text:
Was the Buddha a bodhisattva (for the benefit of all) before his awakening?
Was the Buddha a bodhisattva before his awakening? Are there references from the suttas which point to when (possibly in past lives)?

Bodhisattva is the Sanskrit term for anyone who has generated
  Bodhicitta, a spontaneous wish and compassionate mind to attain
  Buddhahood for the benefit of all sentient beings.

The following appears to suggest that the four immeasurables may have been present in the Buddha's past lives:

The early Buddhist texts assert that pre-Buddha ancient Indian sages
  who taught these [four immeasurables] were earlier
  incarnations of the Buddha.

I apologize if the answer is obvious, but I haven't found a direct answer from the suttas.

Absolutely he was! In fact, there is no way to become a Buddha without becoming a Bodhisattva first. Numerous Mahayana Sutras attest to this. Without developing the immeasurable compassion of a Bodhisattva there is no way for a sentient being to become a Buddha.
As for the Theravada who do not regard the Mahayana Sutras as authentic Buddhavacana: the Pali canon still has many references to the past lives of the Buddha where he was a Bodhisattva. And they are not all part of the so-called Jataka tales either. See here for many examples.
You can find an example here - AN 5.196 - which is not one of the Jataka tales:

“When the Tathagata—worthy & rightly self-awakened—was still just an
  unawakened bodhisatta, five great dreams appeared to him. Which five?
“When the Tathagata—worthy & rightly self-awakened—was still just an
  unawakened bodhisatta, this great earth was his great bed. The
  Himalayas, king of mountains, was his pillow. His left hand rested in
  the eastern sea, his right hand in the western sea, and both feet in
  the southern sea. When the Tathagata—worthy & rightly
  self-awakened—was still just an unawakened bodhisatta, this was the
  first great dream that appeared to him.

Emphasis mine.
And here is the original Pali:

“Tathāgatassa, bhikkhave, arahato sammāsambuddhassa pubbeva sambodhā
  anabhisambuddhassa bodhisattasseva sato pañca mahāsupinā pāturahesuṃ.
  Katame pañca? Tathāgatassa, bhikkhave, arahato sammāsambuddhassa
  pubbeva sambodhā anabhisambuddhassa bodhisattasseva sato ayaṃ
  mahāpathavī mahāsayanaṃ ahosi, himavā pabbatarājā bibbohanaṃ ahosi,
  puratthime samudde vāmo hattho ohito ahosi, pacchime samudde dakkhiṇo
  hattho ohito ahosi, dakkhiṇe samudde ubho pādā ohitā ahesuṃ.
  Tathāgatassa, bhikkhave, arahato sammāsambuddhassa pubbeva sambodhā
  anabhisambuddhassa bodhisattasseva sato ayaṃ paṭhamo mahāsupino
  pāturahosi.

Emphasis mine again.
Here is another example from the Pali-canon which is not one of the Jataka tales:

“So it is, Ananda. So it is. Even I myself, before my Awakening, when
  I was still an unawakened Bodhisatta, thought: ‘Renunciation is good.
  Seclusion is good.’ But my heart didn’t leap up at renunciation,
  didn’t grow confident, steadfast, or firm, seeing it as peace. The
  thought occurred to me: ‘What is the cause, what is the reason, why my
  heart doesn’t leap up at renunciation, doesn’t grow confident,
  steadfast, or firm, seeing it as peace?’

Emphasis mine.
And here is the original Pali:

“Evametaṃ, ānanda, evametaṃ, ānanda. Mayhampi kho, ānanda, pubbeva
  sambodhā anabhisambuddhassa bodhisattasseva sato etadahosi: ‘sādhu
  nekkhammaṃ, sādhu paviveko’ti. Tassa mayhaṃ, ānanda, nekkhamme cittaṃ
  na pakkhandati nappasīdati na santiṭṭhati na vimuccati etaṃ santanti
  passato. Tassa mayhaṃ, ānanda, etadahosi: ‘ko nu kho hetu ko paccayo,
  yena me nekkhamme cittaṃ na pakkhandati nappasīdati na santiṭṭhati na
  vimuccati etaṃ santanti passato’?

And here is yet another one:

“Bhikkhus, before my enlightenment, while I was still a bodhisatta,
  not yet fully enlightened, it occurred to me: “What now is feeling?
  What is the origin of feeling? What is the way leading to the
  origination of feeling? What is the cessation of feeling? What is the
  way leading to the cessation of feeling? What is the gratification in
  feeling? What is the danger? What is the escape?”

Here is another one:

‘Both the quotations you have made, O king, are accurate. But when he
  spoke of Āḷāra Kālāma as his teacher, that was a statement made with
  reference to the fact of his having been his teacher while he (Gotama)
  was still a Bodisat and before he had attained to insight and to
  Buddhahood; and there were five such teachers, O king, under whose
  tuition the Bodisat spent his time in various places—his teachers when
  he was still a Bodisat, before he had attained to insight and to
  Buddhahood. And who were these five?

And another:

At Sāvatthī. “Mendicants, before my awakening—when I was still
  unawakened but intent on awakening—I thought: ‘What’s the path and
  practice for developing the bases of psychic power?’

Now, why did I emphasize "intent on awakening?" Because, this translation chose to use "intent on awakening" as a substitute for the original Pali which has this:

Sāvatthinidānaṃ. “Pubbeva me, bhikkhave, sambodhā anabhisambuddhassa
  bodhisattasseva sato etadahosi: ‘ko nu kho maggo, kā paṭipadā
  iddhipādabhāvanāyā’ti?

So I hope you can clearly see that according to both the Mahayana and the Theravada that the Buddha was an unenlightened Bodhisattva before he became the Buddha.
Now, was the Buddha as a Bodhisattva for the benefit of all? Here is a passage from a canonical Pali sutta describing the Bodhisattva Gotama being born into the world for the benefit of all:

“The Bodhisatta, the foremost jewel, unequaled, has been born for
  welfare & happiness in the human world, in a town in the Sakyan
  countryside, Lumbini. That’s why we’re contented, so wildly elated.
  He, the highest of all beings, the ultimate person, a bull among men,
  highest of all people, will set turning the Wheel [of Dhamma] in the
  forest named after the seers, like a strong, roaring lion, the
  conqueror of beasts.”

And from that same sutta here is the testament to his motivation:

He, seeing the utmost purity, will set rolling the Wheel of Dhamma
  through sympathy for the welfare of many.

So, to sum up: have no doubt The Buddha was a Bodhisattva who manifested the Mind of Enlightenment - pure Bodhicitta - for the benefit of all before his awakening.

Wonderful quotes. Thank you. So just to make sure - when Theravadans use the term Bodhisattva, they don't just mean "the Buddha prior to his enlightenment", but also the aspiration to liberate all sentient beings, correct? The bodhisattva definition is fairly uniform across the traditions, right?

I am no expert on Theravada but I suspect some would agree and some would disagree. Theravada is just a word after all that different people with different minds decide to use to identify different things :). The Jataka tales for sure contain exposition on the seeds of bodhicitta. The Four Immeasurables do as well. I think anyone who continues to develop the four immeasurables to perfection will not fail to generate pure bodhicitta. However, you should know that the Mahayana regards ultimate bodhicitta to be exactly the same as the wisdom realizing emptiness.

Just found this answer, that bodhisatta and bodhisattva may be understood differently by different traditions, and while it seems not definitive in Theravada whether bodhicitta was there prior to the Buddha's awakening, we can say that it was definitely there from the view of Mahayana (and Vajrayana). Does this sound about correct?

Yes, there is no doubt at all that prior to his awakening the Buddha developed pure bodhicitta

Would you happen to have any quotes from the Pali where Buddha developed pure bodhicitta or that show he had compassionate aspirations? I mean the bodhisatta/bodhisattva quotes are very good, but Theravadans appear  to argue on (1) the term's meaning, and (2) that the Buddha was only interested in saving himself, not others. Such quotes would help to remove any doubts of bodhicitta from (1) and (2).

@avatarKorra the last quotes in the answer are from canonical pali canon and I think point to seed of bodhicitta. I'm not aware of bodhicitta the word being used in pali canon. In the Jakata tales there are numerous references to what amounts to bodhicitta if not the word itself. Jataka tales are part of pali canon, but some do not consider them authoritative. Finally, I am sure that you will always find some Theravada practitioners who deny Bodhisattvas are motivated by bodhicitta. Then again, you'll find plenty who say the opposite. Theravada and Mahayna are just words after all.

The Jataka Tales (which is in the fifth Nikaya) say "Bodhisattva".
See also Buddha's past lives in the Pali Suttas outside of Jataka and Where is the description of the vow and the Bodhi tree?

"Bodhisattva" is a reification, just like "a Buddha". To say that "Bodhisattva is a reification" - is, too, a reification. "For the benefit of all" is a reification. "For" and "benefit" and "all" - are reifications as well.

