text:
What gets tired or feels hungry? Experiment
So there is a mind (one that asks this question) and there is the body (fingers typing this question of the mind). This is not "I" or "me". So when the body goes running and when the mind or brain is thinking, why does it get tired? Or is it just the illusion of tired?

Consider the Nonduality Tag.

I think best to leave the experience as is and move on :) thanks for the replies

In the mind and body at the level of experiencing things moment by moment there is feeling and tiredness but nothing feels hungry or gets tired that can be experienced directly.

Nothing is " 'I' or 'me' ". The experience is the illusion of illusion. That is what makes it the truth. Confusion is the illusion of not understanding. Understanding is the illusion of understanding.
But this is nonduality, which is not what Buddhism teaches. Or does it?

It is you who gets hungry. The problem start when you mentally identify that "I am hungry". If you just let be as another sensation without metal conceiving in relation to I there is no problem and pain will be reduce and stress from the situation non existent. Many metal construction or notion or perception of "I" or "mine" leads to misery. It is holding on to this metal construction or notion or perception of "I" or "mine" which should stop. As when this stops here is no identification or notion or perception or metal conceiving of a self in the person this is what is generally referred as no self or nonself, i.e., the person is devoid of holding on to any mental conceiving of a person hence does not have any sense as this is a person, or this is me, etc.

From a Madhyamika-Prasangika viewpoint, when I see your body, I see BlackFlam3. When I hear your voice, I hear BlackFlam3. When your body is unwell, you are sick. When anger arises in your mind, you are angry. Yet, your are neither your body nor your mind. You depend on them, though, for you would not be who you are if t was not for them. You even depends on what is not even in your continuum, such as external objects that you apprehend, and so forth.
As a person, you exist conventionally.  That conventional object, the person, is an object apprehended by conventional cognizers. The person is seen, heard, touched, smelled, being remembered, and so forth. That person is an object of pride, anger, jealousy, desire, and so forth. Yet, that person which is loved, hated, seen... is not intrinsically one with any of its aggregates.
In the same way, I see your hand, but I do not see the whole of it (back and front and bones, and so forth) and your hand is not intrinsically what I see of it.
The problem is as follows: as soon as you engage into analysis, wandering whether the person is intrinsically one or intrinsically different from its aggregates, you engage in ultimate analysis. And what the mind of ultimate analysis finds (realizes) is the ultimate truth which is the absence of a truly existent person. So, of course, when you ask yourself "but am I that feeling? or this body? or am I my flesh? but if I was, I could not say 'my' as if there was an I possessing it, and so forth" you take the direction of ultimate analysis and you will not find the person.
Identifying the conventional objects as objects found by conventional valid cognizers (eye-consciousness, ear-consciousness and so forth, that do not engage into analysis) is of utmost importance. So, yes, conventionally, it is enought for me to see your body to see you.

Maybe of thinking in loops? May Mr/Mrs stay with that and do fall into the all is anatta nonsens, which is simply vibhava tanha. Mr/Mrs would get tired even faster.
(Note: this answer has not been given with the agreement to be means of trade or the purpose of/for trade and/or keep people trapped and bound. How you handle it lies in your sphere, but does not excuse the deed here either.)

So when the body goes running and when the mind or brain is thinking, why does it get tired? Or is it just the illusion of tired?

Perhaps further to Tenzin's saying that the mind-and-body is not "I", if you only ask, "Why does the body get tired?" then IMO an answer might be explained using (not Buddhism itself but using) physiology, biochemistry, maybe even thermodynamics.
It does reminds me of the Buddha's saying, though, "all compound things are subject to decay".
A slightly different question (maybe a question we should ask, instead) could be whether you're mindful, or what you're mindful of -- and, whether you find "it gets tired" dissatisfactory. Because maybe what's important to keep in mind is "dukkha" and "cessation of dukkha".


text:
Can I wear pendant that's symbol of peace?
A year ago I bought one and I just got it is NDC (Nuclear Disarmament Campaign). I don't mind but I wanted feeling peace through everything what I need to having it. And soon I'm gonna practicing vipassana meditation.
Can I wear pendant that I have ?

Hi and welcome to Buddhism SE. We have a Guide and a Resource tab for new users that you might like.

Is this a question about protocol at a retreat or a question about orthodoxy with respect to amulets? (Amulets are a big part of lay Buddhism in Thailand for example) If it is about protocol, check with the retreat center, they vary widely.

If Mr/Mrs user73898 is doing meditaion seriously in one stream, its would be out of any benefit, if it is done without taking the 8 precepts. Beautification is one Sila of it. Its not proper and every fellow yogi, next to the reality would just think "Oh dear, how mindful... how serious".
If you find a mediation group that has no propel with that, or does not urge Mr/Mrs., run away, all they are doing is for their livelihood and without compassion for Mr/Mrs, without any benefit. Withdraw from sensual pleasure and outwardly notions of conceit (Sila), are prerequisite of meditaion (Samadhi). Not done the raw stuff, how would you waste time in grinding the tree in the forest for getting a nice chair.
(Note: this answer has not been given with the agreement to be means of trade or the purpose of/for trade and/or keep people trapped and bound. How you handle it lies in your sphere, but does not excuse the deed here either.)

Thank you so much @-}-- Your guideline is treasure. I'll keep it all in my mind. I wouldn't do without knowing and without Buddha's path. Monks helping me too. Seriously I'll do as you guided. I wanted learn Buddhism ultimately. Even I need start , my knowledge isn't enough to get peace in my mind. Thank you so much @-}--

Mr/mrs User73989 may, if he/she likes, take the five or eight precepts for him/her self, which is very useful to train, even in "normal" life. If doing a retreat, it should be done anyhow, and as told, don't access communities who do not do such. It's how ever of great use, if approaching a monk or a non, or somebody who knows well about silas and also practices them, and request the precepts. It goes deep and so it has its deep impact and benefit, as righteous prerequisite and security of having best and even real fruits.

Not much knowledge required to come to peace: The rewards of virtue, and the The Eight Precepts Mr/Mrs @user73898

As I'll start to learn and will find monk I'll learn about sila and eight precepts and as you said it'll deep and will deep impact and benefit I'll have treasure through. Thank you so much @-}--

That is in harmony with nonviolent Buddhism however on a vipassana retreat there is noble silence, and anything worn that said anything would be as distracting as spoken words.

What is nonviolent Buddhism, Mr Uilium and could it be that he does misunderstand the Hippy-movement with dhamma? And does ones beard speaks?

What you ware does not effect your path or your practice. In Lord Buddha's time people reached Nirvana while wearing nothing,While working and etc.
Focus on your path do not take concerns about these minor things.

For sitting meditation, you can't go wrong by simplifying.  Just wear simple, loose clothing, and leave the rest in your bag (good) or at home (better).
You can always wear whatever you like outside.  Inside, be non-distracting:  it's just a question of politeness to your fellow meditators.

For practising any other branch except that of Mahayana / Vajrayana, no restrictions for mundane practitioners' outfit exist, to the best of my knowledge.
However, if you are practicing in any Vajrayana lineage, you should ask your lama, because bearing a visible jewelery / amulet could be a potential obstacle to keeping layman'v vows on Mahayana Sojong days.

Thanks all of you people reaching for help me. Thank you so much @-}-- L<3ve Buddha @-}--

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text:
U Ba Khin and his reference to Parajikan Atthakatha
U Ba Khin, in IMC: Personal Experiences of Candidates, writes some quite interesting "explanatory remarks" about the experiences that Mr. J. Van Amersfoort had during a meditation course.
In those remarks U Ba Khin sees the Parajikan Atthakatha as an authoritative treatise which talks about the "realization of the Truth by an analysis of the kalapas in the body with the lens of Samadhi obtained through Anapana Sati".
I was not able to find the text of that Parajikan Atthakatha, as far I could gather it should be a Vinaya commentary. Does someone have a full English translation of it? I would be interested in how it deals with kalapas.

Might be of interest: THE HUMAN EYE CAN SEE INDIVIDUAL PARTICLES OF LIGHT
A MINIMUM OF THREE, TO BE EXACT By Alexandra Ossola

Monk Sarana has been so kind to let me know the existence of an English translation he is aware of (now out of print but digitalized by him):
Shan-Chien-P'i-P'o-Sha
A Chinese version by Sanghabhadra of Samantapasadika,
Commentary on Pali Vinaya translated into English for the first time
By Prof. P. V. Bapat, Poona
in collaboration with Prof. A. Hirakawa, Tokyo
Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, Poona, 1970

This is a complete translation of the Chinese version of the Vinaya Commentary, so not exactly corresponding to the Burmese version that U Ba Khin could have used.
The Anapana section starts from page 358 to 381 of the PDF file. I was not able to find a passage similar to what U Ba Khin was mentioning. A possibile candidate may be the following, where after emergence from strong samadhi (fourth jhana) one contemplates its physical base:
[20] [How does he stabilise it? This Bhikkhu emerges from the Fourth
trance. He- firmly grasps the factors of the trance. When he has grasped
this, [he sees that] these factors of trance are depending upon the heartbasis
which, in turn, is based upon the Four Great Elements; the contemplation
upon Four Great Elements is [also] based upon his physical
body. Out of these, the factors of a trance are called non-material and(heart-)
basis and the rest material. The non-material dhammas are to cover consciousness.
Out of these [dhammas ], the Four Great Elements and the like
are material and mind accompanying those material qualities, is nonmaterial.
Or, when he emerges from the samadhi, he notices that the body
and mind are the source ( ... ) of the out-going and in-coming breath.

