My niece has very wrinkled palms and a Buddhist man all dressed in orange took her little 6 year old hand and told her it was a very special thing to have. He told her that her palms showed she was carrying her 11th soul and lessons of life had been learnt and she would be wise as she grew older and have an inner peace. I have been trying to find some more information about this, has anyone else hear of this before?

I believe I understand the basics of karma as the effects of our intentions and actions (good & evil) which will play some role in this and future lives. But how does merit making affect karma? If a person has done something evil in the past can making merit improve one's karma? Is merit gained even for insincere actions such as when people do something good but are motivated by gaining reputation or status? Or is merit not a real thing but just a concept which functions to encourage people to do more good deeds so they'll have less time or inclination to do bad deeds?

To fulfill a lie: The statement must be untrue. There must be an intention to deceive. An effort must be made to deceive. The other person understands the meaning. One person says something he didn't intend to do. Realizing what he said was not truly right, he did what he said in order to fulfill what he has said. An example, someone was given a pamphlet and says "will check it later", do not want to be a liar, he check it later although he doesn't want to check it in order to fulfill what he already said. If he just said without doing it, that is a lie. But what if do it later, will the lie cancelled?

Naturally as humans we feel many forms of attraction to other humans, but I am curious to know: **Is attraction (or more so, a mere appreciation of the human form) considered a form of desire and, by extension, attachment to be consciously avoided?**

In Bhikkhu Bodhi's "In the Buddha's Words", venerable Sariputta gives a discourse on "The Conditions for Wisdom", which contains eight causes and conditions for obtaining wisdom. He says, > Having learned the Dhamma, he dwells withdrawn by way of two kinds of withdrawal: withdrawal of body and withdrawal of mind. This is the third cause and condition for obtaining the wisdom fundamental to the spiritual life.... (AN 8:2, abridged; IV 151-155) pg. 322 What does it mean to be withdrawn in these two ways? Thank you

I keep hearing about Theravada monks who are able to stay in deep meditative states for days and weeks on end. While I do not [yet] question ability to stay in meditation for that long, what interests me is the physiological side of things: how human beings are able to spend that much time meditating without dying of dehydration or having some issues due to blocked blood flow etc. Has anyone seen any research on topic or can offer a proper search query for Google scholar?

I'm trying to apply Buddhist principles to the way I lead my life, but right now I'm struggling with an issue. In short, the problem is that someone caused damage to our home and refuses to acknowledge this and pay the damages. The problem is that I'm having difficulty deciding whether to stick up for myself and my family and pursue this matter, or to simply let things be and go on with our lives. I think there are 2 conflicting Buddhist principles that apply here (or perhaps more, but I just don't see them?): 1. One shouldn't attach him/herself (to material matters). 2. One should move toward truthfulness in all things and correct harm. I guess what decision to make is somewhat subjective and depends on the exact circumstances, but I'm very much interested in what Buddhism in general has to say about making decisions like this. When should you stick up for yourself and when should you let things be?

According to Abhidhamma, the smallest unit of Rupa is called the Suddhashtaka(Pure Octad) which has the following 8 elements: patavi, apo, tejo, vayo, vanna, gandha, rasa, and oja Regarding Sunlight, the tejo(heat) and the vanna(color) elements seem obvious, but how does one understand others? From a Vipassana point of view, is this problem occurring because the mind is getting stuck at the concept of Sunlight?

Dear Buddhist Community, Would someone help to explain how eradicating/suppressing the five hindrances and right mindfulness can go together? According to the Buddha: (http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/II/Feeding_the_Hindrances.htm) > "Just as this body, is sustained by food, is dependent on food, and > cannot continue without food, even so, friends, are the five mental > hindrances indeed also sustained by a kind of food, they are also > dependent on food, and cannot continue without ever renewed feeding! > > And what, friends, is feeding for the arising and growth of > sense-desire? **It is frequent and careless attention** to the alluring > and attractive features! This food makes sensual lust arise, and feeds > also growth of habitual greed… > > And what, friends, is feeding for the arising and aggravation of > ill-will? **It is frequent and careless attention** to the displeasing > and repulsive features! This food makes aversion arise, and boosts > also any habitual irritation… > > And what feeds the emergence and deterioration of > lethargy-and-laziness? **It is frequent and careless** **attention** to > drowsiness, and too much eaten dullness! This is feeding makes sloth > arise, and feeds also worsening of habitual laziness… > > And what feeds the arising and escalation of restlessness-and-regret? > **It is** **frequent and careless attention** to the excited, agitated, and > stressed up mind! This food upsets and stirs the mind, and intensifies > also habitual anxiety and worry… > > And what feeds the arising, deepening, and expansion of > doubt-and-uncertainty? **It is** **frequent and careless attention** to > doubtful theories and speculative views! This food bewilders the mind, > and feeds also the escalation of habitual confusion..." Notice, the key phrase the Buddha used is: IT IS THE FREQUENCT AND CARELESS ATTENTION to the hindrances listed above. So, are we supposed to be simply ignoring these thoughts of hindrance as they arise? Or, more generally, would someone explain how hindrances and right mindfulness go together? I know that it might be a silly question, but this question has bugged me for some time now. Thank you for your help everyone! Reid

