Sudhamma

Thank you for this thread and the many invaluable videos. There are two important aspects in baquazhang training, 1. 'lian gong', training in 'gong', effort, labour; e.g. walking the circle with static 8-Mother Palm pose and 2. 'lian chuan', training in the form, e.g. Wuloong-chuan or 64-lian-wan zhang. Lian gong should not be given up even when one has progressed towards learning the form. As is commonly said, 'lian chuan bu lian gong, dow lau yi sheng kung', roughly it meant, if one do not put in effort (to accomplish 'gong'), all becomes empty when old (all the time is wasted in training when one becomes old). My lineage is "Yin p'ai gong m'en". If for health reasons that one trains in baquazhang, walking the circle or even linear walking maybe good enough subject to knowing the details of walking, literally 'how to walk' especially in my lineage should be properly learned. And to learn this aspect properly, it is necessary to learn under a master or teacher unless the DVD has important details disclosed. Normally, DVDs are for those who already has the basic knowledge.

Hi Marblehead, I am also not complete unless I have reached the state of a 'non-returner'. I leave you with the following 'twin verse' from the Dhammapada, a collection of the Buddha's miscellaneous sayings. "Mind precedes all mental states, Mind is their chief, they are all mind-wrought. If with an impure mind a person speaks or acts, suffering follows him like the wheel that follows the foot of the ox. Mind precedes all mental states, Mind is their chief, they are all mind-wrought. If with a pure mind a person speaks or acts, happiness follows him, like his never departing shadow." (translated by Ven. Sri Achariya Buddharakkhita)

My little understanding of mantras: it is a two-fold, one on the sound level and its vibrancy. To achieve it, correct pronunciation is essential. The second is the 'thought' which centers on visualization of the deity with its shape and colors that synchronise with the verbalising. Well, tell me if I'm wrong.

If we look and take a leaf out of the Zen (or Ch'an) practice of indirect questioning, then you are very right, but then, it should be purposeful. Those 'koans' seems nonsensical on the surface, but forces the student to think outside the 'box'. Try not to throw perfectly good rice away, can't feed hungry mouths (pretas or humans) this way...try using mudras for pretas and proper gifts of rice for poverty-strickened families? Om teehee svaha! A different dimension of LOL. Marblehead is correct to state that Buddhism attract some people, well at least not him. Buddhism is only one pathway out of many and appeals to some people who are attracted to the Middle Path in between two extreme "philosopical" ideologies of theology and nihilism. If all roads lead to Rome, then all spiritual paths will lead across to the other shore. The difference is to the type of 'vehicle' and its speed that one uses to cross that ocean of samsara. There was once that I attended a bible-study cell and the cell leader spoke of going to Heaven together hand-in-hand. Immediately I said to the group that that was impossible. If I had known of Marblehead's mantra then, I would have exclaimed "Om teehee svaha!" there and then. Don't think those people could be any wiser. Om teehee svaha! And don't throw rice (in some countries, that's is littering and the authorities will impose a fine plus community work).

Marblehead, your mantra is incomplete... add 'hum', 'isvaha' or 'svaha' or something like that to your Om teehee to complete the 'magical' word-power formula, and wahlah! You have an enlightening mantra (from Laughing Yoga?). Using a physical object like a 9 pound hammer to smash the cyclical existence, (which is) a cosmic process? This method is practical to release the Self from the pull of gravity. Can try to smash samsara. And i suppose criminal charge may ensue and of course, a new stream of karma. Hmm, don't think such schemes will work. 'Jam for enlightenment'? Ah, yes, this was tried extensively in the 60's, and many brilliant minds of the flower people were blown, now in the 21st Century, many young people were getting deaf... too much jamming perhaps; and young lives wasted, too much of enlightenment... too much lights in their minds. Incidentally, in the extension of the third precept, The Buddha did warn against frivolous speech, but i suppose putting in some thoughts to frivolous speech can be beneficial sometimes.