Incidentally but interestingly, what should be the same passage as translated from the Visuddhimagga and reported in the other answer is here rendered differently:

Thus -he has discriminated Name from Form and then he seeks their
  causal factors. In all the three worlds, the Name and Form are
  inseparably joined; they are never severed [from each other].
  Regarding this inseparable connection, he begins to have some doubt.
  But he overcomes that and then notices three characteristic marks.
  Having noticed these three characteristic marks, he further reflects
  upon the coming into and passing out of existence. Because of this
  contemplation upon the coming into and passing out of existence, he
  first notices the [illusion of] light and gets rid of the ten minor
  taints of the penetrating insight (vipassana'). [22] When he has got
  rid of them, there appears the Knowledge of the Path (...). When this
  has appeared, he abandons thinking of the coming into existence and
  has his attention directed only to the passing out of existence. Then
  he again and again reflects upon that characteristic of the passing
  out of existence and when these two dhammas (coming into and passing
  out of existence) have now become clear to him, he begins to have a
  sense of aversion [for all things] in this threefold world. And then
  in due succession, he attains the Four Paths and reaches the Fruit of
  Arhatship. He attains the highest stage of the nineteen types of deep
  knowledge (...) and in this threefold existence consisting of Brahmas,
  Maras, and Samana-Brahmanas, he reaches the highest stage of being the
  field of merit (...). Thus is concluded the first tetrad of the
  detailed explanation of the mindfulness of Anapana [commencing with ]
  counting.

Also as we can see (in bold) the word "kalāpasammasanavasena" (if even present in the Chinese version) is interpreted differently. Bhikkhu Ñánamoli rendered that as "comprehension by groups", and it seems not related to the kalapas as groups of the four elements, that is to what U Ba Khin was intending.

This (Parajikan Atthakatha) is available within Samantapāsādikā more particularly the part called Parajikakanda Atthakatha. The original is published by PTS and available in Pali at the Pariyatti Store. As for an English translation there is: The Inception of Discipline & the Vinaya Nidana: Being a Translation & Edition of the Bahiranidana of Buddhaghosa's Samantapasadika, the Vinaya Commentary (Sacred Books of the Buddhists). (Link to Inception of Discipline N.A. Jayawickrama at Pariyatti Store) I am not sure if this is complete and thorough thought as the original is a 8 volume set which seems to be condensed to 1 volume in the English translation. If you are looking fro free editions both (Pali and english) are available in https://archive.org/ which I have given the links above.
Probably U Ba Khin is referring to the following passage (PDF from Parajikakanda Atthakatha, page 160):

Evaṃ nāmarūpaṃ vavatthapetvā tassa paccayaṃ pariyesati, pariyesanto ca taṃ disvā tīsupi addhāsu
  nāmarūpassa pavattiṃ ārabbha kaṅkhaṃ vitarati. Vitiṇṇakaṅkho kalāpasammasanavasena tilakkhaṇaṃ āropetvā
  udayabbayānupassanāya pubbabhāge uppanne obhāsādayo dasa vipassanupakkilese pahāya upakkilesavimuttaṃ
  paṭipadāñāṇaṃ ‘‘maggo’’ti vavatthapetvā udayaṃ pahāya bhaṅgānupassanaṃ patvā nirantaraṃ bhaṅgānupassanena
  bhayato upaṭṭhitesu sabbasaṅkhāresu nibbindanto virajjanto vimuccanto yathākkamaṃ cattāro ariyamagge
  pāpuṇitvā arahattaphale patiṭṭhāya ekūnavīsatibhedassa paccavekkhaṇañāṇassa pariyantappatto sadevakassa lokassa
  aggadakkhiṇeyyo hoti. Ettāvatā cassa gaṇanaṃ ādiṃ katvā vipassanāpariyosānā ānāpānassatisamādhibhāvanā ca samattā hotīti.

That turns out to be a quote from Visuddhimagga (viii-224 and viii-225), part of a commentary on the first tetrad of anapana meditation. The English Bhikkhu Ñánamoli’s translation is the following:

Having defined mentality-materiality in this way, he seeks its condition. With search he finds it, and so overcomes his doubts about
  the way of mentalitymateriality’s occurrence in the three divisions of
  time (Ch. XIX). His doubts being overcome, he attributes the three
  characteristics [beginning with that of suffering to mentality and
  materiality], comprehending [them] by groups (XX.2f.); he abandons the
  ten imperfections of insight beginning with illumination, which arise
  in the first stages of the contemplation of rise and fall (XX.105f.),
  and he defines as “the path” the knowledge of the way that is free
  from these imperfections (XX.126f.). He reaches contemplation of
  dissolution by abandoning [attention to] arising. When all formations
  have appeared as terror owing to the contemplation of their incessant
  dissolution, he becomes dispassionate towards them (Ch. XXI), his
  greed for them fades away, and he is liberated from them (Ch. XXII).
  After he has [thus] reached the four noble paths in due succession and
  has become established in the fruition of Arahantship, he at last
  attains to the nineteen kinds of reviewing knowledge (XXII.19f.), and
  he becomes fit to receive the highest gifts from the world with its
  deities.
At this point his development of concentration through mindfulness of breathing, beginning with counting and ending with
  looking back (§189) is completed.

Thank you, I'll give it a read. Just curious how is it that a Vinaya commentary speaks about kalapas, as reported by U Ba Khin in  http://host.pariyatti.org/treasures/IMC_Personal_Experiences_of_Candidates.pdf page 6.

This also baffled me initially. Many of the cemeteries does this, i.e., refer to Abhidhamma. E.g. Saddharmasagara or Dharmapada Varnana, a later commentary on the Dhammapada is very Abhidhamma heavy.

After skimming the book, I can't se any reference to kalapas... Maybe I'm missing something, or UBK was referring to another text...

The english book most likely an abridged version of the Pali one.

A list of commentaries and sub commentaries List of Commentaries to the Tipitaka

Don't look for Kalapa as per the Wikipedia article it does not occour in in the Mula (Tripitaka). Also interesting is the following search occurrence of word Kalapa in the Tripitaka and commentaries. Surprisingly it does not occur frequently. Not a single occurrence in even in the Abhidhamma Pitaka. Similar search for Kalapa on SC. Just look for Anapana and Samadhi.

Above is very surprising revelation for me also. Only one occurrence of Kalapa in any of the Atthakatha!

Probably they don't search composite words

Perhaps this might be the reason for the search does not produce much. Also refer to this search result in google books

Among your former links, in a pali transliteration, there is just one block where anapana and kalapa words are both used, so probably UBK was referring to it. I'll add it to your answer, if possible. However it looks like there is no English translation.

By chance I've found it is a quote from Visuddhimagga (viii-224 and viii-225), I've just edited the answer.

For a Pali source see also http://tipitaka.org/romn/cscd/s0517a.att4.xml, search inside "Evaṃ nāmarūpaṃ"

Not sure if able to follow, since the question does not provide much further explaining, but Atma could think, that it recognizes the importance that one actually has to face and investigate the circle of birth, aging, death and rebirth as a phenomena seeing within one self, which seem like never been mentioned by the Buddha, speaking of death, moment for moment (kalapa means also time of existence or life).
The Commentary especially the Visuddhimagga, gives much arguments to focus on that and not keeping it different form depending co-arising.

I was asking if someone has a the full text of Parajikan Atthakatha (question now made more clear). As for your answer, why do you infer the "Atma" term?

Atma douts that there is a full translation of the Vinaya commentary in western language, yet even seldom in SEAsian-languages and Atma doubts that Vinayacommentary do transport any essential in regard of Abhidhamma. Maybe some analytical lit. Abhidhamma on kalapas are of use for Mr. Robermann: Kalāpas - Groups of matter, Ayya Agganyani (you may also try to contact Samaneri, Sister is very into Visuddhimagga, Abhidhamma and a Burmes trained Nun in Germany speaking and teaching in english as well. http://abhidhamma.com/ S. may maybe know a link and wink.

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text:
Realization of Anatta
I am not following any particular tradition of Buddhism. How does anatta feel to a sentient being? How can it be tested or experimented? This is being asked because mere intellectualization is not enough obviously.
And what's next?