Śāriputra:  How then should the Bodhisattva, the great being, course
in perfect wisdom?
The Lord: Here the Bodhisattva, the great being, coursing in the
perfection of wisdom, truly a Bodhisattva, does not review a Bodhisattva, nor the word "Bodhisattva", nor the course of a Bodhisattva, (nor the perfection of wisdom, nor the word "perfection of wisdom". He does not review that "he courses", nor that "he does not course"). He does not review form, feeling, perception, formative forces, or consciousness. And why? Because the Bodhisattva, the great being, is actually empty of the own-being of a Bodhisattva, and because perfect wisdom is by its own-being empty. And why? That is its essential original nature. (For it is not through emptiness that form etc. is empty.) Nor is emptiness other than form, etc.
And why? The very form, etc., is emptiness, the very emptiness is
form, etc. And why? Because "Bodhisattva", "perfect wisdom", "form",
etc. are mere words. Because form, etc., are like an illusion. Illusions and
mere words do not stand at any point or spot; they are not, do not come
into being, are false to behold. For of what the own-being is seen to be an
illusion, of that there is no production or stopping, no defilement or
purification. Thus a Bodhisattva, a great being who courses in the perfection of wisdom, also does not review the production (of any dharma);
nor its stopping (or abiding, its decrease or increase), defilement or
purification. (He does not review form, etc., nor "enlightenment", nor
what is called an "enlightenment-being".) And why? Because words are
artificial. People have constructed a counter-dharma. They express it conventionally by means of an adventitious designation (which is
imagined and unreal, and they settle down in that conventional
expression). A Bodhisattva, a great being who courses in perfect wisdom,
does not review (that which is said to correspond to) all those words,
(does not get at them). Not reviewing them, (not getting at them, he does
not mind them), does not settle down in them.
Furthermore, a Bodhisattva, a great being who courses in the perfection
of wisdom, does not consider the fact that these are mere words, i.e.
this "Bodhisattva", this "enlightenment", this "Buddha", this
"perfection of wisdom", this "coursing in the perfection of wisdom",
this "form", etc. Just as one speaks of a "self, and yet no self is got at,
and no being, soul, personality, person, individual, or man, etc., on
account of unascertainable emptiness. And why? Because there a
Bodhisattva does also not review that by means of which he would settle
down. Coursing thus, a Bodhisattva, a great being courses in perfect
wisdom.

(from The Large Sutra on Perfect Wisdom, translated by E.Conze)

Additional detail on the bodhisattva Gautama’s reflection that motivated
him to set out on his quest can be gathered from another occurrence of
the ‘before awakening’ phrase, found in the Discourse on the Noble Quest,
the Ariyapariyesanā-sutta, and in its Madhyama-āgama parallel. The two
discourses contrast an average person’s quest for worldly things that are
subject to decay and death to the noble quest for what is not subject to decay
and death. Both reveal that this noble quest motivated the bodhisattva
to go forth in search of awakening, presenting his reflection in nearly identical terms:

“Being myself subject to old age … and death, now suppose I were to
search for what is free from old age … and death, for the unsurpassable
peace from bondage, Nirvāṇa.”
“Being myself truly subject to old age and death … suppose I were to
search … for what is free from old age and death … for the unsurpassable
peace from bondage, Nirvāṇa.”

This appears to be the only passage in the Pāli Nikāyas that explicitly formulates what motivated the bodhisattva Gautama to set out in search of
awakening. Notably, this formulation does not in any way reflect a concern
for others. Rather, according to this autobiographical report the bodhisattva
Gautama’s motivation was to find a solution for the problem of being “himself”,
attanā/自, subject to old age and death etc.
The same trait recurs in the description of the successful completion of
the bodhisattva’s quest, given in the Ariyapariyesanā-sutta and its parallel.
According to both versions, having arrived at the unsurpassable peace
from bondage that is free from old age and death, Gautama realized that he
had fully liberated himself from the prospect of future birth and existence.
Here, too, there is no reference at all to being able to save others. Instead,
the way the Buddha perceived his own awakening – according to early Buddhist discourse – is formulated entirely in terms of having freed himself.
The conspicuous lack of any concern for others becomes even more prominent
with the next episode recorded in the Ariyapariyesanā-sutta, according
to which the newly awakened Buddha was disinclined to teach others and decided to rather remain content with having reached liberation himself.
...
Such reluctance on the part of the newly awakened Buddha is not easily
reconciled with the notion common to all Buddhist traditions that he had
prepared himself over immense periods of time with the sole intention of
executing the task of leading others to liberation. Judging from the account
given in the Ariyapariyesanā-sutta, the reason for the Buddha’s disinclination
to teach was that it would be fatiguing (klamatha) and vexing (viheṭhā)
for him if others should fail to understand the profound truth he had
realized. Similar reasons recur in other reports of his initial hesitation to
teach, found in an Ekottarika-āgama discourse, in the Catuṣpariṣat-sūtra, and in the Vinayas of the Dharmaguptaka, Lokottaravāda-Mahāsāṃghika,
Mahīśāsaka and (Mūla-)Sarvāstivāda traditions.
That is, when reflecting on the possibility of sharing his discovery with
others, according to a range of sources the Buddha considered the matter
entirely from the perspective of how it would affect himself. This ties in
with the observations made above regarding his motivation and his reaching
of the final goal. Throughout, according to these texts the Buddha’s predominant
concern is with himself, when he forms his initial motivation to
set out for awakening, when he successfully completes his quest, and even
when he reflects about what course of action is to be taken next.
This certainly does not imply that from the perspective of the early discourses
the Buddha was not compassionate. [...] However, the early
discourses do not give any indication that a concern for others was part of
the motivation of the bodhisattva Gautama to set out on his quest for awakening,
nor does the successful reaching of this goal show any immediate
relationship to teaching activity.
...
In sum, in early Buddhist thought the compassionate impulse to become
active for the sake of others was associated with the Buddha as well as with
arhats and those who aspire to become arhats, but was not seen as a quality
that motivated the bodhisattva’s quest for awakening.

(from The Genesis of the Bodhisattva Ideal, by Analayo Bhikkhu)

Man I wish some talented translator like Thubten Jinpa would have a go at this sutra. Preferably the one in 8000 words...

you can find much the same passage in the 8000 line version here: https://www.maitreya.nl/pdf/Both-8000-verse-prajnaparamita.pdf at the end of page 40

As for the second long quoted portion of your answer, I don't agree :) Consider... can a first motivation be found? Is it possible to manifest the motivation to liberate countless sentient beings without first manifesting the desire or motivation to free one self? I'm not sure this is what @avatarKorra is asking, but that second quote sounds like it is trying to answer the question, "Did the Buddha ever have the motivation to liberate countless sentient beings before he became enlightened?" which I think is obviously affirmative.

Agreeing and disagreeing is papanca. The non-papanca is to see it as is.

@YesheTenley right, that second question, "Did the Buddha ever have the motivation to liberate countless sentient beings before he became enlightened?" is closer to what I'm asking -- but not placing anyone's enlightenment first (i.e. before his) so much as just wanting to know if the aspiration to liberate all beings was present at all leading up to the Buddha's awakening. To your first question, maybe the Buddha's insight was that in the big picture, there is not even a question of "first" or separation at all between one's awakening and others'.

Yup, I think that's close

@AndreiVolkov do you think that the Buddha had past lives where he accumulated merit? If so, then what was his motivation in those past lives (possibly bodhicitta)? Was this part of the conditions which led to his discovery of 'letting go'?

@YesheTenley in regard to the second quote, while the question arose in him on whether or not to teach others, it seems clear that the conditions were already there for the Buddha to even consider teaching others, and furthermore, he finally decided to.

Well, I think past lives are a reification. And I think merit is a reification too. But there were certainly causes in the past lives that contributed to Buddha's enlightenment. The wish to pursue NOT the ways of the world or any tradition, but the intuitive drive to find the Truth by himself, was there for a while... probably for at least ~1000 years as far as I can see - how many lifetimes is that?

According to the Dalai Lama, "The master of these teachings [The Way of the Bodhisattva], the Buddha, began by generating the wish for enlightenment. He then accumulated positive actions through many lifetimes over a period of three great uncountable kalpas. " In those past lifetimes, did the Buddha accumulate those positive actions knowing it would only help himself, or others, too?

He didn't think like that. He was just doing what he thought was right, not thinking about himself or others. Just doing what he thought was right.

@AndreiVolkov your comment about agreeing/disagreeing caused a very big grin to appear on my face :) it also made me think of this: http://bigthink.com/Think-See-Feel/salinger-buddhist still, I think it inspired a conventional question I will ask in another post :)

@avatarKorra I think the Buddha reached perfect enlightenment long long before he was born as Gotama. This is commonly accepted in Mahayana. Also, I don’t think there was any real hesitation or confusion on the part of the Buddha in teaching the Dharma... manifesting hesitation was a skillful means.

@AndreiVolkov The only new word the Buddha used that wasn’t just common Indian religious language was bodhisattva—that one word.. Why do you think this is, that Buddhism introduced the new word 'bodhisattva'?


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In satipatthana, how does mindfulness lead to nirodha?
What is the difference between "cessation" and "nirodha"? How would it be experienced during meditation?

The between cessation and nirodha is "cessation" is an English word and "nirodha" is a Pali word that often does not literally mean "cessation" although often it does.
In meditation, the important "cessations" to be experienced are:

Cessation of craving.
Cessation of attachment.
Cessation of I-making & my-making.
Cessation of suffering.
Cessation of ignorance.
Cessation of ego-birthing, ego-aging & ego-dying.