Hi Limahong, the Doctrine of Dependent Origination, Paticcasamupadda, is something like what you are asking. Yes, in a way you can "re-precondition" yourself for a better present and future life. In brief, the Buddhist Dictionary (by Ven. Nyanatiloka) explains it as "is the doctrine of the conditionality of all physical and psychical phenomena, a doctrine which, together with that of Impersonality (anatta), forms the indispensable condition for the real understanding and realization of the teaching of The Buddha. It shows the conditionality and dependent nature of the of the uninterrupted flux of manifold physical and psychical phenomena of existence conventionally called the Ego, or Man, or Animal, etc".

Not quite right, Marblehaed, putting aside 'real objects' that exist because of pre-conditions, there is one that is non-created nor exist because of any pre-conditions that is Nibbana/Nirvana, the core of Buddhist belief. Nibbana is real enough for Buddhists. "Real objects" like our physical selves exist because of pre-conditions - parents, medical institutions, etc. A piece of furniture, is real enough but it can't exist without pre-conditions, wood, metals, wood-cutting machineries, the creativity of the furniture designer, and various interdependence of so many factors that bring about a piece of furniture. Even emotions or sentiments are dependent upon the existence of factors, before it can manifests and thus, impermanent. My apologies if this post is digressing from the OP. It is these pre-conditions of an object that also in its design the impermance of existence, the "real" object don't last over time. In one of the popular zen stories, the Zen-master asked his novice-monk whether he was real. The novice-monk immediately replied that the Zen-master was not real but only an illusion. The Zen-master took up his (sort of a large ruler) rod and gave a resounding wheck on the novice's shaven head, and asked, "Am I still an illusion?"

"Focus on Breath vs Mantra which is a better meditation technique to develop concentration?" Follow the Teacher, The Buddha who began with Breathing Meditation. There are 40 meditation 'objects' in Buddhist Meditation, each with their specific objective. Begin with Breathing Meditation. "Some people feel that mantra is something that you throw in from outside creating and promoting stories and illusions within the mind whereas when you focus on the breath you are not introducing anything unnecessary from the outside and that breath is natural." Both techniques discipline the Mind as the ultimate goal. However, unhealthy dependence on mantras create a mental obstacle for future development of Faith, Knowledge and Wisdom unless, you can put them (mantras) aside after it served their purpose. "Some others think that mantra lets them go deeper in concentration meditation and mind whereas the focus on breath keeps them at the surface and aware of the body (which makes it difficult to go deeper)." As said earlier, The Buddha began with Breathing Meditation, not mantra chanting. The use of Sound is one of the 40 meditation objects, not necessarily mantras. As one renowned Australian Buddhist monk once advised, use the words 'coka cola' as a mantra and you still get the same effect. "Yet others think that mantra is better because it will go with you the day you are without the body and the breath." What goes together with you to the next life is not mantras, but your karma. Meditation creates a discipline for your Mind to be aware of your ensuing thoughts, words, and deeds after reacting with a situation. How you react depends upon your prejudices and experiences as you perceive the situation. Being aware of your thought-formation helps to bring about peace and harmony to those around you. Keep the 5 precepts for they ensure that you would reap good karma now in this life as well as in the next. The force of karma will propel you to the quality of your next birth. "As I said I would love to hear the perspective of experienced meditators who have used both techniques for a while and can compare them." Just go and enroll into a Buddhist Sunday class to weed away misconceptions, otherwise, start reading basic Buddhism. Don't jump into the deep end of the pool without knowing what Buddhism is about. There are three parts in this journey, 1. gain knowledge and wisdom into what is 'Right', 2. put in effort and develop confidence and faith, and 3. mental concentration to rid oneself of mental toxins, fetters and to bring out the buddha-in-you, Don't go into 3, without the first two. Just my humble suggestion to you.