Many times I see myself flying/floating in dreams. Not so high, but 1-2 feet above the surface. I make a second step upwards before my first step touches the surface/while my first step also holds up in air. Last night i was asked by myself (in the dream) how I am doing this. I don't know why but i replied 'its all about breath control'. Whenever this flying happens in dreams, it leaves behind an amazing experience. I recall everything of those scenes. Whenever I breath-in, I raise up in parts and whenever I breath-out or lose control, I touch back the floor. Almost 1 year back I had watched a programme on discovery channel which was about a monk who can fly/stay uplifted. I wish to know, 'is it possible to actually fly? If yes, then how? If yes, then why one should do this 'as per buddha?

i've been trying to practice following the whole length of the in-breath and the whole length of the out-breath, and i can see that my attention often slips between the breaths. Any thoughts on what to focus on between two breaths? Grateful for help and with kind regards, Tord

The introduction to the Dhamma Wiki's [Buddhism and Misogyny](http://www.dhammawiki.com/index.php?title=Buddhism_and_Misogyny) article says, > Nevertheless, there are some non-Buddhists and even some Buddhists that contend that the Buddha was misogynistic. This is because of some passages in the Buddhist scriptures, the Tipitaka that appear sexist, that the Buddha was reluctant to ordain women, that the bhikkhuni line ended and cannot be revived, that the Buddha said that the teachings (religion) would only last 500 years because women were given permission to ordain as nuns (bhikkhunis), because of the extra rules that were imposed on the female monastics, including the eight ‘heavy rules,’ and the passage that states that only a man can be a samma-sam-buddha who teaches the masses after the teachings have died out. Was the Buddha misogynistic?

I've recently been following along on this video series on the Gomchen Lam Rim and would very much like to find a copy of the root text so I can follow along better and read ahead, but I can't seem to find it anywhere. I would especially like to find a free pdf somewhere, but I'm also okay with proprietary books.

What is the relation between the five aggregates and the dependent origination?

By following the Buddha's Path, when will I realize that I am free from rebirth and suffering? Is there any indication or sign ? Does one knows it at one's death bed?

I do not have a strong theoretical grasp of the concept of rebirth, so I am wondering: Is each Buddha that has existed/will exist the same being, reincarnated? Or is each Buddha a totally unrelated person from the previous Buddhas and Buddhas to come, who just happens to realize all of the same truths that the previous Buddha realized? Thank you

I see the ambatta sutta in pali and in English , but my personal preference is to read it in Sanskrit. Is there a sanskrit translation available online (say in a scanned book at archive.org)?

I am looking for a legal, online version of the Abhidhamma in English. Can anyone point me towards some good online sources, especially for the major books of the Abhidhamma?

Since my journey began, i have looked to understanding myself and the world that surrounds me. I endeavor to look at my interactions with as many views as possible as well as make attempts to make peace with myself and those of my interactions. I am frustrated and this sometimes leads to nihilistic views. I cannot express my inability to realize and actualize the concepts offered by the path. I understand it. I comprehend it. I am confounded with what i deem as imbalance. I am grateful and appreciative of my good fortune however i want to realize and actualize so that i can look at all aspects. There seems to be a disconnect between what i see, feel, hear, smell and taste. It is akin to cognitive dissonance. I understand awareness, mindfulness and realization however it seems to be at polar opposites with the 6 senses or 12 ayatanas.

With dependent origination (paṭiccasamuppāda) underlying much of the doctrinal aspects of the Buddha's teaching - and all formation having concomitance to avijja as condition, is it correct to assume that all mundane consciousness regardless whether they are wholesome or unwholesome in root occur with ignorance as a condition. Specifically with regards to rebirth-linking consciousness. Is birth not dependent on the existence clinging and the desire of being (due to ignorance)? If truly a rebirth-consciousness is rooted in knowledge - wouldn't the momentary access and concentration suppress ones desire to cling and thereby not result in a rebirth-consciousness at the cessation of a beings bhavanga if the final consciousness is truly rooted in knowledge. ---------- Follow on Question: With regards to the arising of great wholesome cittas associated with knowledge and one of its great resultant consciousness performing the four functions that leads to a triple rooted rebirth consciousness: does this mean that the tihetuka beings born of this superior rebirth consciousness is at the point of (re)birth sotapanna. If a rebirth-linking root of knowledge is perquisite for the development of absorption (as stated in the Abhidhamma), can most worldings even cultivate samadhi much less investigate and eventually realize direct knowledge