In summary, all of the above "cessations" amount to the cessation of suffering (dukkha-nirodha).
Therefore, often, when the Pali teachings refer to "consciousness-nirodha"; "nama-rupa-nirodha"; "sense-contact-nirodha" and "feeling-nirodha"; what this means is consciousness, nama-rupa (mind-body), sense contact & feeling are no longer imprisoned by ignorance, craving, egoism & suffering.

Cessation can be experienced during meditation. And if cessation happens it is unmistakable. You just know that it happened.
Sometimes just one or a couple of senses/sense perceptions seem to be missing, no longer there. Just for a split second. For instance the perception/sense of smell can suddenly drop/cease.
Full blown cessation would be if every one of the six senses drops/ceases simultaneously. In that case you will only know when you are back, so to speak, that cessation happened.
In any case, you will know it. It can't be missed because it has too much impact.

In Satipatthana, your job is to breath while calming your body and mind. As you do that, you don't think about the world, your life, your problems etc. - you only think about your immediate phenomenological environment: thoughts, feelings, broodings, pyschosomatic sensations etc. - in a sort-of detached impersonal "scientific" manner.
Nirodha is stopping and non-arising of asavas. Asavas are self-centric action impulses like "OMG I want to get this thing" or "OMG I want to get rid of this thing" etc. The "scientific" perspective of Satipatthana combined with breathing and calming leads to letting go of asavas, stopping of reifications (I-making and object-making) and settling down in peace.
The end result feels like Peace which is not-unconscious, but can't be characterized using any specific characterization. It is completely free from egoistic action impulses and ego-centric judgements. It is free from all reifications. It is free from any sense of conflict. It is suchness.

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text:
What effect does mindfulness have on dependent origination?
What is the relationship between the three poisons of attachment, aversion, and delusion (Pali: lobha, dosa, moha) on one hand and the three links of ignorance, craving and clinging (Pali: avijja, taṇha, upadana) in the chain of dependent origination on the other hand? Does mindfulness have an effect on that?

The three poisons is what pollutes karma and turns it into asava. This polluted karma causes differentiation/hardening of the phenomenal world as well as of the inner world.
The three poisons are the first inkling of the "sentient being", accumulated in/as sankhara. Sankhara is what later develops into skandhas, from that grows bhava, which eventually culminates in "I am this guy".
The wrong mindfulness (in terms of "objects" and "I", opinions, side taking, self-interest, any kind of ego-centric thinking) - serves to keep the fire burning.
The right mindfulness (in terms of the four immeasurables and Bodhicitta, altruism, objective good, impersonal perspective) - leads to awakening and liberation.
Any action that is permeated with personal desire/attachment, personal aversion, any personal attitude - is polluted and leads to becoming.
Right mindfulness is cultivation of impersonal perspective. It leads to decrease of craving, obsessing, personal-goal-making, polluted action, reification, and identification.

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text:
2 words/phrase like mantra chanting (Bud- dho) to strengthen contemplation
Q/.Is there any short comprising of 2 words/phrase that can be recited while inhaling & exhaling like mantra chanting (Bud- dho) in order to strengthen our contemplation.

Try,

Let--go
Pad -- me
Maha -- Muni (Great Sage)
Gate -- Gate

A/.For myself the expression "Don't know" covers so many facets of mindfulness development, it is surprising more people are not aware of it. The Zen practice of the "Don't know mind" that 'empties' the mind, is not what is intended here; but of a meaningful enquiry so as to keep focused on just about any object of contemplation. One of the basics of Dhamma is Anattaa, hence any object under investigation will respond to the genuine exclamation of "Don't know" simply because all objects lack any substance and thus arn't objects.
Unwholesome objects will become 'stressed' or rejected; whilst wholesome objects will gladden and develop, until such time as increasing subtlety renders such objects unwholesome so as to give way to states of ever greater subtlety and wholesoeness: etc, etc.
For some practitioners the best results might come when the so called 'heart' centre is focused on, whilst synchronising the breath. The space behind the sternum joint at the first visible rib pair: but this drifts off topic.

You can try Vajra recitation
Om - breathe in
Ah - hold
Hum - breathe out
Alternatively, So Ham is another commonly used phrase. Its the sound of breathing in and out spelt out phonetically. More yogic than buddhist though

I don't see any support in the suttas for this approach. IMO it is better to stay with the breath than add words and mental clutter.
Alternatively, just chant a mantra, which is a practice with different assumptions and goals.


text:
How can I keep from feeling dishearted while trying to live mindfully
I find it very difficult. I get bored sometimes and other times simply struggle to stay focused on the breath and the body. Does my attention span improve over time? I'm ADHD so it's very difficult to keep thinking out. Is it ok to think?

Thoughts are generally wholesome and unwholesome, so yes, everything might be a tool for achieving your happiness. Just be mindful that this is a wholesome thought when it arises.
In the same way, achieving bliss cannot be done without utilising Self in the "desirous" (but not thrisna here) way to let go of Selfishness. In a way that confidence should trump doubt. Such is the way.
Also, what does it actually mean right mindfulness:

"One is mindful to abandon wrong view & to enter & remain in right
  view: This is one's right mindfulness...
"One is mindful to abandon wrong resolve & to enter & remain in right
  resolve: This is one's right mindfulness...
"One is mindful to abandon wrong speech & to enter & remain in right
  speech: This is one's right mindfulness...
"One is mindful to abandon wrong action & to enter & remain in right
  action: This is one's right mindfulness...
"One is mindful to abandon wrong livelihood & to enter & remain in
  right livelihood: This is one's right mindfulness..."

From Right Mindfulness: samma sati
You are simply aware of the body and breath in order to recollect you to keep the right view and refrain from cultivating the wrong view. It is a "reminder" that is always available at hand (breath). It also calms the mind giving clarity.
You also probably try too hard since Middle way should mean Right effort as described above. It should bring joy and peace. I agree, it is not easy to keep balance but you know when you find it.

'I' do not get bored. Boredom arises. Note it as it arises.
'I' do not get unfocused. Unfocusedness(Uddhacca) arises. Note it as it arises.
It is not very difficult. Worry and aversion arise in the mind. Note them as they arise.
'You' are not thinking. Thoughts arise in the mind. Note them as they arise.

Once you feel joy, you are not distracted, you are mindful and vice versa.
The way to feel joy is mentioned here :
Bhikkhus, for a virtuous person, one whose behavior is virtuous, no volition need be exerted: ‘Let non-regret arise in me.’ It is natural that non-regret arises in a virtuous person, one whose behavior is virtuous.
“For one without regret no volition need be exerted: ‘Let joy arise in me.’ It is natural that joy arises in one without regret.
“For one who is joyful no volition need be exerted: ‘Let rapture arise in me.’ It is natural that rapture arises in one who is joyful.
“For one with a rapturous mind no volition need be exerted: ‘Let my body be tranquil.’ It is natural that the body of one with a rapturous mind is tranquil.
“For one tranquil in body no volition need be exerted: ‘Let me feel pleasure.’ It is natural that one tranquil in body feels pleasure.
“For one feeling pleasure no volition need be exerted: ‘Let my mind be concentrated.’ It is natural that the mind of one feeling pleasure is concentrated.
“For one who is concentrated no volition need be exerted: ‘Let me know and see things as they really are.’ It is natural that one who is concentrated knows and sees things as they really are.
“For one who knows and sees things as they really are no volition need be exerted: ‘Let me be disenchanted and dispassionate.’ It is natural that one who knows and sees things as they really are is disenchanted and dispassionate.
“For one who is disenchanted and dispassionate no volition need be exerted: ‘Let me realize the knowledge and vision of liberation.’ It is natural that one who is disenchanted and dispassionate realizes the knowledge and vision of liberation.

I think you're doing great. You see that you can't control what's going on.
"Shoot, there is boredom. And I can't stay with the breath and the body. Darn...."
That's the nature of the mind. It has nothing at all to do with 'your' ADHD. :)
Don't think things out. Just notice that you're thinking (thinking, thinking, thinking). That's enough. Don't get involved in what you're seeing/experiencing. Don't try to gain anything (attention span).
Just keep noticing and noting. That's all you have to do. Objectively observing is your only task.
Things will become clear by themselves.
Good luck. :)

For the beginners, effort is absolutely necessary. It may take time to get used to the new way of living. So don't judge yourself negatively, but keep the effort in your practice. Later on mindfulness will be totally natural for you.
Mahasi Sayadaw's noting technique is very effective for the people who want to learn to live mindfully in their daily lifes.

Meditation is not easy, for most. Therefore, do not place great expectations upon meditation.
Instead, examine the benefits of the five precepts & non-harming, and adhere to them.
Practise loving-kindness towards yourself & others.


text:
lady sayadev, saygi u ba khin goenka lineage vipassan
In the above-titled lineage of vipassana, it is said that as soon as there is contact through the sensory bases, sensations are produced on the body.
Why and how does this happen?
And, what are the type of sensations arising on physical body -- for example, tingling, etc., etc.?

Not sure how Goenka tradition explains it, but Contact(Passa) means the union of form,sense & sense consciousness. That always causes feeling(Vedana) to arise according to Paticca-samuppada(dependant arising).

i am in search of the explanation of reason as to why and due to what factors the things arise in dependant origination chain. however your answer at least gave me way where to search

@AnchalKate http://www.palikanon.com/english/wtb/n_r/paticca_samuppaada.htm

@SankhaKulathantille Bodily sensations and vedana are two different things. :) Though in both cases contact is the reason why we experience them both in the first place.

