renge Kyo. What is the best way to chant it? Can I chant it anywhere and at anytime? I have previously been chanting the mantra at least 108 times a day for the past 4 months but I have yet to see any of my desires fulfilled. Is there a specific count when desires are fulfilled? I apologise, I am new to Buddhist methods of worship, but I want to do so with Buddha. How can I have my desires fulfilled by that mantra? Thank You.

Like the man in the matrix. Whats his name? Played by Keanu Reeves. Im wondering if its better to keep with the illusion? Non illusion is a lonely place> Isnt there something positive to it? Hope of a soul?

We know that because of impermanence, that nothing is worth clinging to. But did the Buddha say any words on why we cannot swap one impermanent source of satisfaction for another, and continue doing so? For example, one might take drug A to induce euphoria, then when drug A wears off, replace it by drug B, and so on.

In my country (Sri Lanka) government is about to bring out a new set of laws to govern Buddhist councils. This kind of a law has never existed in my country and being a Buddhist country there is some speculation about why only one religion is effected by this new law. There are some fears from monks about government trying to shut up the religion & it's power over people even though some are ready to examine the whole thing and come up with modifications. There is a line about putting the "Monk imposers" in jail. And some fear this might be a bate to take down Buddhist organizations and Monks who speak against injustice. The public literally has no clue about what to say or do. Most likely people will oppose it and there is a big potential that this might lead to some serious outbreak of violence and religious conflict. --- Here are some links from news web sites about the whole thing: - Amendment of laws on Buddhist temples will take decision making power away from Maha Sangha - New laws --- So far it is very dreadful. What should be the response to this kind of a law in any country? How to deal with government involvement in religion?

Did the Buddha teach some measure of "Engaged Buddhism", to maybe more of a lay person audience? Did the Buddha ever teach "Engaged Buddhism" to the Bhikkhus? What Buddhist scriptures support Engaged Buddhist teachings? Is it proper for a Bhikkhu to be political in anyway in the world or in the monastery? NOTE: **Engaged Buddhism** generally refers to people who actively **engage** in the world in order to transform it with positive Buddhist ideas & practices.

Since the practice of Dhamma, I have experienced a loss of masculine nature like I am almost becoming a woman. I have given up aggression, anger, I make sure I am polite, not indulge in harsh speech (yesterday somebody was rude to me, but I didn't hit back like a man, I let-go, like I am now powerless), withdraw from addictions, not to eat meat as far as possible, no participate in actions hurting others like any kind of physical aggression, give up gambling, don't find the activity of going to gym and pumping up muscles any meaningful, instead I sit and watch my thoughts. Under this discipline, any form of adrenaline triggering activity becomes almost undesirable. It is like I am psychologically turning into a woman. I don't know if this is helpful but certainly screwing up my sense of being a man. question is, Is this what anybody else experiencing? Is there any workout around the problem? Is it inevitable?

Every day I look forward to the day when there will be a holiday. Holiday brings a sense of relief to me. However I know this is a false sense of relief as after every holiday there will be a working day. I am attached to holidays. If there is a work on holidays I feel greatly stressed. If there is a holiday on a working day I feel greatly relieved. (Some people experience Monday blues which is a specific case of my generic experience. ) My question is: How can I escape the mental affliction I bring upon myself by getting attached to holidays ?

I need help reading the footnotes from the following passage in the book Satipatthana , and finding the suttas which they reference. > in one instance at least, the Upakkilesa Sutta, the Buddha gave a detailed account of his own struggle to attain the first absorption.41 This passage leaves no doubt that the Buddha himself encountered considerable difficulty when he attempted to attain the first absorption, even though in his early youth he had already once experienced it. > > Analayo. Satipatthana (Kindle Locations 1196-1199). Footnote 41 says > M III 162, where only after having consecutively overcome a whole series of mental obstructions (cf. in detail page 199, footnote 73) he was able to attain the first jhāna. Cf. also A IV 439, which reports his struggle to overcome sensuality in order to be able to develop jhāna. What sutta does M III 162 reference? (as Majjhima Nikaya contains 152) And footnote 42 says >M I 246. Possibly his ability to enter the first jhāna so easily at this particular moment during his early youth was related to samatha practice undertaken in a previous life, an ability lost during his adolescence and later sensual indulgence as a young man, so that he had to develop it anew. To what does M I 246 reference?

The most challenging part of meditation is to keep our wandering mind aware of persent moment and mindful of thoughts. Our brain has some thing called '**Default Mode Network**' which is nothing but our ordinary mind full of worries and past and future etc. This mode is converted into something called as '**Executive Mode**' in states of meditation and states of what people called **flow**. Now, scientists for ages have trained animals to behave in certain way through reward/ punishment mechanism which gets our brain trained to do particular task or behave in particular way. If I designed an electronic gadget, something similar to this . With an added mechanism that whenever your mind will wonder a small tingiling shock will be given to your skin and otherwise nothing will happen. Using dry electrodes and signal processing techniques we can now detect when the mind wanders off. My queation is, 1. Will this kind of technology be accepted by serious meditators or otherwise will it be helpful to people who are new to meditation. 2. Or will it prove to be nuisance. 3. Do you think we can train our brains to be mindful all the times through such reward/punishment exercise.