As I'm not a monk, I will not plan a 'monk's weekend' but rather, a spiritual retreat based on the observance of the 8-Buddhist precepts which can be done within the confines of the home. My retreat will be: 5 am Wake, wash and shower 5:30 Take a drink of warm water, and a session of exercise (internal and external martial arts, etc) 7:30 Rest, prepare and take breakfast (either one: cereal + hot drink/bread+eggs+hot drink/ hot soup noodle +hot drink) 8:00 Morning puja 8:20 Walking meditation 8:30 Sitting meditation 8:40 Select and read a sutta and its commentary 10:40 Chant a sutta, and commit to memory of its verses 11:40 Prepare vegetarian lunch and mid-day puja 12:30 pm Mid-day puja 1 pm Lunch and wash up the dishes etc 2:30 Walking meditation 3:00 Sitting meditation 3:30 Clean the premises 4:00 Tea and a short study of comparative religions 6:00 Prepare dinner and evening puja 7:00 Evening puja 7:30 Dinner and wash up dishes etc 8:00 Walking meditation 8:20 Sitting meditation 8:40 End day with a chant of a sutta 9:00 pm Day ends

How much time is needed to be trained to be a proficient fighter using Taijichuan? How true is that Taijichuan is a deadly martial arts designed for self-defence whereas, MMA is a sport, thus there is no 'comparison' between them? Where are all the attacks to pressure points to demolish the opponent? Where is the qi in the moment of need? Given to today's life-style and time, it is true that to be proficient in Taijichuan in martial applications takes many, many years. In 19th Century Qing China, a young man spent 5 long years, training almost 24/7 in Chenjiakou's Chen-jia taijichuan as a stay-in disciple. Except for the Lunar New Year holidays, he trained daily at the break of dawn. In those feudal days, Taijichaun was never a sport like today, nor was it taught like today. At the end of the 5 year stint, his sifu told him that he had learnt all that was to be taught and was asked to leave the village. That young man was Yang Luchuan who made a name for himself in Peking (now Beijing) defeating all challengers and well known for his 'listening' jing which he demonstrated by not allowing a bird to lift off from his opened palm. This was the feat that the recently defeated Taijichuan master, Wei Lei Lei boasted to have mastered and Xu Xaodong, the MMA fighter wanted to prove that the former was a fraud. Whether or not a single strike could kill or maim the opponent depends on the control and intent of the martial artist. Likewise, can MMA techniques kill the opponent? Sure, why not with sufficient force and at the right spot. With deadly intent, MMA is no longer a sport. For a matured internal MA practitioner, qi is always present and is raised when mental intent Yi, is triggered; and mental intent is automatically raised by perception of an incoming attack or in executing an aggressive or defensive move. There is no conscious thinking to move the qi to anywhere in the body. Like a adrenaline rush. Its humbug that qi needs to be settled or channeled before a fight. However, qi can be prevented from rising because of fear. Fear happens when the fighter has not enough fight experience. So, the three pre-requisites of a good fighter: firstly, he must be bold, secondly, he must have strength and stamina, and lastly, he must be able to use his martial arts, kungfu. Yes, kungfu comes last.

Respect has to be earned. Touting one's own 'fantastic' martial abilities only invites challengers like the bout between that Taijichuan master, Lei-lei and the MMA fighter. From what I understood from the dailies was that the Taijichuan master boasted of his ability to smash a melon with one downward palm strike, and that he would not allow a bird to lift off from his open palm (something like Yang Luchuan's skill) and the MMA fighter wanted to test and unmask that claim. And so they had a 10 sec fight and a fall from that pedestal of one 'supposedly' renowned martial artist. Similarly, in the '70s, we saw the dismantling and banning of Falungong in China because of the supernatural claims made by the followers and the founder. Closer to home, my sifu told me a story in the '60s of a challenge thrown by a Southern Shaolin martial artist to Bei P'ai MA, that all bei p'ai was "flowery fists and embroidered feet", meaning good to see, but impractical and useless. My sifu went to meet that guy and all settled in 10 secs with the Southern Shaolin MA eating the humble pie. A martial arts style/school is not unlike any schools teaching academic subjects. If there was a crook or swindler who was educated in a particular school was caught by the Law, did not automatically mean, that that particular school's education system was fake and produced crooks and swindlers. Its the person, not the system that is being assessed.