The way Buddha formulated it, anatta was a surprising solution to the impossible problem - change in your attitude, not just an intellectual understanding - just like you said.
His argument went like this: dukkha happens because we try to rely on things which are unreliable -- therefore to achieve permanent Nirvana we need to try and find something which is absolutely reliable. Anything that depends on conditions is impermanent - therefore it is unreliable -- therefore it is dukkha. So we should not lean on (=try to establish our base in) anything conditioned (impermanent, unreliable). Let's see what it leaves us with. All physical objects, configurations, and situations are impermanent. So we can't establish our base in any of them. Our sense-experiences depend on the external objects, which are impermanent/unreliable - therefore our sense-experiences are unreliable too. So we can't establish our base in them. Our mind state depends on our sense-experiences, which are impermanent/unreliable - therefore the mindstate is unreliable too. So we can't establish our base in the mind state. This is the meaning of anatta, we decide that it would be stupid to establish our base in external world, in body, in sense-experiences, or in the mind - because they are all impermanent and therefore unreliable. So this leaves us with... nothing. There is nothing we can establish our base in. This is complete anatta, complete no-self / no-base. And then Buddha made discovery: if you don't establish your base anywhere, you are invulnerable! So on one hand it is a complete loss, there is nothing reliable so there is no Nirvana. On the other hand, if you really let go of everything, if nothing is yours, nothing is you, nothing is your base, nothing is your prize - then impermanence no longer matters, and there is no basis for dukkha to occur. This is called Unbinding.
So as you can see, anatta is not the kind of selflessness we get in physical sciences - they too tell us there is no soul, and lately the neuroscience tells us the feeling of single agent in our head making decisions and experiencing phenomena is an illusion. So everything is just a combination of matter/information fluctuating. But that's not enough.
What really matters is our personal attitude to things. As long as we establish our base anywhere, even in Buddhism - we get involved into conflicts, arguments, disappointments, and losses. Only if we have no base can we be free from conditions. But to be baseless requires tremendous courage and tremendous will power to let go (and to keep letting go, like jumping from the airplane). It really is very scary. And it kinda makes you very lonely, because you can't seriously relate with people who make their bases in all kinds of arbitrary things. On the other hand, since you don't dwell on any negative thoughts (you don't make them your base either) - you are never upset or frustrated.
It feels like you are superninja dancing between the raindrops. The raindrops represent various bases you could potentially attach to. Dancing between raindrops represents baselessness. When you get it, what are you going to do with this? What's next? At this point it becomes a funny question. Do I need a next base, is that's what I am asking about? What is my next base to go to?
What is my next address? What is Buddha's address? Buddha is not leaving - and Buddha is not arriving. Something like this. You asked how anatta feels to a sentient being.
But that's the very end of the path. Buddha said, there is no point in skipping stages - otherwise you will be like that cow - that has lost her previous grazing grounds before she has established her feet in the new grounds. First anatta should be practiced as baselessness in everyday life. Any time we feel frustration in daily life, that's our mind trying to establish a base. So we should learn to watch out for those and let go of the base, starting from the most coarse situations, that generate the most coarse emotions. And then you stalk yourself identifying more and more subtle bases, and let go of them, until you let go of the base of the Buddhist practice itself, and the base of "better", and the base of no base.

"Buddha is not leaving - and Buddha is not arriving." and not staying, some people and groups forget. When you are frustrated, give it an atta, if you like it, give it an anatta. Maybe try it in this way, not in the usual, Mr Andrei Volkov.

"So he exerts himself with stress & pain, and while he is exerting himself with stress & pain, unskillful qualities decline in him, & skillful qualities increase. Then at a later time he would no longer exert himself with stress & pain. Why is that? Because he has attained the goal for which he was exerting himself with stress & pain."

Sadhu! But, was that an atta or an anatta, that arose before that?

How does anatta feel to a sentient being? It feels like there is no self.
How can it be tested or experimented? Meditation brings it on, eventually. Shocking experiences can. Drugs can, but I do not recommend that and they do not bring understanding. Inquiry by someone who knows can startle or guide one in to a state of nonduality, or at least a breakthrough experience (often called "awakening" or "satori").
Even reading the right thing at the right time can. But as Andrei said, it is sometimes a realization after the fact - we realize that we have had the experience described. (This is sometimes called "gradual awakening".)
So, it is eminently do-able. "Try not to let your education get in the way of your learning." (Mark Twain)

Mr/Mrs no comprende might misunderstand infinite awareness with no-self. Maybe DN 15 is helpful.

@SamanaJohann I don't think that I intended to say that I understood it, or was referring to it. Still, I can say something, without saying everything. This seems to be your issue with this site: Only the Buddha should be here answering questions? Well, we are waiting.

Mr/Mrs answer look great, after the remove of the quote. Everything perfect as long as we stick to the Buddhas notions, Mr/Mrs No Comprende (which is by the way a useless name and not right) mudita that you actually figured it out by your self, that how it makes sense, not just be doing what he or she says. Atma likes the father-fork simile much.


text:
Arhat Culapanthaka's display of psychic powers to a layman (DP Verse 25)
In DP Verse 25, we read about Arhat Culapanthaka displaying psychic powers (appearing as many) to possibly a lay person, i.e. the messenger:

When the messenger from the house of Jivaka arrived at the monastery he found not only one bhikkhu, but a thousand identical bhikkhus.

Now it's popularly known that according to the Vinaya, Bhikkhu are prohibited from displaying psychic powers to lay persons (Kevatta Sutta DN 11). If so, was this display by Arhat Culapanthaka,

before the vinaya prohibiting such displays,
performed unaware of such a rule,
exempt from the rule,
not exempt from the rule, but the intention and effect due to the display of such powers, was of greater benefit than non display.
other

Maybe Mr. Kaveenga Wijayasekara likes to add a link to http://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/13655/psychic-powers-and-the-kevatta-sutta-dn-11 in his question

It was not a show for people, that's the first thing you have missed. Here is how it went and what you missed,
The function in doctor Jeewaka's house was attended by the monks of the temple and Ven. Arhat Culapanthaka was at the temple/monastery. As Ven.Arhat Culapanthaka was alone and there was work to be done multiple bodies were used to clean the temple,to sweep it and do some other petty tasks. This is when the messenger from Doc.Jeevaka's house came and saw this.

Sometimes when arahats feel that more harm can come to a society or a person by not revealing his true status the Arahat does some suitable task to prove him that. This was first done by Lord Buddha to tame the ego of "Jatila sages" who thought they are Arahat and Lord Buddha was not. It was done again to tame the ego of the "Shakya cast" who were is relatives of prince siddhartha.
What we need to understand is that Arahat does not break "Vinaya (laws & guidelines of Buddhism)" no matter what. And that has been clearly stated in Buddhism. So there is no point in Scrutinizing the "Seela" or the conviction of an Arahat because it is not up to petty beings like us. Like always it has happened it should happen by the hands of another Arahat.

Thanks Theravada. You raise a valid point that I missed that the psychic display was performed in front of one person.

So it seems that the messenger witnessed an in-progress psychic phenomena which was not meant for him. The messenger baffled by seeing many Bhikkhu when he expected only one Bhikkhu turned back. During the messenger's 2nd visit to the monastery had the Arhat reverted the many forms into a singular form that would have been displaying a psychic power, and instead the many forms answers truthfully that they each are Chulapantaka.

@ Theravada: where is it said that an Arhat will not break any (major and minor) Vinaya/monastic rules? Wrt to virtue yes, there will be no transgression, but my understanding that with regards to vinaya rules on etiquette, conventional manners, there could be transgressions.

@KaveengaWijayasekara , As the teaching goes an arahat is a person who is only second to a Buddha when it comes to the understanding about dhamma. But what about "vinaya"? , As you already know all the Buddhist councils were done by the hands of the arahats and not by ordinary monks no matter how good they were, this happened because of one reason.....

This happened because of one reason, As you already know there is a thing called "Thri shiksha (seela,samadhi,prachna)". To be a one who has ended the path (Arahat) he or she must reach the very peak of "Thri shiksha". Because as Buddhism clearly teach the Seela of an Arahat is unmatched by any other, the Samadhi of an Arahat is unmatched by any other, the panha/prachna of an Arahat is unmatched by any other....   @KaveengaWijayasekara

... If you look at the beginning of Buddhism "Vinaya" did not exist only path was taught to monks. But when the scope of Buddhism expanded all sorts of people became monks and a lot of mistakes and mishaps occurred which left Lord Buddha with no other option but to give guidelines to the monkhood. I'm sorry i cant exactly remember which great one said this but i'm sure it was Great Ven. Anandha or Great Ven. Maha kashyapa, this was the conversation >>> It is not like the earlier times now a lot of rules exist but few become arahats why is that?.... @KaveengaWijayasekara

.... yes, this is the downfall of the "shasana"<<<< There is also another discussion in dhamma about how the abandoning of wooden pillows to sleep and replacing them with normal pillows decreased the number of arahats (Because it encouraged sleeping). After all what is to be said here is that an Arahat has no need for Vinaya even though an Arahat would obviously respect it. "Vinaya" was made for normal monks who are still young on the path, because their "sila" is not matured enough to completely protect them. As an Arahat is done doing worldly things there is no way what so ever...