@Medhiṇī I'm not sure what you mean by "bodily sensations" if it's not Vedana.  Why not mention the Pali word and we can discuss if there is a difference?

@SankhaKulathantille It's not one word. Tingling is a bodily sensation, pressure is a bodily sensation, itching, vibrating, pricking, pulling, tearing ... these are all bodily sensations. And they can be either pleasant or unpleasant (and that is vedana). Hope this makes things a bit more clear. :)

@Medhiṇī the reason why you couldn't tell the Pali word is because there is none that refers to Paramattha Dhamma. :) The so called "bodily sensations" you listed are just a combination of earth, water, fire, air elements associated with Vedana(feeling).

@SankhaKulathantille Yeah, later on I thought that to make it short I could call it rupa. Anyway, it is not the same as vedana. See also my explanation to the op. :)

@Medhiṇī "Bodily sensations" include both Rupa and Vedana and there is no sensation without Vedana so this answer holds true either way ;)

@SankhaKulathantille Lol... you were right saying that vedana is always present, basically in every experience. I was just pointing out that the op was about bodily sensations. And I don't agree with you there that bodily sensations include vedana. They are rupa which is a category on its own. On the other hand, we might both use the term 'bodily sensations' differently. Maybe for you that term refers to the mix of rupa and vedana where I make a further distinction. Communication is always tricky. :)

@Medhiṇī are you  saying there are sensations without Vedana?

Bodily Sensation = bodily sensory experience. Every bodily sensory experience includes Rupa, Vedana, Sanna, Sankhara, Vinnana. Otherwise it wouldn't be called Panchaskhanda ;)

No, I'm not saying that there are sensations (the mix) without vedana. I never had an experience which didn't include vedana. I'm saying that bodily sensations are of the rupa category (air, earth, water, fire ...) plus, next to those also arises vedana. Basically every mundane experience consists of 5 categories. But itching fi. is not an unpleasant feeling. It is mostly air element (plus the other rupa). For some it comes with an unpleasant feeling, for others with pleasant feeling. Some might not even recognise it (sanna), others immediately. Not everyone reacts (sankhara). and so on. :)

Itching is an irritation. That's usually unpleasant. Even if it is neutral, it's still adukkhama- sukha vedana. Sanna, Sankhara, Vinnana are also there in some form. All 5 arise together. They do not arise one after the other.

Like Sankha said, there are a few things necessary to come to an experience of sensations. Contact is when those factors come together.
So far, so good.
Bodily sensations are a very rich study object, imho.
There is at least always present: the earth element (hard, soft and so on), the wind element, the fire element and the water element. Those four (plus four others) form the mix of matter that is always there when it comes to material elements. But that mix is variable, meaning that the amount of earth element is not always the same, same goes, of course, for all the other elements.
Let's say you experience a tingling sensation. If you unpack this you'll find that in that 'mix of matter' there is a lot of wind element present. If it is a sharp, cold tingling sensation then there is not a lot of fire element present. If the tingling is warm and smooth, there will be more fire element. When you experience a very dense sensation, there will probably a lot of earth element there and less wind element. And so on.
Like with the mind states matter also comes and goes. It has, like the mind, its causes and conditions.
Depending on how precise you want to know what's going on the Paticca Samuppada might not be enough. You should also dive into the 'Compendium of Matter' and the 'Compendium of Conditionality' (both are part of the Abhidhamma Sangaha).
Further, as Sankha states, every experience contains also an affect, the way a sensation feels. Bodily sensations can be experienced as pleasant or unpleasant; mind states can be experienced as pleasant, unpleasant or neutral.
Hope this helps.

yes it really helps, i was a bit interested to know ,what what bodily  sensations are experienced by a vipassana practitioner

If by 'why', you are asking in a physiological sense then its because our body is not a static mass of matter. It's because of Annicca i.e. there is a continous activity going on even on the most superficial level of your skin. During Vipassana you concentrate on the small region which leads to increased awareness of such activity on your skin, depending on the activity you might feel different sensations may it be tingiling or itching etc. So the sensations is manifestation of Annicca, and that is the wisdom you have to attain through Vipassana, to realise this very nature of Annicca.
If your question pertains to physics of it like, how does this happen? It happens in a way like, the activity on your skin produces related response on the nerve endings near the skin, these nerve endings take the signal to the brain and related consciousness is produced.
And the types of sensations are told by S.N Goenka like tingling, irritating, prickling, pleasent or unpleasent.


text:
Doubts and Ungathered Mind
I have asked questions many times here, and I have come to the conclusion that my mind easily tricks me. I speculate and doubt to a very great extent, and feel aversion to fear and effort; I will easily try to avoid such states.
I feel these are all symptoms of an ungathered mind. For example, I often feel afraid of getting hurt from running as exercise, or just that it is too effortful; the consequence is that I avoid it. Similar with meditation, wherein I find sitting too effortful.
But with meditation, there arises another problem: I also doubt, but I doubt all aspects of meditation. I doubt mostly the breath, and whether it is the right object, and whether I am meditating correctly. Ironically, I have read in meditation texts that the breath is the object best used against speculation and delusion.
But, no matter how I examine the matter, I'm still uncertain that breathing meditation is right for me; I always tell myself "Maybe it represses my emotions," or "Such a person advised against it," or even "Maybe I'm meditating all wrong."
Are these obviously just doubts which, despite seemingly seeing this, I cannot shake? Does anyone have other advice on this?

I don't see how sb can answer this question when truly you are the one who needs to examine himself,I would suggest to listen to your thoughts not control them

It seems pretty clear to me that your mind is divided. There is a conflict between a superficial mind and a deep mind. The superficial side is the hunting dog mind that gets excited about ideas it gets from the world of people: "Oh! I should exercise!", "Oh! I should meditate", "Oh! They say this would be good for me!", "Oh! They say this is the right thing to strive for!". While the deep mind is not so gullible and does not want to run around like a hunting dog chasing pigeons. As a result of that, you get this sense of fighting between something you think you "should" do on one hand, and not really feeling like doing it, on the other.
This happens when we lose touch with our deeper mind and identify with the superficial. In fact, our deeper mind is always the closest, but we tend to learn to suppress it. Nevertheless, it makes its presence felt by resisting the efforts of superficial mind. Good news is, the fact that it can resist so well, means that it is strong - despite you not giving it a chance to live and express itself.
What my teacher recommended in this case, is to take a step back and see at what point you have alienated a part of yourself. What usually happens is, we want to get something we really want (a job, a girlfriend, a particular place of living), that happens to be incompatible with the deep part of ourselves. At this point we make a deal with our deep mind and ask it to step aside and shut-up for a while, which it kindly does out of its spirit of all-acceptance that is its main characteristic. Deep mind is a mind of great love. So it agrees to step aside, like a good dog, or a favorite childhood toy, or a magic creature from the fairy-tale which used to be our best friend and now gets completely forgotten. The compromise grows and grows, until our life turns into a city without [dogs|toys|magic], but the feeling of something missing remains, and something forgotten reminds of itself through that resistance and doubts.
What my teacher recommended in this case is to sit down and ask yourself: "what do I want?", "what do I really-really want, that I had put aside and forgotten?" - getting into this mood of asking yourself what you want helps re-unite with the deep mind. There is nothing better than getting it back. It is like getting your life back. From that point on it becomes a matter of cultivating this "being truly yourself" mind until it grows strong again. Cultivating deep mind is cultivating energy of your spontaneous fundamental goodness, your own spontaneous Buddha nature, that always knows what's right.
The truth is, you don't have to meditate. You don't have to run. Running was meant to be a way to refresh your body and stir the energy, not a way to torture yourself. So ask your deep mind, and listen to your body - it will tell you how it wants to refresh its energy. Same with meditation. It was meant to be a way to experience peace, to experience suchness - with no judgement, no pressure to reach some target state, to come back to your deep mind - and instead we are turning it into its opposite, some sort of dukkha-hell.
Makes sense? It's a matter of switching perspective. When you get the right perspective, you start working towards the peace of being fully yourself, instead of endlessly frustrating yourself with superficial conflict. It may be scary at first, to be authentically yourself, and may lead to changes in your life situation - and to temporary trouble - but it is endlessly better than trying to do something you don't really believe in.

This guide by Ajahn Brahm on doubt, one of the five hindrances, may be helpful to you:

Doubt refers to the disturbing inner questions at a time when one
  should be silently moving deeper. Doubt can question one's own ability
  "Can I do This?", or question the method "Is this the right way?", or
  even question the meaning "What is this?". It should be remembered
  that such questions are obstacles to meditation because they are asked
  at the wrong time and thus become an intrusion, obscuring one's
  clarity.
The Lord Buddha likened doubt to being lost in a desert, not
  recognising any landmarks.
Such doubt is overcome by gathering clear instructions, having a good
  map, so that one can recognise the subtle landmarks in the unfamiliar
  territory of deep meditation and so know which way to go. Doubt in
  one's ability is overcome by nurturing self confidence with a good
  teacher. A meditation teacher is like a coach who convinces the sports
  team that they can succeed. The Lord Buddha stated that one can, one
  will, reach Jhana and Enlightenment if one carefully and patiently
  follows the instructions. The only uncertainty is 'when'! Experience
  also overcomes doubt about one's ability and also doubt whether this
  is the right path. As one realised for oneself the beautiful stages of
  the path, one discovers that one is indeed capable of the very
  highest, and that this is the path that leads one there.
The doubt that takes the form of constant assessing "Is this Jhana?"
  "How am I going?", is overcome by realising that such questions are
  best left to the end, to the final couple of minutes of the
  meditation. A jury only makes its judgement at the end of the trial,
  when all the evidence has been presented. Similarly, a skilful
  meditator pursues a silent gathering of evidence, reviewing it only at
  the end to uncover its meaning.
The end of doubt, in meditation, is described by a mind which has full
  trust in the silence, and so doesn't interfere with any inner speech.
  Like having a good chauffeur, one sits silently on the journey out of
  trust in the driver.