Just read from a Chinese daily this morning that that same MMA guy floored a baquazhang practitioner in slightly less than 3 minutes.

When I first started in TCMA, I used to wonder whether the forms and the moves were relevant in a real fight situation. My sifu used to say that for nan-p'ai practitioners, they need 3 years, and for bei-p'ai, 10 years of intense practice before they could stand on their own. Nei-jia practitioners would need far more than that 10 years. The founder of Baquazhang, GGG..Master Dong Haichuan's first generation of students were martial artists in their own right. The reason was simple to understand in that baquazhang is not a simple series of actions that could be 'auto-piloted' in serious fight situation when faced against experienced fighters. I have always considered that martial arts is an education unto itself. The student should and must understand the purpose, principles and the message that the founder had built into the forms. Like reading a book, the reader should be on level with the author to appreciate the book. However, that is only the first stage in the education as being able to read and appreciate the book do not automatically transform the reader to be a proficient writer nor an accomplished speaker. A lot more reading, training and exposure goes into those things before being really an accomplished author or speaker. So, it is the same with TCMA practitioners. I hope that the allegory is understood. Ground work seems to be missing in TCMA practice. At best, there is Didang, fighting on the ground, but still no locks and submission holds on the floor. However, the application of locks and holds within the portfolio of Chin-Na requires both strong fingers, wrists, elbows and of course, the waist. These 'tools' of Chin-Na need to be trained effectively, but in addition, a knowledge of specific pressure points, nerves, and joints are required as well. Ground fighting, including rolling, leg-sweeping, swirling kicks from the ground (Zhou-jia call it pan-loong tui, swirling dragon kick) are considered lower basin 'sia pan' techniques and only used when one is in a disadvantage. But, still ground chin-na don't seems to be apparent in sia-pan gungfu. There are two Chinese sayings, 1. When drawing a dragon, the eyes must be dotted; 2. When drawing a picture (human portrait), surely you don't need to draw even the intestines. How are these sayings relevant? In Chin-Na, there is counter Chin-Na, Fan-Chin-Na which has to be taught and practiced in a 2-men set with the partner putting in some resistance to get the feel. In Chin-Na, suai techniques, throws, are practiced and in some, follow-up locks and holds on the ground and the partner should counter before the lock is completed. The application of the waist to exert strength (fa-jing) and the chin-na on the ground needs to be taught (that's saying 1, the student needs to be enlightened) and the locked partner must re-position to counter the lock and hold (that's saying 2, to apply the knowledge intuitively). Thank you for this thread.

Means "a penis like that of a horse", one of the 32 marks of a super being. Try not to translate word for word.

FYI. Leng Cai Yuk,and Haa San Fu were nick-names, not the proper names of the adversaries. Yuk was the surname., 'Leng Cai' means Handsome. Haa San Fu, means the 'Tiger that descends from the mountain'. In the old days, to establish a martial arts style/school requires 'acceptance' by the martial arts community either because of the famous lineage or because he had beaten the daylight off the competition. This is a filtration process to weed out scams. Seriously, not all CMA exponents are good enough to be the last person standing. During the Republic of China days and the end-days of the Qing Dynasty, there were wrestlers and boxers from various countries who put up matches to fight Chinese fighters and the locals had their fair share of loses. Sun Lu Tang, the founder of Sun-style Taijichuan had met such a challenge and beaten his opponent with his Shaolin Luohanchaun, not Taijichuan though.

