Frequently Asked Questions

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Why do monks wear robes of different colors?

Why do monks wear robes of different colors? The bright yellow or orange-colored robes are usually worn by monks living in monasteries situated in villages, towns and cities. The darker colored robes are usually worn by monks from forest monasteries. Most monks nowadays wear robes made of synthetic material. These robes are produced commercially in a variety of colors, bought by lay Buddhists, and then offered to monks. In most monasteries a set color is prescribed, but in some monasteries monks are free to wear whatever colored robe is offered to them, provided it lies within acceptable boundaries. In many […]

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Why do Buddhist monastics shave their heads?

Why do Buddhist monastics shave their heads? Hair is a major focus of the human desire to beautify the body and project a particular image in the world. Monastics shave their heads as an expression of their aspiration to renounce personal vanity. Doing so server as a reminder to themselves and others that now they have left the world. The sight of a Buddhist monastic in brown robes and shaven head is a memorable one. People seeing them may became curious or intrigued, feel uplifted, be reminded of the need to be alert and awake. Thus Buddhist monastics propagate the […]

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What is the meaning of not-self?

What is the meaning of not-self? The unenlightened person assumes that there is a permanent independent entity behind our experience, and that this entity is our self, who we really are. We take for granted that this “me” is the one who sees, who thinks, who feels, who hears, who talks, who acts. The Buddha taught that this understanding of who we are is mistaken, based upon a certain fundamental misperceptions, and is the root of cause of human suffering. Buddhism teaches that far from being the solid center of experience, the sense of self is created moment by moment, […]

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Why impermanence given so much importance in Buddhism?

Why impermanence given so much importance in Buddhism? Impermanence is the central feature of existence. Everything changes. Nothing stays the same. Nothing lasts. Although this may seem a trite observation, close investigation reveals how many of our thoughts, emotions, perceptions, desires and fears occur precisely because the truth of impermanence is constantly forgotten. Continually reflecting on the impermanent conditioned nature of things prevents us from getting carried away and heedless when things go well, and from getting depressed and discouraged when things go badly. In meditation, the focused mind develops insight into its own nature through observing the moment by […]

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Do Buddhists believe in spirits?

Do Buddhists believe in spirits? The Buddha confirmed the presence in the world of non-human beings invisible to the naked eye. The existence of these beings has been verified over the years by gifted meditators who have developed the faculties necessary to perceive them. The vast majority of Buddhists who are not able to verify the truth in this matter take it on trust. Others of a more skeptical disposition reserve their judgment. Buddhist teachers consider that more important than arousing faith in the existence of such invisible beings is instilling wise attitudes toward them. The Buddha taught that all […]

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What does Buddhism teach about heaven and hell?

What does Buddhism teach about heaven and hell? {311} “Just as kusa grass if badly held cuts that very hand, so also, the ill-led life of a Bhikkhu drags that Bhikkhu down to niraya.” Heaven and hell are considered to be two realms of existence. Birth in one of these realms occurs as the result of volitional actions. Although the lifespan of one born into one of the realms is very long, it does ultimately come to an end. It is for this reason that the desire to be born in heaven after death is considered unwise. Heaven is a […]

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What does Buddhism say about rebirth?

What does Buddhism say about rebirth? In the early hours of the night on which Siddhartha Gautama became enlightened, he found himself capable of recollecting an immense number of past lives. In the middle part of the night he found himself able to follow the wanderings of beings through different realms over many lifetimes, and thus to verify the law of kamma. These unimaginably intense experiences so undermined the deep-seated foundations of toxicity in his mind, and so enhanced the power of his contemplations, that by dawn he had become a fully enlightened Buddha. Throughout his teaching career the Buddha […]

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What, in a nutshell, is the law of kamma?

