Strictly speaking, it would seem the “role” of a monastic is to practice the Dhamma in accordance with the Dhamma and realize nibbana. That is the supreme goal. By remaining in dependence with lay people, they have the opportunity to teach the Dhamma and help others put an end to suffering as well—b...

You don’t have to wait until your ethical conduct and generosity is perfect, but ideally you would be observing at least the five precepts (and the ten courses of wholesome action) and cultivating your meditation practice at the same time. If you just meditate, you may find certain unwanted themes p...

Once you have a good foundation, you'll be able to tell what will help you develop the path and what will not. Certain Mahayana practices can help you greatly, but others may be misleading or distracting if your base is primarily Theravadan. I respect Thich Nhat Hanh's teachings on serious practice,...

To be honest, not knowing where to start. But then Thanissaro Bhikkhu refers to many of them in his essays, so the link made a good jumping off point. Then reading Bhikkhu Bodhi's In the Buddha's Words grouped them in a way that really made sense to me. Now I'm much more comfortable jumping in where...

I've worn contacts for about 10 years now, only the soft kind. I now use dailies, which I prefer and never have had problems with. Buying contact lenses "over-the-counter" is definitely a bad idea. A licensed eye doctor needs to prescribe them so that they can get the best fit for your eye...

But the day my mother passes my whole world will come crashing down.?What can I do to better prepare myself for this day. You're not the first person to lose a loved one, and certainly not the last. With birth as a requisite condition comes aging, illness and death (then rebirth for most of us). Sp...

What timezone are you in? According to Wat Metta and Abhayagiri's calendar today's the day.

It's a gradual process of letting go, a gradual training. You let go, first, of gross afflictions, unethical behavior, wrong views, and addiction to sensual pleasures. Then you work on the subtle levels of suffering. But in the beginning you need desire to practice the Noble Eightfold Path and to en...

One monk once told me it's so they don't have to worry about insects infesting the hair (lice, etc.) and just easier and clean maintenance overall.

"...Thus the actor — himself intoxicated & heedless, having made others intoxicated & heedless — with the breakup of the body, after death, is reborn in what is called the hell of laughter." This reminds me of the first (and last) time I went to a production called "Drunk Sha...

I also find this sutta about the eight practices ( AN 8.43 ) inspiring: "...Here, Visakha, a noble disciple considers thus: 'For all their lives the arahants dwell having abandoned killing living beings, refrain from killing living beings. They have laid down their staffs, laid down their weapo...

That's the one!

Hi all, I'm trying to find a sutta that mentions something along the lines of the drawback of entertainment (music, shows, parties, etc.) I feel like I remember the sutta sayin that one drawback is that a drawback is that one is always searching for the next source of good music or good entertainmen...

JubalHenshaw wrote: ↑Mon May 07, 2018 7:41 pm I didn't think had any concept of Five Tathāgatas?

Dhammarakkhito wrote: ↑Mon May 07, 2018 7:48 pm i promise there's a citation for this, but someone else will hopefully find it

DN 14 tells a little about the previous six Tathagatas—Vipassi, Sikhi, Vessabhu, Kakusandha, Koṇāgamana, and Kassapa.

It's all about intention. Bowing to a statue won't cause you become enlightened, but it may be refreshing for you. Like others said, it can give you confidence. For me, I bow out of respect for the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha, and it just reminds me that I can practice and achieve the same liberation...