If you could ask the Buddha one question

[No_Mind]

It is a rainy night and you are driving back home from work. On your way back home you see a man in ochre robes, a Theravadin monk, walking down the street (not exactly walking .. sort of gliding)

You slow down .. roll down the car window

"Bhante, can I give you a ride somewhere"

The monk smiles and slides in through the open door .. his movements are fluid and agile .. he seems to move yet stay still

You start the car and shift it into gear. After a mile you glance at your co-passenger .. he is calmly watching the road .. a slight smile hovers around the corner of his lips .. and it dawns on you why he looks so familiar .. he is the Buddha!!

You gasp .. and hit the brakes .. the car skids a bit and comes to a halt

anyway to make a long story short ..

Lord Buddha offers to answer one question you have about Dhamma, one thing you always wanted to know .. only one question (you are not allowed to ask him a clarifying second question) and it cannot have a yes/no answer (you cannot ask him is there a soul yes/no) or it cannot ask for a long description from him .. not ask for a whole new sutta (if we do not have a soul how are we reborn)

What would you ask Him?

[No_Mind]

I would hand him the untranslated Pali Canon and ask him in which sequence he told the suttas

Which came first, second, third .. so on .. till about 12,000 or more.

If any are missing he would say nth one is missing .. e.g. 412th one is missing (but not tell me what that sutta was about)

[DNS]

I'd show him the Pali Canon, the Agamas and ask which ones are authentic which one are not. Or which tradition/school has got it mostly correct. Hopefully I wouldn't mess it up like Homer:

[No_Mind]

I'd show him the Pali Canon, the Agamas and ask which ones are authentic which one are not. Or which tradition/school has got it mostly correct. Hopefully I wouldn't mess it up like Homer:

I thought of that but then thought the ones he did not call out in series are the ones that are later additions .. e.g. assuming there are 12,500 suttas and he calls out 8,368 .. the rest 4,132 are later additions

[Disciple]

I would ask him what he thinks about the Mahayana and Vajrayana.

[SDC]

"So wait...if my blood alcohol level is less than .08, did I or did I not violate the fifth percept? Inquiring minds want to know. Wait...one more...porn isn't sexual misconduct right? Right? It's not listed. So it's cool? Yes? Just trying to toe the line, Sid. You know what I'm saying, right? Wanna get a coffee or something? Wait, where you going? Wait don't leave! I'M A GOOD BUDDHIST! I HAVE HARD COPIES OF THE NIKAYAS!"

[aflatun]

"So wait...if my blood alcohol level is less than .08, did I or did I not violate the fifth percept? Inquiring minds want to know. Wait...one more...porn isn't sexual misconduct right? Right? It's not listed. So it's cool? Yes? Just trying to toe the line, Sid. You know what I'm saying, right? Wanna get a coffee or something? Wait, where you going? Wait don't leave! I'M A GOOD BUDDHIST! I HAVE HARD COPIES OF THE NIKAYAS!"

[Veer-Zinda]

I'd ask for an ELI5 on how rebirth works. The whole concept still baffles me, no matter how many candle and mango tree analogies I'm given

[JamesTheGiant]

I'd ask "What's the very best teaching to suit me?" Because he can read minds he'd look at my mind and tell me the absolute perfect teaching to fit my mind and personality. And I'd get enlightened there and then!

[thepea]

Boxers or briefs?

[Spiny Norman]

What would you ask Him?

What happens when you die?

[Upeksha]

"Can you please accept all of my being which I offer to you?"

[justindesilva]

It is a rainy night and you are driving back home from work. On your way back home you see a man in ochre robes, a Theravadin monk, walking down the street (not exactly walking .. sort of gliding)

You slow down .. roll down the car window

"Bhante, can I give you a ride somewhere"

The monk smiles and slides in through the open door .. his movements are fluid and agile .. he seems to move yet stay still

You start the car and shift it into gear. After a mile you glance at your co-passenger .. he is calmly watching the road .. a slight smile hovers around the corner of his lips .. and it dawns on you why he looks so familiar .. he is the Buddha!!

You gasp .. and hit the brakes .. the car skids a bit and comes to a halt

anyway to make a long story short ..

Lord Buddha offers to answer one question you have about Dhamma, one thing you always wanted to know .. only one question (you are not allowed to ask him a clarifying second question) and it cannot have a yes/no answer (you cannot ask him is there a soul yes/no) or it cannot ask for a long description from him .. not ask for a whole new sutta (if we do not have a soul how are we reborn)

What would you ask Him?

Well I will ask him whether I have a question to ask him;
because I am so baffled about the questions raised by the buddhists today.

[binocular]

Lord Buddha offers to answer one question you have about Dhamma, one thing you always wanted to know .. only one question (you are not allowed to ask him a clarifying second question) and it cannot have a yes/no answer (you cannot ask him is there a soul yes/no) or it cannot ask for a long description from him .. not ask for a whole new sutta (if we do not have a soul how are we reborn)

What would you ask Him?

Under those terms od engagement, I would not ask him any questions, or even just have any conversation with him, because I reject those terms of engagement.
I don't think the Buddha would set such terms of engagament.

[JamesTheGiant]

Under those terms od engagement, I would not ask him any questions, or even just have any conversation with him, because I reject those terms of engagement.
I don't think the Buddha would set such terms of engagament.

Of course he would not. This is just a thought-experiment, on an internet forum.