Hi Windwalker, those 1928 competitions were 'Lei Tai' or 'Leitai'. Can't give you the links now as I did not record the information when I read them years ago. You may have to search studiously. Try also Nanjing Central Kuoshu Academy.

If Taijichuan is being practised as a martial arts should, then it is a martial arts. Afterall, the fighting form was a collection of effective fighting techniques during the end-Ming period. The founder of Yang-style Taijichuan (an off-shoot of Chen style), Yang Luchan had a nick-name, "Yang the Undefeated" as he defeated all comers during his day. In those days, the fights were not under UFC/MMA rules, however, except for no eye-gouging, no throat or neck strike, and no groin attack, all other strikes including elbows and breaking of limbs were permitted. The last of such brutal fights were in around 1928 prior to the establishment of Nanjing Central Kuoshu Academy, and the first two days of the competition saw a few notable martial artists were killed, and immediately the rules were changed to what is now Sanda or Sanshou. After China became the People's Republic, the Government wanted to popularize Taijichuan as a form of exercise to rebuild the health of the people in those early days of the New China. So traditional Taijichuan families were given that task to simiply those difficult martial movements for the senior citizens. From the emphasis of martial effectiveness, it was then health improvements. The second wave of change (in the '70s?) came when the various taijichuan families were asked to form 'universal' sets of taijichuan suitable for grading in competitions. Is learning Taijichuan as a martial arts form possible? Sure, you must first identify a good sifu knowledgeable and has fight experience to back up his skills. Second, you must have the time and stamina to learn the martial side of the art. Third, you (with your sifu's approval) must be bold enough to test the skills. Taijichuan is taijichuan, no boxing, no kick-boxing. You will be certain to lose the first few fights, and you fall-back to your sifu for honing. Then go and fight again till you win. After that, go up the difficulty ladder. That's fight experience for you.

The country's legal system is the framework of the law-abiding citizens' prison. Drop that, and you become a menace to society. Similarly, drop your religious beliefs, say, the 10 commandments, or a lesser number, the 5 precepts and go about contravening them, you become a dangerous menace to your community. No need to believe me, try it out by breaking them and see what you will become and how you will be made accountable for your actions.

Backpedalling in reaction to the straight incoming onslaught is a huge mistake. Wei Lei's hands were not able to ward away those incoming punches. No 'muscle memory'? No 'listening' jing? One of the defensive strong points of Taijichuan is to respond to the attack like a ball (if you understand what I'm trying say). Anyway, it all boils down to experience. Wei Lei did not seem to have any fighting experience and foolhardy enough to accept the challenge from Xu,a MMA fighter. One adage in CMA is, One is Strength, Two is Boldness, and Third is Kungfu. Martial Arts skills only comes in third in priority of importance. A good fighter must have those qualities to win, not false confidence. " Be afraid of one who practise a single kick a thousand times". Edit: actually, it should be One is Boldness, Two is Strength, and Third is Kungfu. Boldness comes first.