....that an Arahat would break the priciples. @KaveengaWijayasekara


text:
What's the role of the detailed descriptions of the other planes of existence? Why it was important for the Buddha to tell them?
There are many repetitions of categorization of the different worlds in the Pali Canon that make me a bit confused.
I'm not trying to rationalize them as metaphorical or as a "later addition to the scriptures". I am also not searching for a confirmation. The universe is probably endless and we percept only a tiny fraction of waves coming to our ape senses. There could be myriads of other planes and beings that are present but undetectable with any human-made tools and observable only by an enlightened mind.
But why did he even bother to start on this topic? He wisely answered with Noble Silence to other existential questions that could bring additional disputes and disagreements (like the Buddhist cosmology does today in "Buddhism vs. Scientific Worldview" debate despite scientists allow themselves to make up concepts like "Boltzmann brain" or "multiverse" without any issues).
And then there is this strict distinction between these worlds although they are not even "real realms" but a flow of dependently originated events. Like we're saying "human world" and "animal world" but in the modern eyes they are not even separate.
So what am I missing? Why the Buddha couldn't reduce it to "bad karma leads to hellish worlds, good karma leads to heavenly worlds" but went for this detailed naming and descriptions of beings, deities living there?

No one can really know why Buddha did what he did or said what he said, so any answers to this question are necessarily going to be opinion-based. Maybe you can rephrase the question to ask, what role does the teaching about the realms play in the bigger system of Dharma?

Yes, that's basically the same question. I don't understand the point and importance of the detailed descriptions.

@AndreiVolkov I updated the title and removed the opinion part.

A realm is defined by the quality of experience.  Typically there is a being and a perceived environment.  The beings and their environments share the same ultimate nature, but on the relative level based on one's conduct, one shall "travel through" different realms of experience.  All that can be known experientially is known by a Buddha.  If you could travel at ludicrous speed through all your previous lifetimes and report back on the patterns/tendencies/routes you observed, you would also know the multitude of realms.  They are, however, as variegated as the colors of the rainbow.

Also, please read about the Bhavacakra or Wheel of Existence.  Samsara means "spinning."  May freedom blossom in your heart.

Mr Ivan ("god is merciful"), because the Buddha did not like Mr Ivan to mistake an realm of existence for Nibbana, or the heartwood. That is why he described those states of being in detail. So when you start to travel, and do not just ponder why you should not travel yet, Mr Ivan is well prepared.
In which plane of existence did you now take place? Nobody aside of Mr Ivan would know that, does Mr. Ivan do?
(Note: this answer has not been given with the agreement to be means of trade or the purpose of/for trade and/or keep people trapped and bound. How you handle it lies in your sphere, but does not excuse the deed here either.)

So what am I missing? Why the Buddha couldn't reduce it to "bad karma leads to hellish worlds, good karma leads to heavenly worlds" but went for this detailed naming and descriptions of beings, deities living there?

Well, the Teaching wouldn't be complete if the Buddha just provided only a bird's-eye view to everything. There're the bird's-eye view, worm's-eye view, view from 10,000 feet, or close-up view. One cannot use a microscope to view the stars and galaxies nor use a telescope to view bacterias and viruses. Similarly, to teach math to small kids, one would use arithmetics; for college kids, calculus; and for grad students, topology..


text:
What Ahosi kamma really is?
The definition of ahosi kamma is defunct kamma which no longer bears fruits. As we know every action has its consequence. From Buddhist point of view, AFAIK, it's impossible to remove any vipaka completely. If an "old-kamma" can become exhausted, then what is the difference with no consequence?
If a kamma is inhibited by a more powerful one, then the consequence is still there, maybe it is minimized or delayed. But if an action has no consequence, I think it's hard to understand it from the law of cause and effect point of view.

What Ahosi kamma really is?

Imagine you have a seed. That seed has the possibility to turn into a tree but only if the right conditions are met.
For example, the seed needs water, fertile soil and maybe a little fence around it so that people will not step on it. If the seeds grows into a small young tree, then again it needs certain conditions to continue growing. For example it needs fertile soil, sunlight, water and again a little fence around it, so that cattle won't eat its leaves.
Its exactly the same case with Kamma. Kamma needs the right conditions to ripen and thereby come to fruition. If these conditions are not met, then the Kamma will not ripen and it will instead become Defunct (ahosi) Kamma.
For example, in the case of an Arahant. All their accumulated kamma from the past which was due to ripen in future lives, will become defunct when the Arahant passes away, since he/she will not get reborn. The Arahant has destroyed all fetters and cut all roots and thereby all causes and conditions for the past kamma to ever come to fruition.

What type of kamma can become ahosi and what type of kamma cannot become ahosi kamma? Neither in the sky nor in the mountain cave one can escape from his evil consequences. If a kamma is no longer in effect, would that be the same as an "escape"?

One is simply not touched. Who should be touched. Things are arising, stay a little and decay.
Its often described with the hide of a cow, replaced and put on the cow again. So here an Exhortation
(Note: this answer has not been given with the agreement to be means of trade or the purpose of/for trade and/or keep people trapped and bound. How you handle it lies in your sphere, but does not excuse the deed here either.)


text:
In which current societies mainstream Buddhism is relevant for daily life?
In which places or societies is the old Buddhism (mainstream Buddhism) a formative world-view which guides and dominates daily life?
Added to focus my question.
By mainstream Buddhism as guiding and dominating daily life I mean that the people do not follow the capitalist ideal, that they do not earn and spend their money for the newest technical equipment or the latest fashion. Instead, that they prioritize and practize Buddha's 8-fold path.

You can follow Buddhism and get results in any society. But as a Buddhist, you will come across less obstructions in societies in which Buddhism is the main religion. Especially for monks, life is easier in Asian Buddhist countries compared to others as the people almost consider it as a duty to support and protect the community of the Sangha.
Monks keep to the 227 precepts and the lay people keep to 5 or 8 precepts. Monks advice lay people on spiritual development and the lay people support the monks by providing the necessities of life and what is helpful for teaching the Dhamma.
The Buddhist lay people are not prohibited to spend money on the newest technical equipment or the latest fashion or any other sense pleasure that wouldn't break the precepts. It's just that they are being advised by the monks that those comforts are temporary and are encouraged to practice spiritual development whenever they can, in order to attain the final solace.

How do the monks from the Sangha practize Buddhism in their daily life? What is their main preoccupation?

They spend time learning, teaching and practicing the Dhamma.

Practicing the Dhamma how does it look like? How does it form society?

updated the answer

Actually is disappearing rapidly, maybe another 5-10 years in countries of SEAsia, but there also in very remote areas and certain places.
As every thing, conditions are made by one self and so people leave thinking or right view global, it global disappears.
One would be wise to hurry and not naively that one day it will come to his hometown, that of which is disappearing in this world. Dont waste you time in trying to change the worlds current, one loses each moment if resisting under people of wrong view, if not established Dhamma yet and could fall down (not having entered the stream)
There is a nice short explaining of the Mangala Sutta, by Upasika Nina Van Gorkum: The Greatest Blessings. And also a good guide: Mangala Suta Uannana - Ven. K. Gunaratana Thera
Such as right view in modern world, such is impossible, since it is the notion of wrong view that makes it be called "modern" (among the stream of the world).
Mr. Jo Wehler may also follow a discussion between a Modern Buddhist who thinks everything is fine, and Atma some years ago: Why is it important to value and see our Conditions?
95% of what ever you find, is fare away from integrity, respect, gratitude, generosity ... there are so less people who even practice the most simple meritorious deed. And that is not only a matter of lay people but has its cause also and leaded by monks and nuns. Wrong view is very blatant. They are thinking in terms of rights and when people even meet, they meet for the sake of saving their feeding grounds, may we all be in harmony... no one would meet for sharpen his views and correct them or give ones reputation to help others out. People are delighted in becoming and use Dhamma just for gain and becoming. Nearly nowhere you would find not "we live form dana" at fist place and 95% of Dhamma is shared as a means for business. Such as "happiness through wealth" ideas and leading jubu approaches are the drive of what is modern known as Buddha Dhamma.

The Lord Buddha taught that his Dhamma, when placed in the heart of an
  ordinary run-of-the-mill person, is bound to be thoroughly corrupted,
  but if placed in the heart of a Noble One, it is bound to be genuinely
  pure & authentic, something that at the same time can be neither
  effaced nor obscured.
So as long as we are devoting ourselves merely to the theoretical
  study of the Dhamma, it can't serve us well. Only when we have trained
  our hearts to eliminate their 'chameleons' — their defilements — will
  it benefit us in full measure. And only then will the true Dhamma be
  kept pure, free from distortions & deviations from its original
  principles. — Phra Ajān Mun Bhūridatto

Where ever you are, work on your future conditions. Is the very nature of merits that it is always a matter for giving something up to gain a better and it is natural that one leaves, step by step. Such as a society where right view is still something which has a general value, does not even exists among monastics in an amount that it would be sense-able at large. And Atma did not come across even one monk or nun in the modern world who has even basics right view on even an worldly level. Today people are feeding on the heritage of the three jewels, nothing else, and use it for a livelihood and to even to explain has become a merely useless thing, like people of old had realized the fact of the darkness in this world: Living in the World with Dhamma
There is no other way as to give and letting go to develop ones own conditions for future conditions, right here and now.
(Note: this answer has not been given with the agreement to be means of trade or the purpose of/for trade and/or keep people trapped and bound. How you handle it lies in your sphere, but does not excuse the deed here either.)

