This world is "hellish" too. Capture.JPG Thus I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was living at Gaya, at Gayasisa, together with a thousand bhikkhus. There he addressed the bhikkhus. "Bhikkhus, all is burning. And what is the all that is burning? "The eye is burning, forms are burning, eye-cons...

"nibbana" is NEVER introduced with "atthi"....so if the presence of "atthi" as an introduction is how the suttas say that things exist and since "atthi" is NOT used to introduct "nibbana" then it seems that there very well might be some meaning in this.....why is "atthi" not used with "nibbana" eve...

It means having no doubt that the Buddha found the way out of suffering, no doubt that the N8FP is indeed the way and there are others besides the Buddha that too have discovered the way. At the very least you must have confidence in the Buddha and the Dhamma. Obviously, the first person who got enl...

Instead of speculating whether "All is unreal"? Better to contemplate what "All is burning" means. "Bhikkhus, all is burning. And what is the all that is burning? "The eye is burning, forms are burning, eye-consciousness is burning, eye-contact is burning, also whatever is felt as pleasant or painfu...

In the ultimate sense, it is anything that attracts regardless of the reason behind it. It can be towards what you see, hear, smell, taste, touch, think about. Financial stability is something that you think about and is certainly an attractive thing to have. This greed is not "bad" as in some other...

In conclusion, it appears "the cessation of suffering" is "Nibbana". Therefore, both terms appear not exactly synonymous in this context because nirodha must refer to the cessation of something, namely, the cessation of suffering. :goodpost: Methinks the nirodha is closer in meaning to parinibbana....

It is really not anymore heretical to say the atman or self is liberated neither self … nor no self … rather not self There is no end to the argument. Maybe we can all agree that "There is liberation". Liberation from the idea of "self" and "not-self". "Any kind of consciousness whatever, whether p...

It's a bit like space. Forms arise and then disintegrate but space remains unaffected and everpresent. You don't notice because you are attracted to forms all the time. But when you turn your attention from forms you notice space by the absence of forms.

Better to consider the origin of the world. The Blessed One said: "And what is the origination of the world? Dependent on the eye & forms there arises eye-consciousness. The meeting of the three is contact. From contact as a requisite condition comes feeling. From feeling as a requisite condition co...

The non-returner and arahant has eliminated greed and fear/anger. That's where there is no more anxiety and fear left over. The others have lesser degrees of fear and greed. "There are these ten fetters. Which ten? Five lower fetters & five higher fetters. And which are the five lower fetters? Self-...

What about rapture? Where does it fit into the delight, joy, bliss, happiness spectrum? And which of these is replaced with equanimity (if any of them are replaced) and which are not? chownah "There was the case where Sariputta — quite secluded from sensuality, secluded from unskillful qualities — ...

What's your view on the correct interpretation of consciousness ceasing in DO? It is very simple. Ignorance and formations refer to the present life where enlightenment is attained. When formations are no more, they don't generate new consciousness and nama-rupa for the next life. No more next life...

What is the difference if any between the cessation of consciousness and the release of consciousness? "If a monk abandons passion for the property of form... "If a monk abandons passion for the property of feeling... "If a monk abandons passion for the property of perception... "If a monk abandons ...

Pragmatism. Don't just believe that it works; go test out yourself. Can be verified a bit like the scientific method. OK, let me play Mara's advocate and ask why it is more appropriate to compare Dhamma with science than with, say, dancing or playing a musical instrument? One can be pragmatic and t...

Sounds like it is invalidating itself. Gotta love this stuff. :jumping: I don't think the Kalama Sutta has much to do with science. It's really advocating pragmatism, asking: "Does this teaching or practice result in the desired outcome?" Pragmatism. Don't just believe that it works; go test out yo...