Hello Beautiful People, I have a quick question. After years of meditating with a mixture of Mahasi and Goenka style, I would like to ask the following. Very often when I sit to mediate, it is a matter of seconds to experience a subtle sense of pleasure and/or spaciousness. But more interestingly, is that after meditating a bit more there comes a feeling that my eyes want to move upwards, almost like if they want to see behind my head/brain. The first times this eye movement happened, years ago, there was fear in me because this was unusual and unexpected - it was even a bit painful. But after letting this movement happen, I realized that the traditional lights, pleasure, and spaciousness became more present. Sometimes this leads to a very focalized pleasure spot at the top of my head and sometimes to the feeling that a very strong and interesting sense of pleasure would come from that spot (like if there is a cascade of pleasure emanating from the top of my head). The eye movement I am describing is not like REM. It is rather slow and it is directed upwards. So, I guess my question is: what is this eye movement thing? Is it described anywhere? Is it a Jhana thing? Is it a symptom of any stage of the path? Thanks!

The first part of my question is in the title. For example, if I have an emotion of fear on whether my colleague will steal my spot, is this to be abandoned? The second question is if there should also be no actions of rivalry. For example, if you find yourself openly opposing someone, should you stop this action? Feel free to define rivalry in whichever way you please.

Some monks end their life not in protest of oppressive government, but because of a wish to end their life. For example Bhikkhu Samahita, who ended his life a month after his father died. Monks, who are much deeper into the dhamma than myself, killing themselves due to suffering, strikes worry in me. Previously I was in comfort of believing that people who are ahead of me on the path feel relatively free of suffering. It motivated me to keep going. But with hearing that buddhist monks are seemingly plagued by the same suffering, I am starting to reconsider whether the dhamma is sufficient in handling suffering or not. How to reconcile?

Usually when someone pushes back against me, I feel displeasure, and I am very reactive. I say something defensive in response, but then, I yield entirely from the subject or area in which I was pushed back against. My ego tries to frame this yielding as being egoless, but obviously, it is just to protect the ego. How can I remain in such a conflict of interest without either yielding, or letting my ego influence the conflict? For example, if at work, my ego has attached itself to some submission, and someone points out things they feel are worthy of change in the submission. How can I remain objective, without jumping the gun (applying the suggested changes immediately, or rejecting it outright, or yielding from the submission entirely)? When I happen upon a pushback, the first few moments are of clarity. "Oh, I see, interesting". But then slowly it irks me and I become rejective. Then, after I push back, I go "this is too much, how will people perceive me after I pushed back, I'm so confrontational, I gotta leave/yield".

Recently I have started to set intentions, like to read more, so that I can reveal to myself cravings for things that are not in line with the intention. If my mind says to watch TV, I recognize it as craving better now that I know that the intention is to read instead. If I never set the intention to read, I would just be on auto pilot and not recognize watching TV as a craving. It's like the intention acts as a backdrop that reveals emerging cravings clearly, with less identification. Does Buddhism teach this sort of setting of intentions as meditation objects at all?

Often, it is said that no external thing is satisfactory. It is said that all that is impermanent is unsatisfactory. But how can I see this? For example, I have some things I desire that I have never ever experienced. How can I be sure that they wouldn't grant me deep satisfaction once I have it, even if it is impermanent? Another example, what if little impermanent experiences bring satisfaction in an accumulative manner? Individually they fade, but there are more to come. Next to anatta and anicca, I feel that being able to see the ultimately unsatisfactory nature of conditioned phenomena would help with gaining a steady practice. However, doubt is in me.

I am able to see that desires are not self. I am able to see that thoughts of hatred are not me nor mine. However, with arising consciousness (awareness of feelings and thoughts and sense input), there is still identification. The sensation is felt, and it feels like I personally am the consciousness of it. I don't identify with the sense organ nor the sensation itself, but I identify with the consciousness of it. For example, I am highly ambitious of just being aware of what is happening in me. "I have to stay conscious of my mind" - and I identify with that voice. I see it as necessary and vital, because else I feel my head will explode with suffering, which primarily manifests as a sharp pain in the middle of my brain. How can I become disillusioned?