Fundamentalism, Fundamental Buddhism? What complexity is required in order to be engaging when the fundamentals of the Faith are not even grasped and understood in totality? Did the Buddha spend most of his time refuting Atman/Brahman/Self/Soul in his 40 years of ministry? Who ever made that statement must have read through and understood His 40 years of teachings otherwise, he would not have made such a sweeping statement. Spent most of His time (40 years of ministry) on one main concern? I must be reading fake suttas over these few decades. There are other Paths teaching the same thing as the Buddha, said some, only that the terms are different, the approach are different, and the Time is different. Believable? During the time of the Buddha, some 2500 years ago, there was, besides the Vedic religions collectively known as Hinduism, were also ascetic yogic practices and even ‘nihilism’, an atheistic no-god approach to Life on the other extreme end of the religious spectrum. There were many “Paths” then as of now. Like what we now read in this thread on, “What are the requisites of enlightenment (if any)”, the many arguments between the Buddha and other adherents of other faiths brought about the rise of Buddhism in the Indian sub-continent. In those open debates between the Buddha and the other proponents, there was a prize in winning those arguments. The prize was that those who had lost the debate would join (and “convert” to the winning side) the winner together with ALL his followers. No blood had ever flowed in those oral challenges. There were times when some of His opponents though lost in the argument would not ‘surrender’ to Him, and in some of those cases, the followers of their defeated religious teacher would change side to the Buddha. Among the multitude of religions, monothetic, polythetic, animism, shamanism, Daoism, and all that could come to mind, is a religion of Man, a path of freedom from samsaric existence, from sufferings, from dependence on Atman or God-head if you wish. That religion of Man (not that of the Lord of the Ring trilogy) is Buddhism, and the Buddha, is a Teacher of both Gods and Men. As aforesaid of the 7 factors of Enlightenment is “the investigation of the Law”. Not only is studying the Dhamma is encouraged, you are expected to check and test the truthfulness of what the Buddha taught. That’s the challenge laid down 2500 years ago for anyone who is really interested to find out what is this Enlightenment from the Buddhist perspective. Ehipassiko.

#97, are we in trouble? are we saved? who saves whom, he wondered as he wandered... If we keep on wondering, and wandering, we are definitely in trouble. More trouble besets us as we wait for some-one to save us. How then can we be saved? Quote from Dhammapada: "By oneself is evil done; by oneself is one defiled. By oneself is evil left undone; by oneself is one made pure. Purity and impurity depend on oneself; no one can purify another." -Dhammapada v 165. By wondering, there is still doubt about the Teachings of the Buddha. By wandering, precious time is wasted. In some comic scenes in films, there is the unlocked door, yet, the character tries hard to open the window to gain entry. Wondering and wandering is just like that. Why not boldly venture in when there is an open invitation by The Buddha to anyone who wants to test his teachings and findings? "Well expounded is the Dhamma by the Blessed One. to be realized; with immediate results. To be approached, to be seen. Capable of being entered upon; To be realized by the wise, each by himself." - Homage to the Dhamma. (Dhajaggaparittam sutta) #97 after all, where do I stop and you begin? Arhant Angulimala was once a murderous person before being a chief disciple of The Buddha. Angulimala was told by his teacher that he had to collect 99 fingers from 99 living individuals (to be enligthened, to be a god, an immortal) and he was chasing after The Buddha for the 99th finger. However, how fast Angulimala ran, The Buddha was still in front of him, merely walking. Angulimala shouted "Stop, don't run!" The Buddha, stopped, and turned around and said to the panting Angulimala, and said "i've stopped, have you?" These words made Angulimala reflected and for that moment, he realised how foolish he was. He dropped his weapon and on his knees asked to be accepted to be Buddha's disciple. His time of reckoning had arrived. You may have to wait for yours, if this is not the time of your reckoning. I don't mean to be rude, but it is the truth that each of us will have our time of reckoning. So, I've stopped, have you? My apology if this becomes a digression from the OP.

@Bob3, and @Michael Sternbach, the Buddhist path, commonly known as The Path of Emancipation as laid down by the 'historical' Buddha is one straight path towards the destination, Nibbana. That route is Enlightenment, and does not 'see' any other path. The various sign-posts towards Nibbana are there and properly described. The moment, those sign-posts are 'played around', they lose their objectives and deviant practices emerge and adopted to be the real thing. Why take the chance and try to re-invent the wheel, unless one knows that here is more than enough time for experimentation. I don't think I have that leisure, as Death comes unannounced and uninvited. If there be spiritual cultivation, then there must and should be some earnestness otherwise, it is just a brain game of the philosophical kind. Hence, I can't comment on those traditions as mentioned in #76, 77 and 79. I'm ill-equipped to say anything on them. My apologies, Michael. When I first joined Dao Bums, my search is on the 'yin energy' as i was fascinated by Master John Chang's abilities, and then i was introduced to Daoism and Buddhism. You guys are fanastic!