Here is my thought from studying and practicing.  Doubt is one of 5 hindrances, and to deal with it, Buddha said to let go.  doubting about something keeps you tied down to that subject you cant get away from.  You might even create an internal dialogue about the subject.  This is mindfulness comes into help.  To be mindful of breathing, you need to interrupt that "internal dialogue" to be mindful of breathing.  Even just a briefest moment, you see that when you focus of something else, you are free from that subject of doubt.
It is a thin line between "letting go of doubt" and english expression "ignorant is a bliss".
Buddha taught us to be liberated from 5 skandha, and doubt is what keeps you tied down to the subject.
have you ever noticed that to focus on breathing, you have to drop (or let go) doubt about any subject?  even if it is just a flash of light, then you try to extend that briefest moment a little bit longer.

Meditation is effortful in general; it is tough to sit still in one place and get rid of restless mind. Restless mind would try to find all kinds of excuses and aversion toward sitting for it seeks pleasure and reward. But this kind of mind has to eventually become tranquil with training. It takes substantial amount of effort to do so, but this is training nonetheless.
It is not easy to achieve tranquility at first, it is also not easy to practise at all. It is probably the hardest task you will ever have to accomplish in your whole life.
As for doubts, every practitioner has such doubts that you mentioned. We wouldn't be humans, but plankton if we had no doubts at all. Such is the way of our conceptual mind, the restless mind, the monkey mind.
Worth mentioning is the fact that meditation and seeing things as they are is not a conceptual thing to understand. It is not in the intellectual layer to realise. No matter how you try you will never truly acknowledge this only by intellectual reasoning, the only conclusion will you ever get by this is more internal quarrel and chatter.
All of the cessation and happiness that Buddha spoke of, is to be experienced; only there you will fully acknowledge it. Remember what Buddha said, Buddhism is heading against the stream all the time.
Let Go, Let Go, Let Go (Ajahn Sumedho)


text:
Can knowledge of suchness or emptiness be achieved through cessation of conceptualization?
Inspired by this comment and this answer I wonder, can the first bhumi be gained via the complete cessation of conceptualization? ie, if one achieves the complete cessation of all concepts is this equivalent to the direct realization of emptiness? If so, then what of someone who arises from meditation and continues to have no conceptions... is this a Buddha?
Is the complete cessation of conceptualization equivalent to complete and perfect enlightenment? If not, then what has been achieved with the complete cessation of conceptualization? Anything?
It is my understanding that at least Je Tsongkhapa does not agree that this is equivalent to realizing suchness. From the Lamrim Chenmo Volume 3 page 16:

It is said that the Chinese master Ha-shang (Hva-shang), having seen
  this sutra’s very clear and undeniable explanation that insight is
  discerning wisdom, exclaimed, “I don’t know how this can be a sutra!”
  and kicked it. He did this because the sutra’s statement did not agree
  with his claim that since all conceptualization of any sort involves
  an apprehension of signs, you should dispense with discerning wisdom
  and meditate on the profound meaning by not bringing anything to mind.
  This approach has a great number of adherents.

There are many other places where Je Tsongkhapa points out sutras that seemingly do not agree that the complete cessation of conceptualization is the same thing as discerning wisdom or the direct realization of emptiness which is said to unlock the first bhumi.
In my understanding, the direct realization of emptiness is a mental direct perception that does not involve conception. Perception is defined in contrast to conception where the latter is elaboration, proliferation of an object that generally takes place subsequent to perception. Still, it is said in my tradition that even with the complete cessation of conception and engaging only in direct perceptions that the appearance of inherently existing objects persists in sentient beings. It is said that other than a Buddha, only in an Arya being's meditative equipoise on emptiness does the non-perception of inherent existence occur.
Is this a matter of disagreement within modern traditions of Tibetan Buddhism? What are the other viewpoints?

"Thought" is a rather vague concept. When two people say "cessation of conceptualization" they could mean two completely (or partially) different things.
When I wrote that comment and that answer, I did not mean that one has to stop all thinking. My teachers and my books all agree that complete suppression of thinking is not the target state nor the path to the target state. One Lama said: "we're not training to be a rock or a donkey".
Instead, cessation of reification is more like going from "discrete" thinking to "analogue" thinking. Meaning, you no longer have a notion of particulars, everything becomes fluid and somewhat ambiguous but also multidimensional and "quantum". As Dogen said: "Enlightenment is ambiguity".
Something like this (in different words) is described in e.g. "Mahamudra: The Moonlight" by Dakpo Tashi Namgyal (Chapter 3).

The idea that cessation of conceptualization is enlightenment occurs to minds that are flooded by conceptualization. Its like a very poor & hungry man believing ordinary food & housing is a luxury.
The cessation of conceptualization is merely samadhi and unrelated to enlightenment, apart from being a very helpful & vital part of the path.
The Lord Buddha did not teach cessation of conceptualization is enlightenment. Since most animals & insects & rocks & trees do not have conceptualization; how could most animals & insects & rocks & trees be enlightened?


text:
Pro's and cons of Buddhist books
What would a perfect book about Buddhism look like?
Between translations of ancient texts... most of which are deep but rather obscure... and modern books by Theravada, Zen, and Vajrayana teachers... and even the books that try to distill Buddhist principles for non-Buddhist audience... -- what would you like to see in a perfect book?

Would it focus on accurately explaining and defining Buddhist concepts and technical terminology, step by step, form basic to advanced?
Would it stay away from the technical jargon and speak about our everyday problems and how we can better overcome them?
Would it re-tell the Buddha's personal story in a way that would illuminate the Teaching?
Would it take one topic (e.g. Anatta) and explore it in depth from all sides?
Would it focus on practice more than on theory? On daily life practice? Or on meditation?
Which particulars topics would you like to see in the book's Table of Contents.

What is missing in the Buddhist books you have read, and what would you like to see improved in your ideal book?

what is the closest book to perfection in your opinion?

To me it's probably ch. 9-14 of "The Buddha's Way: A Socio-Historical Approach" by Nalin Swaris.

I think there is no perfect formula for a book. Different approaches apply to different target audiences for different objectives.
Even some of Ajahn Brahm's non-technical books of humor and anecdotes (like "Don't Worry, Be Grumpy") are useful to certain types of audience who need to have their negative emotions soothed, while being treated to subliminal doses of the Dhamma.
I personally would like to see a book that can reach out to Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike, help them, and invite them to look at Buddhist teachings more deeply.
Non-Buddhists usually know about Buddhism's first noble truth about suffering. They also tend to be aware about the focus on meditation as a technique to reach enlightenment. Recent advancements in mental healthcare have taken at least a part of Buddhist mindfulness for treating depression, anxiety and coping with chronic pain. This has made Buddhism more popular.
However unfortunately, many non-Buddhists still think it's a depressing religion that shuns the material world and relationships, and exhorts people to become monks who meditate all day to become stoic and unemotional.
On the other hand, Buddhists who are not well-aware of the Dhamma, tend to focus on attending ten-day meditation courses and trying out meditation techniques without understanding what they are ultimately meant for. Furthermore, without improving their virtues (sila) and personal habits, meditation may not be useful as the five hindrances would continually beset them.
From my study of the suttas, I feel that there is a huge part of the Dhamma that can benefit both groups. This would be what I call "wholesome living and skillful thinking" or an application of Buddhism into psychology for laypeople.
Such a book would explain mindfulness, heedfulness, virtues (sila), dealing with addiction, anger management etc. For e.g. this question (and this follow-up question) on Buddhism.SE asked about how to deal with the arising of contempt towards other people. A book on wholesome living and skillful thinking would relate contempt to aversion and delusion, and may suggest the reader to overcome contempt with compassion through understanding the background and underlying situations behind the behavior of other people.
I would also like to see this book explaining concepts of skillful thinking using simple non-technical terms with anecdotes and practical examples. However, it should also include copious references from the suttas to support its arguments, as that would invite both Buddhists and non-Buddhists to look into the suttas more deeply, as a source of inspiration for daily living.
Managing relationships, finances, career etc. should also be covered in this book.
Overall, this book should give readers the impression that Buddhism guides Buddhists, non-Buddhists, laypeople and monks alike towards cultivating short term, medium term and long term happiness on the journey towards the complete cessation of suffering, through wholesome living and skillful thinking. The book should also portray the Buddha as a pragmatic master psychologist, through his own words from the suttas.
It may also be useful if the book focuses only on a few core techniques like letting go (by not clinging onto incoming stimuli), reframing (for example, meditating on unattractiveness to overcome lust), compassion (i.e. understanding the reason for, and trying to reduce, the suffering of others) and so on.