What, in a nutshell, is the law of kamma? The Buddha said that the essence of kamma is intention. The law of kamma (or in Sanskrit: karma) expresses the moral dimension of the law of cause and effect. Any intentional action performed through body, speech, or mind produces results consistent with that intention. Put most simply: good actions have good results; bad actions have bad results. Actions provoked by toxic mental states rooted in greed, hatred and delusion contribute to future suffering. Actions flowing from wisdom and compassion contribute to future happiness. Is everything that happens in our life meant […]

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How long does it take to get enlightened?

How long does it take to get enlightened? This question may be answered with an old story: A monk is walking through the countryside. He asks an old lady sitting by the side of the road how long it will take him to get to the mountain. She ignores him. He asks her again and she ignores him again. And so for a third time. The monk assumes that the woman must be deaf. As he walks on he hears her shout out: “Seven days!” The monk return to the woman: “grandmother, I asked you this question three times and […]

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Is Buddhism too focused on the individual and lacking in its social dimension?

Is Buddhism too focused on the individual and lacking in its social dimension? The term “Buddhism” is a modern usage. The Buddha himself referred to his teaching as Dhamma-Vinaya, with “Vinaya” referring to means by which the external environment can be ordered so as to create the optimum conditions for the study, practice and realization of Dhamma. Vinaya reaches its apogee in the rules and regulations governing the life of Buddhist monastics, but is also applicable to society at large. In the latter context, Vinaya takes form of laws, customs, and conventions that support the reduction of greed, hatred and […]

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How much confidence can be placed in the authenticity of the Buddhist texts?

How much confidence can be placed in the authenticity of the Buddhist texts? The oral transmission of Buddhist texts may well have been strength rather than a weakness. When texts are preserved by groups of monastics chanting them together at regular intervals, the likelihood of errors of omission or deliberate amendments is minimized. While it must be acknowledged that there can be no unshakeable evidence for the authenticity of the Buddhist texts, there are nonetheless a number of good reasons to place confidence in them. Firstly, as explained earlier there is an inner coherence and lack of contradiction in the […]

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Do Buddhist believe in God?

Do Buddhist believe in God? As the definition of the word “god” varies throughout the various religious traditions of the world, there is no straightforward answer to this question. Whereas the notion of a personal creator god is clearly incompatible with Buddhist teachings, some of the more abstract concepts of “god” may be reconciled with them to a certain degree. More question and answers HERE Source: Without and Within – Ajahn Jayasaro   Ryokan Says In my experience talking about religion with others often can lead into a heated argument, this is because everybody has a different way to build and […]

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What is the essence of Buddhism?

What is the essence of Buddhism? The Buddha answered this question with a powerful simile. He said that just as from whatever sea, whatever ocean, one were to take a sample of water, it would always have the same salty taste, so every one of the Buddha’s teachings reveals the single taste of liberation. Liberation, freedom from dukkha and its causes, is the essence of Buddhism. What is the ultimate goal of Dhamma practice? The results of Dhamma practice can be expressed both in the negative and the positive sense. In the negative sense, the result is freedom from suffering […]

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Are there any buddhist scriptures?

Buddhist scriptures The Tipitaka (literally “three baskets”) is the collection of primary text of Theravada Buddhism preserved in the ancient Indian language of Pali. In English translation the Tipitaka cover some 20,000 printed pages. The Tipitaka is divided into three sections: The Vinaya Pitaka The collection of texts containing the code of discipline for monks and nuns, and the instructions for governance of monastic affairs. The latter includes, for example, sections on the monastic etiquette, ceremonies and the correct relationship to the “four requisites”: robe, alms-food, dwelling-place, and medicines, as well as procedures for ordination of new members and resolving […]

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How does one become a Buddhist?

Practically speaking, someone becomes a Buddhist when, having taken refuge in the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha, they start to apply themselves to the study and application of the Buddha’s teachings in their lives. In Buddhist counties such as Thailand there have never been specific ceremonies in which people may formally affirm their devotion to Buddhism. This may be to some extent because Buddhism is not a religion based on the adoption of certain beliefs; and also partly because, there being no Buddhist proselytism, there have been few new converts. For better or worse, people have generally taken their Buddhist identity […]

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