In which sutta does the Buddha state that he does not have to follow all the monastic rules and austerities closely because he is already liberated and free, as an arahant? I remember reading this recently but I couldn't easily find it again.

While doing meditation I had experienced sudden stop of mind for a second. Then restart again reflecting that is peaceful. What was that experienced?is it stream entry?

This is different from asking, "does the Tathagata exist after death? or not? or both? or neither?"

Who are the most knowledgeable Abhidhamma masters today? Where are the active Abhidhamma communities? - country - lineage - monastery - institute - teacher - group - website - forum

How to apply eight fold path to the wholesome act as meditation of three marks of existence (Pali: tilakkhaṇa) of all existence and beings, namely impermanence (aniccā), non-self (anattā) and unsatisfactoriness or suffering (dukkha)?

Today I realize that, if something good or bad happens to me, it is caused by Karma. It gave me a huge relief. Because before I would experience aversion when something bad happened to me. But now, I believe that I am 100% responsible for whatever happens to me. But, As I know, not everything is caused by Karma. There are some other reasons such as whether, Dhamma etc. So how can I know the real cause behind something for sure? (Is it Karma or some other cause?) It is said that someone needs to experience the truth to understand the truth. So how can I build a solid understanding of the cause behind things and Karma?

Why did Sakka steal the Visuddhimagga three times according to the legend -- was it because Visuddhimagga erroneously stated that it couldn't be done by a sotapanna?? Quoting from the Introduction to the English translation: > The reply was: 'I have come to translate the Buddha's Dispensation into Magadhan'. The senior elder told him, 'If so, then construe the Three Pitakas upon the text beginning "When a wise man, established well in virtue ..."'. He began the work that day, the stars being favourable, and wrote very quickly. When finished, he put it aside and went to sleep. Meanwhile Sakka Ruler of Gods abstracted the book. The elder awoke, and missing it, he wrote another copy very fast by lamplight; then he put it aside and slept. Sakka abstracted that too. The elder awoke, and not seeing his book, he wrote a third copy very fast by lamplight and wrapped it in his robe. Then he slept again. While he was asleep Sakka put the other two books beside him, and when he awoke he found all three copies. He took them to the senior elder and told him what had happened. When they were read over there was no difference even in a single letter. Thereupon the senior elder gave permission for the translating of the Buddha's Dispensation. From then on the elder was known to the people of Ceylon by the name of Buddhaghosa.

I would like to know if the secular buddhism could be considered a religion. I have started to study about it a while ago and I think it's make much sense to me, could I consider me a buddhist, even though I don't believe in some of traditional buddhism beliefs?

Buddha does not deny God. He simply refuses to be any God because all Gods are impermanent… that is they take birth, age and then die … which is painful. Or source of sorrow. My question is :Was this world built by mistake by some God ?

In a recent Buddhist Geeks podcast the presenter Bodhipaksa stated that by the time the Buddhagosa wrote the commentary Visuddhimagga in the 5th Century CE, meditation had been largely abandoned. He goes on to state that there is good evidence that 500 years previously Buddhist monks had given up meditation and felt the best they could do was to pass down the Buddhist texts to further generations. To what extent is this analysis of Buddhism true? Was meditation really not practiced for a large proportion of Buddhist history? If this is the case then when was meditation 'rediscovered' or at least reinvigorated?

I am seeing a pattern between MN118 and MN119.. That says something about kayagat sati..

I know this could potentially be a huge question: if abhidhamma/abhidharma differs in Theravada and Mahayana, how does is it differ and why?

I was wondering how the mental factors of *Fear and Shame* should be understood. Normally I would understand them both as being unwholesome but I guess in Abhidhamma-perspective they have a different meaning. How should they be understood according to the Abhidhamma? They are both listed as belonging to the group of *Beautiful or Moral* cetasikas.

As per Buddhism, what are elements of soul, or what is soul made of? (If we split body and soul to separate them, then what are elements of soul?)

Right now sometime if i try to concentrate i can feel the calmness in mind. Before 2 years i used to feel inner joy after doing meditation. If i do meditation everyday for 2 -3 hours, how much time will it take for me to leave the rupa jhana? Or simply, is their any time intervals in which meditator experiences all the jhanas one by one?

During deep meditation, I start to feel waves of some sort of energy that's hard to explain, the best analogy I can find is "an electrostatic feeling, like an aurora borealis" around the head, and sometimes the body too. The deeper the state, the more intense. Sometimes it gets so intense I have to pause, but it is still a powerful and beautiful moment. Do you have similar experiences?

Science is not part of Buddhas teachings but the teachings of Buddha can be adapted into science. For example : sabbe sanskara annica can be adopted by science (physics especially) This will translate as : No experiment can be repeated forever. No system can function smoothly forever. How do you think my small attempt to bring Buddha and science together. holds ? Can I adapt Buddha’s teaching into science ?

1. Was rebirth introduced in the First or Second Turnings, and why did the Buddha teach it? E.g. was it necessary to understand emptiness, causality, etc.? For example, I imagine that some "reasons why" might include: - Maybe it helps deemphasize a person's current lifetime, highlighting its impermanence, so that one does not cling to it or themselves. - On the other hand, for some, it seems to be a source of inspiration to persevere on the Path, for a "good rebirth". 2. Would any of the Buddhist doctrines, excluding karma and rebirth, fail to make sense without rebirth?

Does mindfulness end kamma ? is that a good thing ? !!! yes I am aware that the goal is not to attach to anything so avoiding suffering and that good kamma in the end is also "bad" !!! I am asking about whats the benifits of mindfulness eradicating kamma becaus : Dont we all have a ton of kamma from a gigantic amount of kamma and if we eradicate kammas throw mindfulness it will just be replaced with other kammas which can also be bad kammas ? i mean its not like we reach nibana by cleaning up all the kamma "We" got - but by developing wisdom so whats the good thing about mindfulness ending *spesific* (not all) kammas ? I ask this after receiving this reply (and wanted this as a follow up different question) : "Right mindfulness is an intentional (mental) act therefore it is kamma. However it falls under a 3rd type of kamma that is called the "kamma that ends kamma". " from here (I wanted this as a follow up in different new question) : https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/18689/is-mindfulness-itself-kamma-does-it-create-kamma

I vaguely remember reading how some bodhisattva out of compassion went to some hell and then transformed it into a pure land. Does anyone know that story? About which bodhisattva it is? And what's the source for it...