Would it focus on accurately explaining and defining Buddhist concepts
  and technical terminology, step by step, form basic to advanced?

It really depends on the goal of the book, doesn't it? What's the purpose of the book? Is it the result of a research project/study? (Bhikkhu Anālayo - Perspectives on Satipatthāna comes to mind. Awesome read, btw.)
Is it a how-go-guide for beginners?
Define the purpose of the book, the readers and the rest will follow, imho.

Would it stay away from the technical jargon and speak about our
  everyday problems and how we can better overcome them?

For the sake of clarity I would use technical jargon. There are too many wrong translations flying around freely already. Also, by using the technical terms a reader is able to give the book place amidst other books, teachings. A book never appears in a vacuum. It should connect to others.

Would it re-tell the Buddha's personal story in a way that would
  illuminate the Teaching?

Only if it serves the purpose. I don't think it would be useful, there is no shortage of books on Buddha's personal story.

Would it take one topic (e.g. Anatta) and explore it in depth from
  all sides? Would it focus on practice more than on theory? On daily
  life practice? Or on meditation?

This depends pretty much on how the mind works, I think. For instance, most people I know can't bear reading the Compendium of the Abhidhamma (by Bhikkhu Bodhi). They don't understand it. For me it works the other way around. I don't understand the 'easy to read' books (Kornfield fi), but do understand things the way the Compendium explains it.
Another book that made things for me very clear is this one:
http://www.aimwell.org/anattalakkhana.html
Meaning that my mind clearly can work easier with books that deal in depth with whatever subject.
I also find combinations of theory and practice more useful. It seems more complete. Like for instance take the subject of death. You could write a lot about this. From the viewpoint of the sutta, the abhidhamma, daily life in current/western society, how to deal as Buddhist in said society with death. Preparing for it, and so on.
So, basically books that deal with a subject in depth from different angels speak volumes to me. ;)
But again... the mind differs.

Which particulars topics would you like to see in the book's Table of
  Contents.

This depends on the purpose of the book, the goal, the readers the book aims at.
What's always helpful is a translation part (Pali-English, vv.), subject index next to regular index, abbreviations, clarification on the book itself (purpose, place in the body of literature and so on). Depending on the content: tables, graphs.

For me I would like to see practical book that makes Westerners less afraid of Buddhism, and more attractive to the people.
In my opinion perfect book about Buddhism would clear the air in regards to confusion. I don't think that there is single more misunderstood teaching than that of Buddha, and it is also taught wrongly in so many places.
For example, I hear that people are afraid of concept of non-Self as if they were to become mindless, emotionless robots. That arises due to Western and Eastern incompatibilities in what actually concept of Self refers to.
I hear that people think Buddhism is to cut all thoughts and somehow become essentially lobotomised by one's own will. Therefore, people are anxious about losing will to live and even fulfil daily tasks which is, of course, nonsense.
I hear that people are absolutely panicked about non-duality (and emptiness in general) that they essentially take it for nihilistic approach, i.e. there isn't good or bad at all, and that frightens people, as humans like control and order in form of moral values or maybe ethics.
I hear that people think Buddhism is to refrain from all life pleasures, and wealth, but that too is confusion of two different concepts of desire, namely sankalpa and thrisna. It should be communicated better that wealth does not harm those seeking nirvana, but the greedy.
I see complete confusion about the concepts of reincarnation. With stressing on how differently Tibetans approach it.
I believe that mindfulness is taught completely wrongly and in potentially harmful way; people advise subjects to be mindful and aware all the time, but without any ethics or purpose, and this might even be dangerous/counterproductive for clueless person seeking for self-help.
Somehow all the above issues in every beginner's or explanatory book are mentioned briefly and typically in the very end of the chapter's sentence. When one looks for correct answer, the topics are not covered in depth, or not covered in at all to the extent that it clears confusion.

I think books written by Bhikku Bodhi, Thich Nhat Hanh, Ajahn Brahm, Stephen Bachelor, Pema Chodron, Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo...all explore different aspects in different ways.
The entire body of literature as well as scope of any kind of book on Buddhism is vast.
I mean I just have a book on psychology and Yogacara atm with me. So the possibilities are many.
To begin with you have to define the audience, whether novices or intermediate or experts.
Then you have to define the scope, as in to what level the book will explore. Will it add aspects from modern psychology and neuroscience. Will it be a summary of pali canon or an entire research on itself?
You need to consider the authenticity of references.
The degree of unverifiable ideas like
Heaven and hell realms etc that you want to put in.

+1 for defining the audience first. I'm a novice, so my "perfect" book would be something completely different than someone who has been practicing for decades. Find your audience. Then you could ask the question, "If you're a novice buddhist, what type of book and what content would benefit you most."

Some disorderly thought...

Theoretically you should (e.g. technical writers and/or publishers do) define the audience (and perhaps implicitly) the purpose of the book -- for example:

Purpose: explain elementary French vocabulary
Audience: adult anglophone novice

This will inform the title, subtitle, back cover, and suggest ideas for the table of contents.
I guess that's true for any book with top-down design, commissioned for a purpose. Maybe there are some books built bottom-up: "I have ideas and/or fragments (e.g. existing dhamma talks), lets publish them as a loose anthology or collection of parts."

I infer from a comment that your purpose is to ...

explain the underlying principle, the formula behind Buddhism - and how all of Buddhism and its relevancy in real life comes from the implications of the formula

... however not necessarily to ...

cover some aspects of Buddhism, or even summarize the main ideas and phases of historical development.

If you don't "cover some aspects of Buddhism", nor even some "main ideas" or "phases of historical development", maybe that's good and bad from a marketing perspective:

Attractive to an audience/public who are predisposed to dislike or feel ambivalent about Buddhism
Unattractive to an audience/public who are predisposed to like or feel attached to Buddhism
More or less attractive to people who know Buddhism, depending on how well you  connect the dots without overly belabouring what they know already -- to satisfy their prior need/interest in Buddhism, or to build on (reinforce and benefit from) their prior knowledge and practice of Buddhism

I guess a part of me is "worried" (not because I think you're incompetent but only because this is the closest or only word-association that I have on this subject) that your ...

"the underlying principle, the formula behind Buddhism - and how all of Buddhism and its relevancy in real life comes from the implications of the formula"

... reminds of the scene where "Phaedrus" begins to comes apart in Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance ...

The quality that can be defined is not the Absolute Quality (and so on)

Phædrus read on through line after line, verse after verse of this, watched them match, fit, slip into place. Exactly. This was what he
  meant. This was what he’d been saying all along, only poorly, mechanistically. There was nothing vague or inexact about this book. It
  was as precise and definite as it could be. It was what he had been saying, only in a different language with different roots and origins.
  He was from another valley seeing what was in this valley, not now as a story told by strangers but as a part of the valley he was from.
  He was seeing it all.
He had broken the code.
He read on. Line after line. Page after page. Not a discrepancy. What he had been talking about all the time as Quality was here the
  Tao, the great central generating force of all religions, Oriental and Occidental, past and present, all knowledge, everything.
Then his mind’s eye looked up and caught his own image and realized where he was and what he was seeing and—I don’t know what
  really happened—but now the slippage that Phædrus had felt earlier, the internal parting of his mind, suddenly gathered momentum, as
  do the rocks at the top of a mountain. Before he could stop it, the sudden accumulated mass of awareness began to grow and grow into
  in avalanche of thought and awareness out of control; with each additional growth of the downward tearing mass loosening hundreds
  of times its volume, and then that mass uprooting hundreds of times its volume more, and then hundreds of times that; on and on,
  wider and broader, until there was nothing left to stand.
  No more anything.
It all gave way from under him.

He gets around to writing a good book about it afterwards, and yet (remark about sanity).
I don't know what "groundless ground" is at all, but your statements about reification sound more flexible (and grounded, if I can say that) than the "monism" described above, so I trust that's well.
ileostomy warned it might be difficult to communicate though (an old problem, first stated by Mara!). But you seem good at communicating here. But I don't know that a "scribe" could replace you.

Would it focus on accurately explaining and defining Buddhist concepts and technical terminology, step by step, form basic to advanced?
That would be nice. I guess I learned Maths that way, more or less. IIRC each lesson was of the form:

What: some new technique or topic or problem
Why: and when that new "what" is useful
How: the teacher's showing for example how to apply the what
Q+A: any questions?
Practice: a sample problem, assigned by the teacher, for all students to solve in class using the new technique (while the teacher stopped talking, wandered around looking over students' shoulders, maybe quietly assisting people one on one)
Homework: more practice

... (exactly as mentioned in abernard's answer).
Has that (book) been done already? There are already teachers, aren't there, and (I gather) some curriculums/curricula too (e.g. here)?
Would it stay away from the technical jargon and speak about our everyday problems and how we can better overcome them?
That would appeal to some.
I think I only read "technical jargon" when I read about Buddhism (if it's polite to characterise the suttas as technical jargon), so it comes out in my speech if I try to describe Buddhist theory: and my mum doesn't like that (especially "foreign words").
Would it re-tell the Buddha's personal story in a way that would illuminate the Teaching?
I wouldn't know how to do that.
I suspect it might appeal to Buddhists. "The Life of the Buddha" is what passes for a Buddhist Bible, IMO -- analogous to the Gospels, perhaps the first thing anyone (including children) would read or be told about Buddhism.
Would it take one topic (e.g. Anatta) and explore it in depth from all sides
That would do -- especially to the extent that everything is connected to everything else, or fractal, "in depth and from all sides" might mean you cover anything and everything.
Doing so helps to solve the problem of "how do I structure this book?", i.e. that decision gives the book form (in a non-Buddhist "form is liberating" kind of sense).
It risks being less appealing on the face of it -- e.g., "(sarcastically) Oh good: only the 180th description of anatta I've been given!"
It might also put you (or me) into a " Buddhist concepts and technical terminology" mode, rather than e.g. "everyday practical" or e.g. "suitable even for children".
Would it focus on practice more than on theory? On daily life practice? Or on meditation?
Yes I hope so. :-)
Which particulars topics would you like to see in the book's Table of Contents.