Pre-requisites of Enlightenment: Given the various contributions in this thread, I had to ask for a clearer definition of what this ‘enlightenment’ was supposed to mean in the original post. The reply in #70 stated a slew of what enlightenment was meant by original contributor kaverni. I agreed with SeekerofHealing that there was no common ground as to what enlightenment is amongst those religions. From the old Oxford Dictionary, enlightenment means, “free from ignorance, prejudice, superstition, etc” and “the period (18th Century) when men believed that reason, and science (and not religion) would advance human progress”. In thread #1, what it said here hinged on Buddhist beliefs. And, I shall restrict my reply based on my Buddhist beliefs. #1: They say animals cannot get enlightened because they lack the necessary faculty. Only in human form it is possible. It has been said, even devas/angels have to take human birth to attain liberation. (Comment: There are within Buddhist belief, 6 realms of existence, and the animal realm is one of them. According to the birth stories of The Buddha, he was an animal for a few times in his previous births. Before his last birth, He was a deva in the Tusita Heaven.) Made me wonder, if I have to make a prerequisites list for liberation, what would it include. I am starting with the assumption, it has to be human. I welcome challenges against this also. What else is absolutely needed? #13 They = some sources I have read or heard, that makes some sense with what I observe outside. This is also the general belief. Science would confirm that Animals lack faculties that humans possess. Whether those faculties(#1, Does, health, functions of organs, energy, kundalini any of this are pre-requisites?) are enough to get enlightened, this is the question. #14 Is the transfer of Consciousness, enlightenment? Is the ‘bubble’ Consciousness? Every one does not get such transferred consciousness. So, what is the basic thing needed. For a bubble to burst, there should be a bubble in the first place. (Comment: Rebirth is not Enlightenment) #37 Is logical thinking and analysis required to understand enlightenment? Is enlightenment a mental process? Yes, we can only look at the example and illustrations outside, as long as we think and analyze with the mind. Assuming the thinking faculty is necessary in some way to inquire and figure this out. (Comment: weeding out defilements is not just a mental process,; effort, and wisdom are needed) Why did Buddha get enlightened under that Bodhi tree on that day? Why not, on the day when he saw the suffering and decided, I don't want to live such a life, I want to find an answer to this. Why did he not attain nirvana right then and there? If we were to give an answer to this question with mind, we have to agree it is a process. (Comment: You should read the sutras/suttas, or His Life Story/History. In short, after 7 years of searching and tried both extreme practices, he was close to death until a lady from a nearby village came with a bowl of milk-rice. She was instructed by a deva in a dream the previous night to make the offering to a tree-deva in the forest. The next day, she went into the forest to search for the tree-deva, but finding none, and instead found a man, rather unkempt, sitting underneath a tree. She offered the milk-rice to him instead. That person was Siddharta. He ate the milk-rice. His body was nourished, and he went to the nearby river to wash. He then thought that the day could be the day of his enlightenment. He then place his begging bowl into the river and said that if that was the day, let the bowl flow upstream. And so it did flow upstream. With that reassured faith, he made a resolve not rise from the seat (beneath the banyan tree) until he was enlightened. For 7 days and nights, he meditated beneath the banyan tree and on the 7th day, he was fully ‘enlightened’.) #38 Is enlightenment permanent? Does it occur at the body+mind level? Enlightenment has to be permanent at some level. May not be at body+mind level. If it is not permanent at any level, then as Om Swami writes on his book "Kundalini", it might be better to go smoke pot, rather than be on this pursuit. (Comment: Enlightenment is permanent). #49 No response as to what are the requirements to enlightenment? No one has responded (yet) as requirement, what many books & teachers advocate as the methods, or