Look up "pandaka" and you will find enough reading on this forum to keep you busy for days. :thinking: Most of it pointless and ill-informed, but hey, that's forum life. Other sources may be better. :coffee: Kim Thanks for the advice. I actually did and after going into a bit of a rabbit hole found...

Hello all,

I recall reading a rule that prohibits monks from ordaining hermaphrodites. Does anyone know where i can read the origin story or the reasoning (commentarial or sutta-based) behind this? Just curious what the reason was.

Thanks,

2 minutes in the commentator mentions smoking cigarettes and the bhikkhu to the left appears to be taking a drag of a cigarette before putting it out. I wonder how common smoking was amongst monks in them days and was obviously not seen as a transgression or the 5th precept. Ajahn Mun was smoking a...

Alino wrote: ↑Sun Jan 03, 2021 8:02 am Ajahn Pannavadho was a director of English Sangha Trust
And here amazing audio book about his biography and teachings : Uncommon Wisdom

Yes he was actually the longest ordained Westerner in Thai history.

Some neat footage of the ordination of some of the first Western bhikkhus in Thailand. Thought a few of you might appreciate it.

Hello all, Does anyone have any suttas, commentaries, or even teachings from esteemed Buddhist teachers on where the buck stops when it comes to wrong livelihood? There are obviously clear violations but what about the grey areas/being indirectly linked to a wrong livelihood. For instance if you wor...

This is a very tough question. I'm not sure if it would count of ānantarikakamma. But honestly, I would not take the risk anyhow and just keep them on life support. either way, human life is extremely precious so the extra time they have as human beings can be used for great benefit, especially if t...

Hi all, In Hinduism, all if not most people will be reborn as humans or higher than human because of the evolution we all have been going through. It's unlikely to fall into the realm of animal, ghost, and so on, unless you do very grave karma. But in Buddhism, everyone can take rebirth in any form...

A person i ordained with said he ordained because his dad had cancer. After he ordained his dad's cancer miraculously disappeared to the mystery of the doctors. The same person came back and ordained again the following year after that happened.

Its a matter of the individual. But because at the current moment western nations are more developed and have less poverty, crime, pollution and corruption and have higher incomes on average than most of the world. I would say its not unreasonable to say that people reborn in these countries have mo...

it is true that layperson should donate to monestry that follows all vinaya precept to gain maximum benifit? is it true donation to monks who dont follow precept will lead to asura rebirth instead of devas? or can i donate to any monestry as long as they accept buddha, dependent origination etc? Gi...

Your intentions are a bit misplaced, while it is good to give to monks, that is not the intention behind the Buddhas words in the two suttas you referenced. The Buddha ends those suttas meaning that attaining right view yourself is better than giving to someone with right view. Also, the Buddha sai...

Yeah. So i dont think anyone has sufficiently answered my question on the difference between an entered upon the path of an ariya vs an ariya yet. If it helps this is also the 8 types of individuals of the Ariya Sangha, the four pairs of noble ones. If anyone has an explanation or some texts to expl...

It seems that you are trying to find a way to "get the most bang for your buck" so to speak in terms of offerings. Where do you live? Here in Thailand I have met several monks who I believe must be ariyas. They never said this but it becomes apparent after being around them for a bit. I live in the...

To me, it is like a person who is trying to understand that the world is round and the person who realises with by any means. Most of us are on the Sotapanna Path but not realise the fruit yet. The way I see it when you have to experience Sotapanna fruit then you are in the Sakdhagami path. I was t...