In theory, many ways of meditation have been given to stop cravings and aversion. What about practical life? During day to day life, it has often been seen and experienced as well that, "we tend to lean towards comfortablity", whether it be of body or brain. Let's take a basic example: one living in a rented house tend to go for a own-home(whenever possible).... even monks of modern era tend to go for own-kuti/monastery. For this one needs money. Reason being given is, "i feel more freedom inside my own-home instead of rented one". Another eg. : Using technologies, more resources for making life easy-going. Resaon being given as: we have less headaches, more respect, easy-flow of society. Even if i properly give time to analyze, realize, etc. bhlabhla, stay *disconnected* to this modernized life, there is definitely no need for me to ask this question! If one doesn't go for maintaining status, using hi-fi techs, spending money(either for dana purpose or for anything else..), ........ It's more likely to be 99.99% that such person would be physically and mentally **behind** from others. One simple solution came is:: live like a bpl(below poverty line) person but this will definitely decrease morale and enthusiasm of nearby-ones, decreasing their chances of learning dhamma. (If possible, kindly don't include advice for meditation to a freak and too-ignorants) i am more concerned into balancing the life(middle path for householders) such that both nearby ones and me can have less possible crave, more possible dhamma! **Edit::** Maybe, this answer is somewhat talking about balance in last 3 paragraphs. But it is also saying to re-engage in earning money to get approval of others.....getting approval is ok but how would money change someone's behaviour, confusing to me?

I am interested in skillful handling of sexual desire, as I have come to see sexuality as a great source of distraction from the Dhamma. I am aware of the Buddhist technique of contemplating the deterioration of the physical human body, and understand that the Buddha teaches discernment of thoughts, as well as other more physical measures like pressing your tongue against the roof of your mouth. Recently I have come across advice outside of Buddhism, and am uncertain about whether Buddhism supports this, or something like this. Modern spiritual spaces have a concept of transforming or redirecting sexual energy. It doesn't have a fixed definition, but advocates generally describe that sexual energy is a "life force" that can either be wasted through sexual acts or put to "creative or intellectual use". I am not interested in creative or intellectual endeavors here, instead in skillful handling of sensuality. Does Buddhism have an analogue of this new age teaching? Are monks aware of a transformable property of sexual desire?

I don't think anyone that answered my questions about dharma or provided textual teaching about the dharma had any attachment to my wellbeing at all, and merely just "dropped pearls among the swine", as a christian would say. It is said that the Buddha did not want to teach Buddhism at all. I wonder if this is the way to go. I wonder if I should let go of my attachment to anyone's wellbeing. For example, my downstairs single mother neighbor drunk yells at her 9 year old child a lot, with severely slurred speech. I am attached to the emotional wellbeing of the child, and it makes me suffer to witness the yelling. Should I let go of this attachment?

Please give a clear simple example of how this looks in a practical way without quoting suttas. I just want a practical example. Thanks > The object of consciousness, or mind-object, that arises has to be of > ultimate reality, not conventional reality. We must be able to > differentiate between what is absolute reality, or paramattha dhamma > and what is conventional reality, or sammuti.

I am an above beginner level meditator. I have been practicing Vipassana meditation regularly for the past 6-7 months. By regularly, I mean 1hr of sitting meditation at least 5 times a week. I have not been able to control my lust. I try to remain mindful during acts of sexual gratification, but I have very few moments of awareness. The rest of the time, I am just going with the flow. Although I am a lay person, I want to be celibate. Please guide me. I remember a story wherein Buddha said to someone how one should eat as if they are eating their own child having lost in a desert. Are there any such stories from Buddha's life/teachings regarding this subject? Basically I need some inspiration. Please share your experience if possible

Similar to this question. I started vipassana with my roommate and we both meditated peacefully. But now that he left and I am alone, I have noticed lust in my mind that leads me to wrong websites and results in negative deeds.
 **I have tried to observe, but just could not control self**. I have read many related answers from my all time favourite [@Suminda Sirinath S. Dharmasena](https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/users/295/suminda-sirinath-s-dharmasena) , but regarding this topic, all answers sound very theoretical. 
May I know something powerful, though I know it will be difficult for me. Living with another person will stop my mind, but I think that is not a solution as thoughts can again come when I am alone.
**The real victory over lust should come when I am alone**. 