Re. people following the capitalist ideal you might consider the book, The Buddha's Teachings on Prosperity: At Home, At Work, In the World.
It's written by Bhikkhu Basnagoda Rahula

Bhikkhu Basnagoda Rahula, PhD, was born in Sri Lanka and became a Buddhist monk in childhood. He holds a Master's Degree in literature, and a doctorate in English. He serves the congregation at the Houston Buddhist Vihara, and teaches English at the University of Houston. He lives in Texas.

It has a dozen or so chapters, on various topics e.g. making a living and choosing a marriage partner.
It's also mentioned in some other topics on this site.
Its premise (I paraphrase from an introductory chapter) is that the Buddha's recommendations expected two parts to society:

The community of monks (renunciates)
The lay society (prospering)

The author wrote that a lot of (even, most of) the suttas were spoken to, written by and for, and preserved by monks; but that there are suttas which are clearly to (and therefore for) lay-people.
The book identifies and summarizes those (many dozen) suttas for laypeople, which includes identifying suttas which recommend things like how to use your income: i.e. reinvest a lot of it, use some for your immediate needs, and save some. So it's not exactly anti-capitalist, IMO.
It also recommends taking care your employees (as well as of your parents, teachers, family, friends, and ascetics). The Sigalovada Sutta is one of these suttas.
Some people these days see "capitalist society" as identical to "consumer society" or "hedonist society", but they need not be exactly synonymous.
Maybe it's old-fashioned of me but IMO the "capitalist ideal" is that "capital" is "the means of production": e.g. not so much the ripe fruit but rather the orchard, not the harvested grain but the tractor (and the seed grain which is kept for next year).

Incl. the corps. Never, never suggested the Buddha to walk the accumulating lane, but its quite modern, that Monks who serve and live from laypeople and there harvest and are directed into gain and grow, become as well put such interpretation on the front. And yes, very yes. Laypeople and monks are a team, neither corrupt or righteous according where they are and for what kind of purpose, Upaska Chris. Dhamma is not about ideas like capitalism even lesser for such as communism but of what is righteous, virtuous and leads to liberation. And from this comes that, with the arising...that.

"Incl. the corps"?

Ever made the work of a farmer, or thought where wealth, especially today, is coming from? Actually wealth will not follow one at least or for a long time. What does Upasaka Chris thinks, does the world burn?

Never, never suggested the Buddha to walk the accumulating lane There's a version of Christianity called Prosperity theology that I find strange and which is a bit popular in America. The author's teaching in Texas and using "Prosperity" in the book title reminded me of that (and might resonate similarly with any American); so I was skeptical. Some critics of the book say that his translations of the suttas are loose; but at least it is mostly based on suttas. I recommend it as a collection of suttas which are intended for lay society.

For sure good, there are no Suttas, especially those for laypeople, who should not be read, but its unwise to open even one book of Dhamma, seeking for accumulation. This ideas aren't Christians. They are preached by monk in SEA everywhere, since people are not interested in letting go and righteousness but in gain and becoming.The foremost Buddhist forum is run under this property theology and its sadly pretty common especially in JuBo societies as Atma had to face. Via L V


text:
One Sutta / Text which covers all of Buddha's Teaching
Which is the one Sutta/Text that covers all of Buddha's Teaching? I require only one book which I can carry with me and it should have Buddha's delivery in original language and its translation in English.

Could try Bhikkhu Bodhi's excellent "In the Buddha's Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon". It should be light enough to carry around with you.

If you have time to compile your own book, take a look at http://dharmafarer.org/

You'd be hard pressed to find a single sutta that covers everything.  The suttas really don't work that way.  To compound your difficulty, you'd be even harder pressed to find an English/Pāli version of any text!  If I had to pick one sutta from the original canon, however, I think I'd go with the Sāmaññaphala Sutta.  It does an excellent job of providing a bird's eye view of the gradual training in the least amount of space.  You can find the Pāli version of the text here.  It's in the Tipiṭaka under the Suttapiṭaka, Dīga Nikāya, Sīlakkhandhavaggapāḷi, Sāmaññaphalasuttaṃ.  (I'd appreciate if anyone can link that directly!)  A bound copy is available here - but again, no Pāli.  Bhikkhu Bodhi also did an excellent translation of the sutta and its commentaries.  That's available here.  If you are going to spend the money, go with his version.
There are other single, bound texts that are far more detailed, technical, and honestly, I'd say more helpful.  Key among these is the lengthy Visuddhimagga written by Buddhaghosa.  Seriously, that guy spares no expense on detail.  I swear he thought he was getting paid by the word!  It also meets your requirement in that it is written in the [supposed] language of the Buddha - Pāli.  Mind, it was written several centuries after the Buddha's death.  The original text is also available on tipitaka.org.  It's under Anya, Visuddhimagga.  A bound copy of this book weighs about five pounds.  I'm not kidding.  It's not something you'd want to carry around with you.  A dual language version would be enormous!

+1. BTW Visuddhimagga was written about 8 centuries after Buddha's death... long after some of the Mahayana texts.

The non-doing of any evil, the performance of what's skillful, the
  cleansing of one's own mind:
      this is the teaching
      of the Awakened. •

No need to carry anything with you. Discard this fear and clinging, Mr/Mrs is able to remember that, and then there is all way to simply stay with that.
(Note: this answer has not been given with the agreement to be means of trade or the purpose of/for trade and/or keep people trapped and bound. How you handle it lies in your sphere, but does not excuse the deed here either.)

I recommend the book In The Buddha's Words by Bhikkhu Bodhi. It is an anthology or selection of translated suttas from the Pali canon. It is also thematically and systematically arranged. You can look at the Table of Contents on the Amazon page I linked. It is 512 pages long, which is quite alright.
If you want a free or online equivalent version of the book above, with the original Pali text accessible, please see this answer for an equivalent version.

Is thread necromancy actually allowed here?

@Remyla Check out the necromancer badge and revival badge.

Ok nice, I just did not know, obviously normally Necromancy is a no no in forums.

all_licenses: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/


text:
What are the different ways of protecting one's practice?
I am mindful of my skandas, but that doesn't prevent other's samsaric action, trying to influence me and my practice. What are the different ways of protecting one's practice?

Mindfulness will "protect" your practice.
Mindfulness is a wholesome mental factor (cetasika) and when it is present, one is not reacting to phenomena, i.e. by running away from unpleasant phenomena and running after pleasant phenomena. Instead one is standing still. One is in the present moment, clearly recognizing that it is our own reactions to phenomena that create suffering. An unwholesome thought or anger is still just a thought and a feeling. Its our own aversion towards these objects, that create our suffering.
So by keeping mindfulness at all times, one is protecting ones practice.
I would recommend the video "How Mindfulness Creates Understanding (The Buddhist TV)" by Ven. Yuttadhammo.

Yes!  The Buddha says almost exactly that -  "vigilant mindfulness should be made the mind's guard" AN 4:17.

There are what are traditionally called the four protective meditations (Caturarakkha)

Buddhanussati - Remembrance of the Buddha (and his qualities)
This would be protecting a sense of purpose in the practice, preserving your faith and confidence in following the path

Metta - Goodwill
This would protect your goodwill and patient forbearance with others who might interfere with your intentions.

Asubha - Meditation on unattractiveness of the body or of physical nourishment
This would protect your mental calm and dispassion in the face of sensual temptations.

Marananussati - Meditation on (the imminence of) death
This would protect your sense of urgency in doing your best while you are able.

On a related note this might be also worth reflecting:

SN 47.19: Sedaka Sutta - The Bamboo Acrobat
And how does one look after others by looking after oneself? By practicing (mindfulness), by developing (it), by doing (it) a lot. And how does one look after oneself by looking after others? By patience, by non-harming, by loving kindness, by caring (for others). (Thus) looking after oneself, one looks after others; and looking after others, one looks after oneself.

Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu!

Great answer, thank you.

"I am mindful of my skandas, but that doesn't prevent other's samsaric action", such can not be, Mr/Mrs 8CK8. "What are the different ways of protecting one's practice?" Mindfulness, Mr/Mrs 8CK8.
Actually this can be also a hint to improve or rethink your question, ponder a little about and investigate. If Mr/Mrs 8CK8 still thinks, that he is mindful and also understands the clinging aggregates, then he/she should read About Khemaka
(Note: this answer has not been given with the agreement to be means of trade or the purpose of/for trade and/or keep people trapped and bound. How you handle it lies in your sphere, but does not excuse the deed here either.)

This answer is from a  Mahasi Vipassana perspective.
The worst influence on us is ourselves and our own wrong view.
If you have no views or opinions then you could feel more secure because you couldn't influence yourself with (wrong) views or let anyone influence you with (wrong)  views.
At least while practicing have no views and no opinions. Right or wrong views during practice is wrong view. To have any thoughts on purpose is wrong practice anyway. "Right view is no view" is one way to explain right view.
Let's hope you find a good teacher and they  plant the initial seed of  right view and good  practice within you. Metta

"And how is right view the forerunner? One discerns wrong view as wrong view, and right view as right view. This is one's right view. And what is wrong view? 'There is nothing given, nothing offered, nothing sacrificed. There is no fruit or result of good or bad actions. There is no this world, no next world, no mother, no father, no spontaneously reborn beings; no brahmans or contemplatives who, faring rightly & practicing rightly, proclaim this world & the next after having directly known & realized it for themselves.' This is wrong view...