process that sets the path: 1) karma yoga (state of effortless action) 2) raja yoga/energy work. (opened up, cleansed the nervous system) 3) jnana yoga/ inquiry into his nature with discipline and dispassion 4) surrender, practise of devotion/ bhakti yoga diligently #55 I can wholeheartedly agree with this based on my experience (now). One path opened(ing) up ways to others naturally became(ing) all. I used to believe that it has to take a certain charted course or path. In particular, I was hung up on karma-yoga, and strongly believed it has to happen early on the game, before others. I went out of my way to find justifications for this on scriptures & talks, later blamed them entirely. After all, it can't be my fault (Comment: Nibbana is the destination, and once you choose to proceed towards it, you need to take the main road, Enlightenment. But there are many side-paths along the way which many had veered towards, but in time, they would be back on the main path). #70 What Buddhist say as 'Nirvana'. What Hindus call as 'Moksha'. What is generally described as 'Enlightenment', 'Liberation' or 'Freedom' by modern day teachers. Understanding that one is not just body+mind+ego,therefore transcending the suffering & agony caused by such false or narrow identification. Comment What is Enlightenment? The Pali word is Bodhi. And the factors of enlightenment, Bojjhanga. There are 7 factors, or as you like, pre-requisites to Enlightenment. “ (Through Bodhi) one awakens from the slumber or stupor (inflicted upon the mind) by the defilements (kilesa) and comprehends the four Noble Truths” – commentary to Majjhima Niyaka 10. What is Nibbana/Nirvana? The term is often translated to be ‘Extinction’; to cease blowing, to become extinguished, ‘freedom from desires’. It is explained as “Nibbana constitutes the highest and ultimate goal of all Buddhist aspirations, ie absolute extinction of that life-affirming Will manifested as Greed, Hate, and Delusion, and convulsively clinging to existence; and therewith also the ultimate and absolute deliverance from all future rebirth, old age, disease and death, from all suffering and misery.” – Buddhist Dictionary, Manual of Buddhist Terms and Doctrines, by Nyanatiloka. Thus, Enlightenment is not Nibbana. It is not 1, or 2 nor 3 pre-requisites, but 7 pre-requisites of Enlightenment. So, what are the 7 factors/pre-requisites of Enlightenment? The Bojjhanga. “The 7 factors of Enlightenment are; Mindfulness (sati-sambojjhanga), Investigation of the Law (dhamma-vicaya), Energy (viriya), Rapture (pitti), Tranquility (passaddhi), Concentration (samadhi), and Equanimity (uppekkha).” – Buddhist Dictionary, Manual of Buddhist Terms and Doctrines, by Nyanatiloka. Thank you for this thread, and it could not have come anytime better. On 10th May 2017, the Buddhist world celebrates the thrice-blessed day of Vesak. My reply to the OP may not be satisfactory or too brief, but you are urged to ‘investigate the Law’, that is, go and study Buddhism in a proper place if you are seriously in search of answers and wisdom. I shall end with a wish for all of you Bums, “Sabbe Satta Sukhita Hontu”, meaning, May you (and your loved ones) be well and happy always! Happy Vesak!

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Buddhism do not encourage slavery. During the time of The Buddha, there was indeed slavery in the form of indentured labour in that society as it was in ancient China. The third precept, 'kamesu veramani sikkhapadam sammadiyami' was popularly translated as 'abstain from sexual misconduct'. The words, sexual misconduct, do not mean adultery (it was a foreign idea to Asia as any rich man could have wives and concubines), but rather not to have sexual relations with: girls or women under protection of the law or family; slave girls were seen as property of others and thus come under the protection of both law and the family(ies) who owned them. Furthermore,Buddhism did not accept the Hindu concept of division of labour, yes, caste system. The lower caste were at the mercy of higher caste Indians, even to this day. Indentured labour arose out of debts owing to wealthy families, and the people worked till the debt was paid. The concept of abducting young men and women and enslaved them to work in cotton fields in faraway lands was foreign to Buddhism. There was no such economic exploitation tolerated in the religion.