Category Archives: Dharma Questions

Dharma Questions: Miscellany — Part 4

This irregular “Dharma Questions” series deals with “dharma” meaning both the truth of the nature of reality and some Buddhist teachings. Amongst other things these questions can be:
• thought experiments
• borderline musings not meant to be answered
• from laziness of not contemplating or researching them yet

There’s 18 questions. Here’s two:

Why is truth not a perfection/Pāramitā in Mahayana?

Can (the whole cycle of the) 12 links of Dependent Origination go backwards due to retrocausality?

Dharma Questions: Miscellany — Part 3

This irregular “Dharma Questions” series deals with “dharma” meaning both the truth of the nature of reality and some Buddhist teachings. Amongst other things these questions can be:
• thought experiments
• borderline musings not meant to be answered
• from laziness of not contemplating or researching them yet

There’s 19 (groups of) questions. Here’s a sampling of two:

How do sankhārā [formations/mental formations/volitional formations] come from ignorance? What is the process?

How does effort for vitakka wax and wane? How does vitakka turn into, or allow, or go along with vicāra?

Types Of Samadhi (From Early Buddhist Texts)

“Monks, these are the four developments of concentration. Which four? There is the development of concentration that, when developed & pursued, leads to a pleasant abiding in the here & now. There is the development of concentration that, when developed & pursued, leads to the attainment of knowledge & vision. There is the development ofContinue reading “Types Of Samadhi (From Early Buddhist Texts)”

Mindful Practice Of Body, Qi And Mind – 1st Annual Review | (4/27/2021 — “Ask Us Anything – LIVE” With Denny K Miu)

For this month’s regular open-audience, open-discussion “Ask Us Anything” — continuing discussions about meditation and related topics — Denny and I review the 63 consecutive weeks of online practice Denny continues to lead. The original (amended) show notes are as follows: (From Josh): (Depending on temperament and experience level, some may find this chat tedious,Continue reading “Mindful Practice Of Body, Qi And Mind – 1st Annual Review | (4/27/2021 — “Ask Us Anything – LIVE” With Denny K Miu)”

Dharma Questions: Miscellany — Part 2

This irregular “Dharma Questions” series deals with “dharma” meaning both the truth of the nature of reality and some Buddhist teachings. Amongst other things these questions can be:
• thought experiments
• borderline musings not meant to be answered
• from laziness of not contemplating or researching them yet

There’s more or less 17 questions. Here’s two:

Why do the Ānāpānasati instructions omit details on how to bring mindfulness to the fore and calm bodily formations?

What is the root condition (and causes) for (each of the) unwholesome roots of greed, ill-will and delusion (lobha, dosa, moha)?

Dharma Questions: Miscellany — Part 1

This irregular “Dharma Questions” series deals with “dharma” meaning both the truth of the nature of reality and some Buddhist teachings. Amongst other things these questions can be:
• thought experiments
• borderline musings not meant to be answered
• from laziness of not contemplating or researching them yet

There’s 22 (groups of) questions. Here’s two:

Can merit be hijacked (and held ransom/hostage)?

Can too much emphasis on emptiness lead away from more life preserving and/or life promoting choices?

Dharma Questions: Arhatship, Bodhisattvas and Buddhahood

The following questions explore Arhatship, the way of Bodhisattvas and Buddhahood from a limited innerstanding in order to gain clear, right, true knowledge for the highest good and well-being of all, without preferences. Even if based on proper premises some of these questions may be unanswerable and/or may be better left unanswered for now. PleaseContinue reading “Dharma Questions: Arhatship, Bodhisattvas and Buddhahood”

Dharma Questions: The Jhanas

There seem to be plenty of variation on the descriptions of the jhanas (especially surrounding “Nimittas”); the history and backgrounds of the jhanas — which were supposedly established well before the historical Buddha; — as well as some emotional charge surrounding what is and isn’t jhana and how to properly practice the jhanas, or meditativeContinue reading “Dharma Questions: The Jhanas”

Dharma Questions: Awareness / Consciousness

Whatever [one] keeps pursuing with her thinking & pondering, that becomes the inclination of her awareness. Two Sorts of ThinkingDvedhāvitakka Sutta  (MN 19) What is the difference between mind, thoughts, thinking, cognition, consciousness, attention, remembering, knowing, realizing, mind objects, mental formations, mental phenomena, volition, mindfulness, awareness? And what is the relationship between each of these and withContinue reading “Dharma Questions: Awareness / Consciousness”

Dharma Questions: Intent

Intent How and why does intent work? Is retro-causal intention setting possible. If so, is doing so wise and skillful? Can intention be amplified and/or intensified‪? Is ignorance the same as unawareness? Do either ignorance or unawareness relate to amount or quality of consciousness? If there is no existence on an ultimate level, what changesContinue reading “Dharma Questions: Intent”