"One tries to abandon wrong view & to enter into right view: This is one's right effort. One is mindful to abandon wrong view & to enter & remain in right view: This is one's right mindfulness. Thus these three qualities — right view, right effort, & right mindfulness — run & circle around right view." MN 117

But surely in trying to protect your practice you are still practising a form of grasping at something which has no permanence?
Should you just let it go, observe and learn that by letting go you are still practising?


text:
How to cultivate sexual energy with Meditation?

How a person can cultivate his own sexual energy to creative one with the help of Meditation?
can we handle Sexual energy when it arises with breathing technique or Meditation?

I would think that its important to define what is meant by the phrase 'sexual energy'. Is it sexual arousal, or the drive to go in search of sexual satisfaction?

@KaveengaWijayasekara yes it's asexual arousal, and not a drive to go in search for sexual satisfication..How to channelize this energy Upward??

Mr/ Mrs Jyo Soudagar - Ajay should not cultivate it, if he/she meditates, but should abandon it, when ever such comes along. Listen to or read, Mr/Mrs Jyo Soudagar - Ajay, what was said in the Bhikkhuni Sutta: The Nun, by Ven. Ananda.
Just considering the foulness of the body should help; or you may think on the drawbacks (disadvantages) of sensuality, to get disgusted.
(Note: this answer has not been given with the agreement to be means of trade or the purpose of/for trade and/or keep people trapped and bound. How you handle it lies in your sphere, but does not excuse the deed here either.)

I was taught a method by my Meditation Teacher for transmuting sexual energy, so that the energy could be turned to other uses. Seek a qualified Meditation Teacher who knows how to do this if you feel the need to know it.
This method and others like it may be used in everyday life to handle the arising of sexual (or other strong) feelings. There are lots of methods for managing your body, feelings, mind, etc, and even applying self-healing. Seek a qualified Meditation Teacher who knows these things, because even if you could learn it from a written source, what would you do when inevitably, you have questions about applying it?
Meditation is not just a technique, it is a full-round way of making the best of of everyday life.

Thank you@no comprende, but would you like to describe at list one method..

I am not a Meditation Teacher, I have not been given the blessing to teach it. I cannot pass on methods that I have only been taught to use myself. Additionally, some teachings are only given orally - at those times we were not even allowed to have notepads in the room while being taught. We were strongly warned that "helping" other people could do more harm than good. If you take your spiritual development seriously, you will search for a teacher. This is a life-long issue, not a stopgap.

OK.. thank you @no comprende... I will definetely find a teacher.. :)


text:
What did the Buddha say about reincarnation?
I want to know the original quotes by the Buddha and their sources.

Hi Wally and welcome to Buddhism SE. We have a Guide and a Resource tab for new users that you might like.

Of course the Buddha wouldn't have used the word "reincarnation" because that's English (we've been talking on Meta recently about some difficulties translating Buddhist vocabulary into English).
This article, Buddhism and Death, says,

We can thus make a clear distinction between the terms "Reincarnation" and "Rebirth."
"Reincarnation" is the term used by those who hold that a real entity (a "soul") exists and passes on from life to life, occupying successive bodies.

Buddhism is more or less antithetical to the doctrine of a soul (it teaches Anatta), and so "rebirth" is a more usual translation than "reincarnation", of "what the Buddha said".
Then, searching for rebirth instead of reincarnation, you can find many suttas which mention "rebirth" -- for example using this search of the Access to Insight web site (on that page, click on "suttas" instead of "All results") ... that search seems to return nearly 400 suttas ... and I hope that's an answer to your question?
Access to Insight hosts translations of many but not all of the suttas in the Pali canon.
These sources are the "suttas" of the "Pali canon (Wikipedia)".
Additionally, note too that there are more than 100 topics tagged rebirth on this site (many more than are tagged 'reincarnation').

Not that I endorse this article, Buddha: Proof of Reincarnation per se, but it seems to mention quite a few of the original quotes by the Buddha and their sources/suttas.

Extracts with quotes
The Majjhima Nikaya and the Anguttara Nikaya make incidental references to some of the past lives of the Buddha.
In the Ghatikara Sutta the Buddha relates to the Venerable Ananda that he was born as Jotipala, in the time of the Buddha Kassapa, his immediate predecessor. The Anathapindikovada Sutta describes a nocturnal visit of Anathapindika to the Buddha, immediately after his rebirth as a Deva. In the Anguttara Nikaya,' the Buddha alludes to a past birth as Pacetana the wheelwright. In the samyutta Nikaya the Buddha cites the names of some Buddha's who preceded him. An unusual direct reference to departed ones appears in the Parinibbana Sutta. The Venerable Ananda desired to know from the Buddha the future state of several persons who had died in a particular village. The Buddha patiently described their destinies. Such instances could easily be multiplied from the Tipitaka to show that the Buddha did expound the doctrine of rebirth as a "verifiable truth." Following the Buddha's instructions, his disciples also developed this retro-cognitive knowledge and were able to read a limited, though vast, number of their past lives.
The Pali Jatakas record 357 past lives as a human, 66 as a god, and 123 as an animal.
The Jatakas is a collection of "birth stories" detailing many of the previous lives of the Buddha. Buddha Shakyamuni spent many lifetimes in the six realms of transmigration. His lives as the monkey king, elephant king, deer king, and goose king are examples of lives spent in the realm of animals.
The Buddha said, herein: "

Many lives ago in the past, in a city called Varanasi, there lived a man by the name of Pure Eyes (Vimalanetra) who was in the performing
  arts business of acting and singing" (equivalent to today's actor).
  "At that time, there was a beautiful woman by the name of Deer Form.
  Pure Eyes and Deer Form entered into a sexual liaison with each other.
"Since Deer Form was a very wealthy lady, Pure Eyes later murdered her
  for her money and buried her body in the house of a realized spiritual
  cultivator by the name of Joyful and Spontaneous Solitary-buddha.
"Joyful and Spontaneous Solitary-buddha was mistaken to be the
  murderer. He was tied to the back of a donkey and publicly paraded
  through the streets. "Just as Joyful and Spontaneous Solitary-buddha
  was about to be executed by arrow, Pure Eyes gave in to his conscience
  and confessed the crime to the prosecutor. A new investigation
  established Pure Eyes' guilt. Pure Eyes was executed by arrow and then
  beheaded."

On the very night of his enlightenment, during the first watch, the Buddha developed retro-cognitive knowledge which enabled him to read his past lives. "I recalled," he declares,

"My varied lot in former existences follows: first one life, then two
  lives, then three, four, five, ten, then a hundred, a thousand, a
  hundred watch the Buddha, with clairvoyant vision he perceived beings
  disappearing from one state of existence and reappearing in another.
  He beheld the "base and the noble, the beautiful and the ugly, the
  happy and the miserable, passing according to their deeds."'

These are the very first utterances of the Buddha regarding the question of rebirth.
In his first paean of joy, the Buddha says:

"Through many a birth wandered I, seeking the builder of this house.
  Sorrow full indeed is birth again and again."

In the Dhammacakka Sutta, his very first discourse, the Buddha, commenting on the second noble truth, states: "This very raving is that which leads to rebirth." The Buddha concludes this discourse with the words:

"This is my last birth. Now there is no more rebirth."

The Majjima Nikaya relates that when the Buddha, out of, compassion for beings, surveyed the world with his Buddha-vision before he decided to teach the Dhamma, he perceived beings, who, with fear, view evil and a world beyond.

Maybe Mr/Mrs Wally likes to start with "The Truth of Rebirth: And Why it Matters for Buddhist Practice". Its based on the Buddhas Leagcy and leads - in a direct way, without holding something back - to them in detail.
(Note: this answer has not been given with the agreement to be means of trade or the purpose of/for trade and/or keep people trapped and bound. How you handle it lies in your sphere, but does not excuse the deed here either.)

Can you please give the quotes. Link posting without details is considered bad in the SE community.

No, SE Company, which is feeding on such, does not have the possibilities to share Dhamma, Mr./Mrs. Wally. That it is considered as bad is natural, because it would feed on it, letting you take the work and the responsibility. If you like to have it out of the frame "even to be sold", Atma can send it via email, if the link does not work or Wally does not feel comfortable to click it. Don't worry, its given without strings and given for that purpose.

Are you a troll or are you serious. I don't understand what you're saying. Are you using Google translate? Can you please talk in normal English.

Atma is confided that Mr/mrs Wally is able to get through, if he/she likes. May Mr/Mrs be beware of taking birth in a plane of deprivations or try to take a better.

@Wally I think you'll find that this is the way Samana Johann talks. I find it kind of amusing. Enlightening? Well, who am I to tell?

