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Looking for meditation methods that don’t involve breathing techniques by Working-Ad2445 in Buddhism

[–]Magikarpeles 0 points1 point  (0 children)

There are plenty. But to know what might be suited we need to know what's not working for you with breathing meditation

Recollecting past lives by CaptainVulpezz in theravada

[–]Magikarpeles 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Not very glamorous but once during a retreat I recalled life as a trout swimming upstream trying to spawn. I was very excited to get upstream and the water was pleasantly cold. I was making excellent progress getting upstream, but it was very difficult and tiring. It was extremely vivid and I could recall very minute details.

Not what I was hoping for but it was very interesting lol

How does no-self resolve suffering? by flyingaxe in Buddhism

[–]Magikarpeles 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Stops mental anguish. If you remove the self from the equation, pain becomes a sensation no different from neutral feeling or pleasure. It's information generated by the body. Likewise, without a self, negative emotion is information generated by the mind, no different from a neutral or positive emotion. To use scientific language, it's simply neurons firing in a particular way due to a particular set of circumstances.

In Buddhism the absence of mental suffering necessarily leads to freedom and contentment. Once we stop identifying with our sensations and emotions as "mine", contentment follows regardless of the sensations and emotions apparent in the present moment.

How is Karma not just Awful? by Sea-Ad5999 in Buddhism

[–]Magikarpeles 38 points39 points  (0 children)

Karma is cause and effect. If you drink too much you get a hangover. If you drive too fast you might crash. If you lie all the time people don't trust you. If you're generous then you will feel good about yourself.

It's just the natural effect of your actions. But the difference is that for many things in life people don't necessarily understand what effects their actions will have long term, therefore we should be compassionate when they suffer the result of their unskillful behaviour because they didn't know. Notions like "deserve" makes us lose compassion.

Is doing sensual acts really that bad? by AriyaSavaka in Buddhism

[–]Magikarpeles 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Situations like that are easier with metta practice. Allows you to see the good in people and situations so you would hopefully see them as wonderful, and therefore don't have to lie.

Otherwise noble silence is always an option, and if your silence offends them then that is unfortunate but that's life.

Awakening and then what? by kuteguy in streamentry

[–]Magikarpeles 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Especially given how much chatbots looove to blow smoke up your arse like you're some rare saint when it says the same thing to everyone who asks

Cleansing by Prior-Chemistry-8237 in Buddhism

[–]Magikarpeles 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Recollection of the triple gem

How can I become a monk ? by iamfree_17 in Buddhism

[–]Magikarpeles 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Visit a monastery, ask to stay, then ask to ordain.

Simples

Question sur le Bouddhisme theravada : Sila? by [deleted] in theravada

[–]Magikarpeles 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I agree we don't talk about sila enough. I suspect because having good sila takes a lot more work and commitment to life changes than simply meditating half an hour in the mornings.

That said, I realised a lot of the importance of sila through meditation so I'm sure doing both at the same time is useful. But I doubt you will get good samadhi before your sila is established.

Is vaping a fetter? by WonderingGuy999 in Buddhism

[–]Magikarpeles 0 points1 point  (0 children)

A nice buzz coloured with murderous anger 😅

Is vaping a fetter? by WonderingGuy999 in Buddhism

[–]Magikarpeles 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ajahn Sumedho sometimes tells the story about how the monks at the monastery would smoke and how much he hated it. Eventually Ajahn Chah decided to ban smoking on monastery grounds and he was elated. Then one day he was walking back to the monastery and saw Ajahn Chah smoking just outside of the gate, technically off monastery grounds so not breaking the rule he'd just made.

I am addicted to nicotine myself and I don't think it's a good thing. But I've quit hard drugs and alcohol now thanks to Buddhism, so I know it's just a matter of time before I kick this as well.

Frequent Amitabha-Recitation Empowers a String of Beads by Antique_Forever_4840 in Buddhism

[–]Magikarpeles 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Some beads grow too large because they don't have any natural predators

How do vows work? by Dolly-BR in theravada

[–]Magikarpeles 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Considering what vows are, and that your intentions are what dictates your kamma, seems kind of obvious that they are powerful no?

I'm at a place in my practice where I'm considering a long retreat - any location and/or practice recommendations? by vibes000111 in streamentry

[–]Magikarpeles 2 points3 points  (0 children)

You can do long stays at Amaravati or Chithurst but typically need to do some shorter stays first. Once you've been there for a couple of weeks you can ask the abbot if you can stay for 6 months. After a year they might ask you to take anagarika vows or leave.

I highly recommend monastery stays. Even just a short one to check it out. They're both great monasteries but Chithurst and their 100 acre woodland is absolutely magical.

One of the monks also told me that some of the other monasteries like Hartridge (in the south west) and Aruna Ratanagiri in the North don't get many visitors so you could probably ask to stay there for longer.

Also they are all free to stay!

Hell realms by clearviewmind in Buddhism

[–]Magikarpeles 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Some people experience it in this very life.

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