Kindly help, I really want to get rid of this.

I can devote 7 hours total to meditation + sleep per day. Should I do 5 hours of sleep and 2 hours of mediation (1 hour twice) **or** 6 hours of sleep and 1 hour of meditation? Please explain your reasons why. Will 2 hours of meditation increase my productivity? Please explain from your own experience, not any bookish knowledge Will meditating twice give me **twice** as much benefit as meditating once?

When you meditate with ADHD, the difficulty level of life drops a lot. If you then practice the noble eightfold path in order to come closer to nibbana, you're sort of doing that on a wheelchair. If you stop meditating, ADHD will come back full force, and you still have 0 experience of being on the noble eightfold path on that difficulty level. Could meditating be a hindrance toward enlightenment, for that reason? Aren't you making it too easy for yourself?

I am asking this in reference to the aircraft that crashed in India. Is there anything like collective karma, like the alayavijnana (Collective Consciousness)? ( I should not say this, but...) Like, sometimes the entire community suffers, like the Jews in the Second World War. Or sometimes there is an earthquake, natural disasters...If the dependent origination is correct, then should there be a reason behind the mass suffering?

Definitions: - I want to emphasize the mind, the body doesn't ache, isn't sore, isn't itchy, nothing at all; that is the 'an lạc' of the body (bodily ease/well-being). - 'Thanh thản' (serenity) is when our mind doesn't ponder, isn't busy at all; that is 'thanh thản'. - 'Vô sự' (actionlessness/nothing-to-do) is doing nothing at all; the body also does nothing, and the mind also doesn't ponder, meaning it does nothing; that is 'vô sự'. It is normal, very normal like a normal person, yet doing nothing at all. That is: the head/mind doesn't work, and the hands and feet also don't work; that is 'vô sự'. As for the mind that doesn't ponder, doesn't worry about anything at all, that is 'thanh thản' (serenity). As for the body that doesn't ache, isn't sore, itchy, nothing at all, that is 'an lạc' (ease); it is normal. Just like right now, [if] our body has no aches or pains, that is the 'an lạc' of our body. That is the state right now; it's not anything strange or different. It is the normalcy of a normal human being. Therefore, once you recognize that normalcy, now you just need to use the method of Right Thinking (Như Lý Tác Ý), guide it [the mind]: > "A mind unshaken, serene, at ease, and free from involvement.” You just fear it [the mind] will move and ponder about this and that, so you remind it: ‘Mind immovable, serene, at ease, actionless,’ and then just sit relaxedly/idly like that. So, can I use "unshaken, serene, at ease, uninvolved" as a mindful reminder throughout my day to make my mind feel better?

I’ve been reflecting on ***the slide*** of the practice—that threshold where the "Doer" or the "Agent" seems to fall away and you’re just left with the flow of the process. Suttas like **AN 11.2 (the Cetana Sutta)** describe this beautifully. They show the path as a series of mental qualities that "flow on and fill up" through dhammatā (natural law), without needing an act of will (cetanā) to push them along. It's one thing to know the "map" of these links intellectually, but I'm curious about the specific point where that knowledge flips into a direct "Aha!" moment—witnessing the mechanics run themselves. How do the Suttas (or the broader tradition) describe this shift from just knowing the mechanics (ñāṇa) to actually seeing them unfold (dassana)? Is there a specific term for that tipping point?

Caucasian skin is peachy and sandy (due to having no pigmentation) while the great man's body in nibbana is, according to the 32 perfections of a great man , "his skin is the color of gold". White skin requires some pigmentation. Currently my journey with white skin represents the Trix rabbit's (1994 commercial) attempt to take his own cereal. All he gets is "silly rabbit Trix are for kids!" And the fact that some saints may have received such a miracle to change their skin color forever makes the pain that much more serious. And what should I do regarding the psychologist? I am visiting one to drain my emotions of this, and that might make my eternity as a yellow man all that much more permanent!

Thoughts about mine and that things should be this way, about children, husband, and relatives - these are all personality view. That is developed in our own mind. So we inflicted our own wounds. So we were in our own prison. So when this thinking stops, personality view has been destroyed. Hasn't it?