@Wally Welcome to the site. Samana Johann doesn't write fluent English -- I expect you may find that's true of many of the users of this site. He is also unwilling to quote (I think he doesn't like to quote because SE's ToS allows content to be reused or resold, and he thinks Dhamma mustn't be sold, and apparently he doesn't consider quoting it here to be "fair use"). He also chooses extraordinarily formal ways to address people (see the comments under this answer for more on that subject).

So I recommend you consider only what he says, dispassionately; and try not to take exception to the way in which anything he says is expressed.

Oh this Tempter.

@SamanaJohann SE uses a "Commons License". Other websites ususally copyright user content to themselves. Instead of being selfish and copyrighting user content, they let others use it freely. But I'm sure you wouldn't understand the joy of Open Source, Creative Commons License and Freedom of Information.

@ChrisW Normally, Buddhist and almost every other religous texts are in the Public Domain. They can be modified. They can be quoted.They can be sold. They can also be given for free. It's your choice to get it for free or pay for it. In the end it is the user that has control.


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Do the gods help us if we pray to them according to Buddhism?
Will the action of praying to / worshipping gods for something be fruitful according to Buddhism?
Is there any reference where a god (deva) has helped a person who has prayed to / asked help from the deva ?
In Jainism, it is said that if the followers insist on praying to god, it's advised that they should pray (ask for help) only for the knowledge that leads to Nirvana.

Edit:
I asked this NOT because I wanted help from god or believed in god. I asked this because, Buddha said that there are heavenly beings (gods) with powers, but are themselves mortal too.. So, I just wanted to know, why Buddhists pray to those gods (I've seen many Buddhists praying to god, not all Buddhists). Is that even fruitful?

As the common saying goes: "god(s) help those who help themselves", if the gods could help someone, it'd be only in accordance with that individual's wholesome kamma. Someone who kills, cheats, or engages in various misconducts shouldn't expect to get "help" no matter how frequent and sincere s/he prays:

From AN 5.57: "There are these five facts that one should reflect on often, whether one is a woman or a man, lay or ordained. Which five?
"'I am subject to aging, have not gone beyond aging.' This is the first fact that one should reflect on often, whether one is a woman or a man, lay or ordained.
"'I am subject to illness, ... death, ...
"'I am the owner of my actions, heir to my actions, born of my actions, related through my actions, and have my actions as my arbitrator. Whatever I do, for good or for evil, to that will I fall heir.' ...
"These are the five facts that one should reflect on often, whether one is a woman or a man, lay or ordained.

Worshipping gods, just to do not miss the content under the cover, is actually a good deed, Apacāyana And having done good deeds sometimes bring strange seeming results: "After all, these are the first instructions Bahiya receives from the Buddha, and he attains Awakening immediately afterward, so they would appear to be complete in and of themselves." Ud 1.10 and FfA. Giving (by wore shipping) or demanding or wishing are different things

In the Tibetan Tradition yes,
Deities have mantras, such as Tara and Chenrezig, that can be evoked for protection and other benevolent reasons. These mantras have specific benefits, and some have no associated deity, and are like "magic spells."
These deities however are not devas, but enlightened beings.
For example

(Sometimes spelled differently in various English translations)
Is supposed to have the following benefits :

Whoever sees, hears, remembers, or touches this mantra will be purified of all negativities and gain freedom from rebirth in the lower realms—from the Ksitigarbha Dasacakra Sutra.
Recalling this mantra just once has the power to purify even the five uninterrupted negative karmas. It prevents rebirth in Avici, the heaviest of hells.  -- Source

These mantras are normally chanted in meditation , there is some controversy over the subject in Western Rime centers, but it is absolutely a part of the Tibetan Tradition.

I think it is important to distinguish beteen devas as 'yid-dam' and those as   'lha'.

@Manjusri Maybe you could add that distinction, to your answer.

not exactly praying but rather doing something good and dedicate it to local devas. Maha-parinibbana Sutta

Wherever he may dwell, the prudent man Ministers to the chaste and virtuous; And having to these worthy ones made gifts, He shares his
    merits with the local devas.

And so revered, they honor him in turn, Are gracious to him even as a
  mother Is towards her own, her only son; And he who thus enjoys the
  devas' grace, And is by them beloved, good fortune sees.

However, Buddha did not speak in detail of how the devas would help and protect us.

I'm just thinking out loud that this dharma might be useful for those who have their hearts fixed on praying to gods, but instead of praying, do something good and dedicate it to the gods will be much more beneficial than getting down on the knees and pray.    just strictly my thought.

I think it is important to distinguish between devas as yi-dams and those as lha.
According to Buddhist Dharma I was taught, devas as lha are just sentient beings in Samsara, just like the other ones. They also know craving, hate, ignorance and they are not free from suffering.
And a being not freed from suffering cannot free the other beings from it. Perhaps they might help people freeing them from temporal, everyday suffering, but not from the ultimate one.
In Buddhist Dharma one of the vows is also not to take refuge / not to rely upon mundane gods (devas, or lhas).

No, most likely not. Would Gokul NC helps somebody who prefers to pray rather that to be always aware that Gokul NC (gods) are watching one (see Adhipateyya Sutta: Governing Principles), and therefore do not do unwholesome things?
Don't worry that there are no Devas protecting Gokul NC, when Gokul NC is walking a good way and be honest all the time.
Rakkhantu sabba-devatā May the devas protect you.
Is a good wish, rather to think "may the devas protect me" Demanding and wishing is never as protective as giving and would not attract Gokul NC to the Devas, to see you worthy to be good protected.
(Note: this answer has not been given with the agreement to be means of trade or the purpose of/for trade and/or keep people trapped and bound. How you handle it lies in your sphere, but does not excuse the deed here either.)

Gokul NC
➨Do the gods help us if we pray to them according to Buddhism?
Sure, if one honores and respects them, one can espect rewards. Like if one interacts with other beings, here being with guṇā, having performed and developed goid qualities.
Like with other beings the help is of course limited to merely "outwardly". But they are also used to lift ones mind and come to skilful concentration.
The Buddha praised and encouraged to sacrifies and respect in regard of the Devas and Gods and told that a person doing so where ever he goes, will always gain the respect of the Devas and be best possible protected. (Maybe my person can add a key sutta here, which came to mind)
It's usuall to give wishes like "may the Devas protect you".
The Buddha was always good protected and supported by the Devas and enjoyed their help and company even in his quest.
Not believing in "spontaneously born beings", Deva, Gods and rejecting their existence is a factor of wrong view and one not respecting the goodness and merits of Devas and in many cases their inferior might also still have problems not knowing what is higher and foremost, which is also an indicator of the first path factor missing, yet it is even a wordily matter of right estimate.
Of course Devas, aside of maybe teach or tell one Dhamma, can not help one in the task to master the path for liberation from suffering, like nobody can: Something one needs to do by oneself, and of course Devas can also not chance effects caused by ones iwn deeds and erease them to arise. But all that ciunts for other people, even the Lord Buddha likewise.
It is maybe good to remark that Devas do not like the company of humans that much because of their virtue, so to enjoy best help and have Devas arround, one needs to have virtue and attributes similar to them.
So torward all here coming accross:

Rakkhantu sabba-devatā
May the devas protect you.
Sabba-buddhā/dhammā/saṅghānubhāvena
Through the power of all the Buddhas/Dhamma/Sangha,
Sotthī hontu nirantaraṃ
May you forever be well.
Hotu sabbaṃ sumaṅgalaṃ
May there be every good blessing.

*(Note: This is a gift of Dhamma, came into being by goodness received and gratitude and so given by goodness and gratitude, and not meant for commercial purpose and trade in the world, or any wordily gain.)

If you scroll down below, there's another answer written by you 1.5years ago (from another account), which seems a little contradicting to your current answer. Nevermind :)

Yes, @GokulNC at fist look. How are did you regard it 1,5 years later? Currently aversive torward Gods or merely attachend to them? Where lies the contradiction? How do you feel that the audience and tendence of answers have changed?

Did @GokulNC chances his question? And what is different, what still the same?

Gods? Hardly.
Many years ago I was attending a football game in California. My team (the home team) was getting hammered. They had played poorly all game and the crowd was near silent. Out of nowhere one of our players made a really good tackle. His family was in attendance and despite the overall sullen crowd they stood up and cheered for their boy. And they cheered relentlessly ... well beyond what his play warranted. Then more stood up. Then his teammates took notice of the fervor and they congratulated him too. All of the sudden the entire team is standing and cheering as is 3/4 of the crowd. And the team starts playing better as a result.
The Niners still lost, but they actually made a game of it. The way that the community consciousness of that crowd affected things was miraculous. Stirs emotions, stirs adrenaline, builds energy, builds comraderie and on and on. This is a small example of the ideology of interconnectedness. Everything we do effects everything else down the line in ways we know and ways we dont. Some maybe even not linearly in time.
But the point is that positive mental energy can be "contagious" so to speak and it has to do with that interconnectedness and not necessarily the work of gods.