May be too early to say: i.e. depends on (or follows from) the "form" (perhaps a.k.a. architecture or design pattern) which you haven't chosen yet.
One of the first question I asked on this site was about rebirth, see e.g. this comment. Not that I was inclined to reject Buddhism in its entirety, but there are some points of doctrine that might it seem difficult for some people to accept it in its entirety -- hence "secular" Buddhists, or "lay sanghas", or married priests ... and so on, variations.
Anyway, one of my personal preconceived biases was that I'm willing to tolerate, try to understand or the learn the view that "this is enlightened" -- the doctrine that "Only this is true; anything else is wrong" may be less easy to approve.
Other answers mention various difficulties or preconceptions to overcome, e.g.:

it's a depressing religion that shuns the material world and relationships, and exhorts people to become monks who meditate all day to become stoic and unemotional.

... and:

The degree of unverifiable ideas like Heaven and hell realms etc that you want to put in.

... and:

people are afraid of concept of non-Self as if they were to become mindless, emotionless robots

Theoretically that's an idea for a entire book: Not Buddhism
Further to my mistrust of "Only this is true; anything else is wrong" I am kind of interested in a survey of the whole of Buddhism. If someone writes "This is Buddhism" then I'm thinking "Yes but there's more to it than that".
That's a reason for my being grateful for being given contact with the suttas: at least they're something, more than just one modern author's opinion.
And a book like In the Buddha's Words is clear about what it (the book) is ... and it isn't saying "anything else is wrong", but it is saying "this is what this is".
Still, having surveyed or been introduced to the suttas, I find it daunting to try to introduce myself to Mahayana literature. Some of it is a very different style. And I don't know what's important or why, if anything. So a book like (maybe there is such a book already, I don't know):

Purpose: introduce/survey Mahayana literature/doctrine
Audience: practitioners of the foundational vehicle, familiar with the Pali canon

On the topic of surveying exacting literature, there's a lot of it, which takes a lot of paper in a printed book.
Will the book be print-only, online-only, or a mixture?
Can you afford to use hyperlinks as references, rather than quoting big blocks? Will you even reference anything (you wanted to avoid being obliged to supply references on this site, I don't know whether you'll do the same in a book of yours)?
An online book is a whole different ballgame, look at SuttaCentral as an example: online; somewhat collaborative (I guess Ven. Sujato is a chief author of the sutta translations, with other people who are writing tools etc.). It's interactive -- because there are multiple authors, and some people backing it financially, they have presumably talked and have some shared vision -- and because of the discourse discussion platform which opens it to readers and anyone else. Its being interactive in that way might make it "agile" too (to the extent that there's continuous feedback or input from the "customers").
You might perhaps use this platform (Buddhism.SE) somehow:

Reuse your own content (without attribution)
Quote, reference, or alter other people's posts (with attribution)
Even perhaps "support" your book (invite people to ask questions) here -- Can I support my product on this site? -- or maybe not, I don't know, I'm not recommending that you do, only that something might be possible ... perhaps you'd prefer to do that privately by email

ruben2020's answer mentioned:

Managing relationships, finances, career etc. should also be covered in this book

... but I'm not sure about making it too practical -- that's the only function/form of this book (albeit based only on the Pali canon), and maybe there are other "Buddhism applied to wordly/practical life" books. The first noble truth includes illness and death too, fwiw.
Addiction could be a big topic (a whole book) -- many forms of addiction (alcohol and other substances, social media and other diversions and entertainments, various forms of sensuality, social kicks ranging from self-righteous outrage through to having someone else tell you what to do -- and addiction affects the addict and the people around them (e.g. their family), maybe they could both use some advice (and maybe or maybe not the same advice)
Also I see ruben2020 mentioned:

cultivating short term, medium term and long term happiness

... and hyperlinked it as if that's a theme. I guess everyone picks different themes, to especially appeal to or resonate with them.
I for example like "Both formerly and now, it is only stress that I describe, and the cessation of stress", but that (starting from stress, a desire for cessation) doesn't appeal to my mum at all.
Perhaps you have a different motto or summary that has been helping you: "Good in the beginning", or the concept of "sat-dhamma", or I don't know -- meditations -- something you might have a lot to say about, if it were up to you and unconstrained by this Q+A format.

Would it focus on accurately explaining and defining Buddhist concepts
  and technical terminology, step by step, form basic to advanced?

It is hard to deal with all the audiences at the same time. "Write for your audience" is a cliche, but applies here.

Would it stay away from the technical jargon and speak about our
  everyday problems and how we can better overcome them?

Some technical jargon helps. Imagine if you used a common English word for Dharma, it would actually be confusing. E.g. in SGI, they use Mystic Law for Saddharma (True Dharma) and most confusing, "World Peace" for Kosen-Rufu (the state when everyone is Buddhist). It took me years to notice that was a quirky translation for technical jargon.

Would it re-tell the Buddha's personal story in a way that would
  illuminate the Teaching?

Which one? There are so many versions of his life now. I think people tend to add the one that best supports the sort of Buddhism they are expounding about. E.g. the Cosmic Buddha, the mortal, somewhat depressed mayor's son who didn't want to be a family man, the working monk who mostly meditated, the erudite philosopher.

Would it take one topic (e.g. Anatta) and explore it in depth from all
  sides?
Would it focus on practice more than on theory? On daily life
  practice? Or on meditation?

I personally love this sort of genre- ... meditation manual was influential for me, I like the sections on practices. I think Buddhism is often more practice based than competing religions (Pure Land not withstanding). Buddhism is a thing you do, not something you only believe & maybe have no other visible indications of your religion. I think I'll have succeeded at Buddhism when someone can observe me being Buddhist.

Which particulars topics would you like to see in the book's Table of
  Contents.

I generally follow the traditional split of morality, concentration & wisdom (3 categories of 8 fold path), except read as recommend rules to live by, mediation & other practices & philosophy- specifically asking questions and answering them by analytical debate & argumentation with oneself or others.
Ethics. What are the rules that describe good behavior & bad behavior. I like the Brahma Net Sutra's rule set, which for me is the right balance in between the extremes watered down bullshit rules (do good! don't do evil!) and nit picky decorum (don't preach the dharma to someone holding an umbrella!)
Meditation & Practices in general. The most Buddhist sort of practices have some sort of meditative angle. Service manuals have some of this, e.g. texts suitable for reciting.
Philosophy. Errors I see here in books-- assuming that everyone is too dumb to understand philosophy & not covering it at all--  Too many books want to start acting like everything is ineffable without even trying to define anything. Words like "nondual" "abide" "cognition/perception" all thrown around without definition, nor explanation about isn't dual or why we'd care.
Something I never see, which I wish was common was something about debate, argumentation & the like, ie. the tools and methodology of Philosophy (aka wisdom). The ancient Buddhist universities had formal logic, debate with rules of debate, etc, etc.
Ethics and meditative practices demand visible action from an adherent. I think there is an audience of people that would like to do it if they knew how. Philosophy is something invisible from the outside, but takes work, a life time of work & I think more people would do it if they had the tools.
On the otherhand, with faith and other-power one can dispense all of that! So it depends on what sort of Buddhism you want to write about.
I really like the format of this book in Russian- bases of Buddhism. Of course that one assumes the reader has a Datsan nearby, I wasn't sure how I could celebrate a Hural on my own. Again, it comes back to knowing your audience.

A book that is simple to understand and composed of  accurate dhamma. Simple accurate  explanation about a topic more on meditation  basis rather than  theory.

Whatever format a book on Buddhism may have, we all would like whatever is said to be true. But stating a psychological truth while taking into account a well-educated reader is not easy. It is not possible to make a single (but non-trivial) psychological statement about the mind, about meditation, or about human behaviour that would, for the well-educated reader, not be open to a wide range of interpretations. This is due to the historical fact that at least several philosophers and psychologists will have made similar (or opposite) statements from a particular frame of reference and the meaning of that statement would depend upon which frame of reference was being engaged. Indeed, the reality is that, if you want to say something important to person who has an academic background in psychology or philosophy, then you must provide your frame of reference or basic assumptions. These basic assumptions can be provided in an appendix or in footnotes, but, if you do not make them, then your book will be viewed as written by someone who lacks the education or sophistication to articulate or have those basic assumptions.
It also happens to be the case (in my view) that the Buddha and others have had said some very important things about the mind that are not easily understood or articulated by a Buddhist monk, scholar, or practitioner. This is partly due to the fact that traditional Buddhist texts state a lot of extraordinary facts without explaining them. The Pali language, for example, is a closed system of definitions that are often simplistic or circular. My meditation teacher, a Theravadin monk, told me that the only way to understand the Theravadin Abhidharma was to meditate on it.
The bottom line is that, unless you merely want to preach to the converted, writing an important book on Buddhism is very challenging indeed. (In particular, I am very dissatisfied with what I have written so far. I hope to do better before I die. I may not.)