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How does one practice suffering well?
Correct me if I'm wrong, I understand a lot of buddhism is about relieving of suffering through practicing of detachment. Removing detachment is a long process. Until one removes those attachments, there will still be suffering.
My question is: until one removes all of these attachments, one will suffer. How does one deal with these sufferings? Should one try to escape these sufferings in the moment? How does one suffer "well"? And not try to escape the sufferings?

One will not get ride of suffering by simply trying to ignore or oppress. Attachment has craving as its cause and craving has ignorance as its cause. So one needs to gain insight, how things really are. To gain that, one does well to learn about the teachings of the Lord Buddha and then look for one self, if this is right, as well as to practice the way to clean the mind, so that it is able to concentrate it so that one is able to see.
What ever one sees, as it really is, inconstant, stressful, subject to change, one gets, disenchanted. Disenchanted, he becomes dispassionate. Through dispassion, he is fully released. With full release, there is the knowledge, 'Fully released.' He discerns that 'Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for this world.
It's not possible to escape form suffering by developing such what is called "householder-equanimity" and suffering is actually a yogis friend, which does not mean that one tutors one self, but observer it and in this way one finds a way out without simply counteract in an unwholesome way, Mr Jason.
The practice start with things many estimate as child work, now most are not even able to make this there way of live, like practice generosity (giving, letting go material thing), Sila (virtue)... the whole palette of meritorious deeds. There one is confronted with all his/here raw defilement of greed, dislike, stinginess, conceit. One has to work against the defilements all the time, while observing them well.
So please do not fall in the current promoted misinterpretations of non-reacting and simply developing a bunch of ignorance, calling it equanimity.
Last but not least, Atma likes "How does one practice suffering?" how ever, although it most important to know it well in all its aspects, its good not to forget to develop the path out of it as well.
Each noble truth has its certain task.
A good place to begin, actually has been always the first step is to follow good basic talks:

Better to Give than to Consume
Sensitivity through Generosity

And put this things into practice. Joy and pleasure are granted, as well as much suffering at the beginning with it.
(Note: this answer has not been given with the agreement to be means of trade or the purpose of/for trade and/or keep people trapped and bound. How you handle it lies in your sphere, but does not excuse the deed here either.)

Sadhu Bhante, Sadhu

To escape suffering maybe also try not trying to escape suffering.

My question is: until one removes all of these attachments, one will suffer. How does one deal with these sufferings?

I think one deals with them by removing (trying to remove, continuing to remove) attachments.
"I feel tired, I didn't sleep well, I wish I wasn't tired" might be an example of an attachment (to an imagined or remembered state of not feeling tired).
The desire (to not feel tired) causes suffering (mis-match between what is and what's desired).
So recognize suffering ("I'm unhappy about this state") then recognize the cause of suffering ("because I'm desiring (a.k.a. thirsting for) something unreal"). After that you can start on the third noble truth i.e. cessation (cessation of that desire, and of the suffering caused by that desire).
Various other practices help with that:

Doing sensible things; don't mis-behave (don't waste time, don't drink intoxicants)
Understanding concepts like non-self
Beware of your mood (if you go around feeling bad that can make things worse)
Not avoiding things: note that you're feeling tired (or more specifically, not 'you' but note there's a transient thought of awareness of something being called tiredness)
Taking a "middle way": if you're thirsty, then drink
Care about other people, e.g. Brahmavihara, Sila, Dana (e.g. the Dalai Lama says, I won't look up an exact quote but approximately, says that caring about other people lets you feel good, and seeing himself as being like other people rather than special helps him escape what would be the prison of thinking selfishly about himself)
Attempt to cultivate antidotes to suffering e.g. Bhavana
Beware of 'assembled' phenomena
Try to understand and live the goal (e.g. if your goal were to go to the park, you might keep your attention on the park and takes steps to reduce each separation between yourself and the park)

Well collected, Upasaka Chris. Atma sees only one blatant common mistake. The Park thing, meaning thinking of results rather to focus on the certain steps so that there are reasons at the first place, if the attention is simply on the particular step. Its very common to think in means of results, but that is always the problem, as it becomes a problem, when one forgets his aim. That is way it is said, step by step, no need to worry about the fruit.

Thank you Bhante, I hope I understand: you're saying that being aware of separation is or causes a problem, and that thinking about (future) results (instead of present steps) becomes a problem. I said the "Park thing" because I was suggesting that being aware of separation identifies the problem to detach from, and that being aware of the destination helps direct steps; I was thinking of the Brahmana Sutta.

As we can see in the canon, the Buddha did not merely run around telling about Nibbana, but stayed very close. Such actions will cause such, such such. And having faith that he had gained the goal, the people took on to make steps of this and that kind, looking on the ground (mind) and not ahead, aside or where ever. Don't forget, there are less actually liking to live the holly live at least, but thinking on better becoming. So when they think that the final aim will not be reached, they are not trained to look on the steps and outcomes within the existence, end not seeking for the aim...

... at least, they think walking as usual and look for fruits on the road is fine. Good Sutta btw., for putting effort on the first place, Upasaka Chris.


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Should mantras always be sung in Tibetan/Pali/... or may I sing them in my native language?
I am very interested in adding mantra singing to my practices. But sometimes it feels kind of weird singing in a language I do not speak. Is it possible to sing my own prayers or will the effect change, once the sounds are different?

Since it seems that Mr Marcos Valle wishes and beg form somebody, its good that he/she/they understand you wishes, speak this languages. As for Mr. Marcos Valle it would be good to know what he wishes for, given that they will fulfill simply what he requests. :-) not easy, especially the fist one.
As for chants (repeating what other said, or what one likes to say), they are not well put, if sung. It could district not only your mind but also the listener and they could argue about it or fall even in love with it. (for some ideas about it, see "Teaching Dhamma" in Respect-BMC2)
Its quite ok and good, to use the own language, especially if one does not know the meaning. And you are explicit allowed to do so even with the Buddhas teachings, by the Buddha, to do so. (see also BMC2 which give a good reasoning) So no worry, but keep them correct in their meaning and be clear about it. Many Monks today would chant in two languages, so that the listener understands. There are no such as simply chants, which are actually not teachings. So one does not have benefit form simply hearing a pleasant sound. But to get and share the meaning, or reflect on it while doing.
Chanting generally is primarily done to do not forget and preserve the teachings for later generations and others to listen.
If your language is English, there are many pali chants in two languages in audio and here also as text.
(Note: this answer has not been given with the agreement to be means of trade or the purpose of/for trade and/or keep people trapped and bound. How you handle it lies in your sphere, but does not excuse the deed here either.)

The origin of mantras starts with an old Indic idea that Sanskrit was the original language and had the power to directly create reality. The closest thing we have to this in modern linguistics are performatives, e.g. "I now pronounce you man and wife" in a sense, makes it so. If you accept this reasoning, you should say mantras in Sanskrit. As far as I can tell, this is the means by which mantras are expected to work in Buddhism as well.
Mantrayana spread to many non Sanskrit speaking cultures, China, Tibet, Japan, etc, where the mantras were transliterated into the local language, but not translated. In the case of Japanese, it went through two phases, Sanskrit to Chinese, then Chinese to Japanese. Now Americans chant Japanese mantras in English, mostly just losing the Japanese accent and the long and short vowels.
In Shingon (Japanese Vajrayana), the founder Kūkai said Matras were the mantras that meant something while the Dhirani were the ones that did not. Om ah hum, doesn't translate as clearly as say, Namu Myoho Renge Kyo (Homage to the Wonderful Dharma Lotus Sutra). In the case of Dhirani, it really doesn't matter what language because they are not translatable to any language, certainly not English.
In Nichiren Buddhism, you chant the Japanese pronunciation of a the Chinese translation of the Lotus Sutra. You are not expected to understand it while chanting it. In that system, you are appealing to the mystical principle, the dharma, the way things are to work in your favor or to enable you get the things you need to ultimately achieve Buddhist goals. That's a long winded way to say, in Nichiren Buddhism, you unashamedly chant to get a promotion, your next meal or a new car.
In my personal practice, I treat mantrayana as "noisy meditation." I'm more keen to see if I can use repeating a phrase to achieve the same ends as concentrating on the breath. Since that is my goal, I tend to do mantras in what ever language is easiest to pronounce, typically Japanese. Once a phrase has been repeated dozens of times, you start to stop paying attention to what it might mean anyhow.
In other traditions, though, like Amidaism, you are supposed to recite the Amitabha's mantra while focusing on your aspirations for attaining the Pure Land, or your gratitude, depending on who you are reading.

It seems to me, perhaps mistakenly according to the "masters," the meaning of the words or the spirit in which they are chanted would be of higher importance than the language used to speak them. Of course, then the questions would be: What is lost in translation and what do you mean by spirit? Perhaps a translation from the Sanskrit directly to English would be the best path, if one is willing to take someone else's translation as accurate with no other evidence than their professed expertise. Or...maybe just forget all about that mantra chanting! Each path has it's own footprints so maybe your path or practice should be the one you work out for yourself, rather than accepting the received "wisdom" of others. Who's rulebook do you adhere to? Rules...pfft!...rules, rules, rules. Chant that instead, maybe.