My perfect buddhist book would be precise and concise, like a manual.
It would be a book designed for complete beginners living in the western society, something I could easely share with my friends and relative.
As an introduction, it would explain what is Buddhism, what it is not, and what are its potential benefits for an individual living in the western society.
Something important which have been missing from a lot of books I read:
It would acknowledge the different traditions of buddhism, giving a brief historical context for each, and state which one will serve as fondation for the book.
Then, each buddhist concept would be explained in a gradual way, starting from the most obvious and leading to more subtle things.
Because there isn't enough space to cover it all in great details, each concept would be presented in a very concise manner, and would be referenced at the end of the book, with directions to other ressources to expand on the topic.
So, to be more precise, for each concept, It would have an explanation of  What it is, Why it is usefull, When it is usefull (what stage in the practice should one worry about it) and most importantly How one should incorporate it in his daily practice.
Too often, concepts explained in books look pretty and wise, but I can't help but think "allright I think i can understand what you mean by this thing you call non self (for instance) but what the hell am I supposed to do with this ?".
To illustrate, and make the book more readable, it would present stories about how this particular concept help the author or any other person, from the western world / point of view. No anectode featuring the Buddha or his disciples, for clarity's sake. They just don't talk as much to me as stories taking place in the modern world.
Judging from the answers you post here, you are very talented at explaining difficult concepts clearly and concisely. Such a book would make a very valuable addition to what has already been written, in my opinion.


text:
Help writing a Buddhist book?
I'm working on a book about Enlightenment as cessation of Reification, and thinking of hiring a professional writer to help me put it down in good English. So far I have spoken with scribewriting.com, but I want to expand my search to include more options:

Does anyone have a clue where I can find a professional writer for hire that would be interested in exploring some Buddhist ideas?
How much should this cost? scribewriting.com folks charge $36k end-to-end, is this normal?
What are the best ways to raise funds for a Buddhist project? Does anyone know a  philanthropist that would consider sponsoring a Buddhist project like this?
Would Kickstarter be a good way to market a Buddhist book (before it was finished), or should I go to a traditional Buddhist publisher like Snow Lion or Wisdom Publications?
Anything else I need to know but forgot to ask?

I made this chat room in case someone wants to post questions or dialog, or to say "Me too!", that wouldn't fit the site's normal Q+A format.

Comments are not for extended discussion; this conversation has been moved to chat.

I think this question is better suited on Writing.SE.

I have written two books on Buddhism, as you already know. I will help you write your book for free. I self-published my books through FriesenPress who provided excellent editing services and cost about $2000 in Canadian dollars. You can use any of my ideas as long as you name the source. I can help you discuss Buddhist concepts in terms of modern philosophical and psychological analysis. I can also provide compassionate feedback based upon 50 years of meditation experience. I am a Buddhist monk and bound by the many vows I have taken.

Thank you Ronald, I will share my current plan with you over email.

 If I launched a Kickstarter campaign, would any of you guys consider pre-ordering a book before it was written?

I will pre-order the book.

As many have said lot will depends on your intentions.
Do you want to make money? Then you will have to some how control the ownership of the content. Meaning you are limited to paying for help.
Do you want to publish a paper back. Then you need publishers and distributes. You will have to either fund it or the publisher will have to be satisfied about your content that it will make money so they can invest and take the money later. You may have better luck approaching publishers who do buddhist publications. Since buddhism is not the biggest book market, most regular publishers/distributors may not be willing to or even equipped to bring your book to the audience it deserve.
If you don't need paperbak at least at first. Then you can consider things like publishing on kindle. Kindle allow you to publish your first edition. And then if you want readers will automatically get the new updated editions when you make changes. That way you can release a living book if you want, until you are satisfied with the final content.
I have read your content and your english is good. And more often than not it has been a pleasure to read your writing. So I would not mind paying for it. I would suggest you write it and then get it edited.
If you are hiring a writer I would strongly suggest finding a writer that has same level of understanding on buddhism as you are. Because in buddhism, a lot can be lost in translation. Words are just sign posts pointing to ideas on the readers mind. You need to safe guard against this.
If you are not planning to make profits you may have more options. Like getting a sangha/buddhist community to collaborate on the book. Sharing your own scripts with them first and then use the demand/feedback to publish a more refined version later.

The question  that you forgot to ask is: ''what do I want to achieve and with whom?''
Do you write for yourself or for an audience? who do you want your audience to be? what do you want your audience to achieve? Do you want to publish a text and be done with it?
Do you want to talk ''about Enlightenment'' to one person at a time and imagine a method to check that this person understands what you have to say ''about Enlightenment''? If so, do you want to do it by text or orally? if it is orally, is it a dialogue  or a monologue or a monologue with Q&A to dispel any clouds in your audience? What method will make you know that the audience ''gets your points'' ? Does this method rely on your imagination [which makes your endeavor null and void, for anybody who do not care about your fantasizes]?
Do you want to earn money ? How much do care about the creation of some people called ''intellectual rights'' and about the punishments they invented for their creation of ''the violation of intellectual rights''?
Some people love to claim and think that written languages are a way to communicate, and once they see that informal languages do  not realize their fantasy of precision of terms, that those languages do not dispel the reality of miscommunication, they claim that their fantasy of clarity is not achieved,  not because it is a fantasy, but only because it is ''due to'' a lack of realization of a new fantasy of theirs, fantasy they call ''definition'' of terms,  so they invent formal languages which are even more remote from what they experience.
For instance, some people, in what they call a ''debate'' using informal language, will claim that ''we must begin by defining our words'' and when they observe a lack of communication, they will claim it is due to a lack of proper definitions of the words.
When the author is not identified, or is supposed to have been let's say a prophet, some people who ''debate'' over this corpus of texts love to dump citations of the texts which would be the realization fo their fantasy of ''proofs'' of whatever fantasy they hope their, let's say, adversary will adopt.
Some of those people even double down on their fantasizes in managing to fantasize that they are good people for witting books: the author fantasizes that ''the books are a way to help people, a way to communicate the truth and dispel lies, and that if people just read my book, they will think a bit more like me and therefore will be a bit more good people''.
Until the author gets in trouble due to the book, The author does not care what happens after  the publication, about the audience understanding what the words in the book are imagined (by the author) to convey to the reader. The author does not track, months after months, each reader of the book in order to ask each reader what is retrieved from the book. THe author does not have a quality control of what the various readers retain from all of the author's work.
Their love of written texts and their issue for low price fits well in their fantasy of educating the poor peasants who cannot have good life without reading those texts.
Once the author and other advocates of the authors think that this endeavor goes south, that some people misunderstand the book and cause ruckus, they will claim that those people did not get the ''meaning'' of the statements in the books. besides the existence of words of the texts, They invent the existence of ''meaning of the author'' and the existence of the ''interpretations of each reader''. When there is trouble due to a book, for some, like the rivals fo the author, the fault will lie in ''meaning of the author'', for others, like the proponents of the authors, in ''interpretations of a reader''.
To be clear, most people will not bother with what you write, even among your audience, so you do not need to worry about this part of the publication.

thank you, and welcome to Buddhism Q&A. This is a very good observation. In fact, the book would be about Reification, which is same exact topic you're talking about. So, spot on (=exactly).

Yes, welcome to the site. By the way, this seems to me to be more advice (i.e. "communication is difficult") than it is an answer to the question. The first paragraph is on-topic, but it consists of questions more than being an answer. This isn't a bad reply but (this being a question-and-answer site) it's normal to try to answer the question instead of saying "you're silly to ask this question" (see also Answers vs Advice).

thinking of hiring a professional writer to help me put it down in good English
I don't want to invalidate the premise of your question, but your English is great already imho.
I don't know what your motive is, e.g.:

Spend less of your own time on the job
Get someone other than you to review what's written
Find a different writing style, or voice (e.g. IMO my own writing isn't very personable)
Help with marketing (before it's written and afterwards)

Does anyone have a clue where I can find a professional writer for hire that would be interested in exploring some Buddhist ideas?
I suppose a lot of people do. My brother's career has been editor and journalist; one of my nephews has at least a passing interest in Buddhism and (while an undergraduate) worked successfully as a contract author.
There's a semi-famous wildlife photographer, publishing coffee-table books. The publisher of his books of photos wanted to hire an author to write a one-page bit about animal species, one per page, to accompany each full-page photograph on the facing pages. They tried a professional writer: but they didn't know animals so their output wasn't interesting. They tried a professional zoologist: but they didn't know writing, or the public, so that wasn't interesting either. They hired my nephew, he researched each species and found something interesting to write about each one, and the result was accepted. He's about to graduate now, I don't know what if anything he'll do next.
I get the impression (from my brother) that there are a lot of freelance writers; that a career as a writer is often one short-term contract after another, rather than e.g. full-time permanent employment.
Part of my brother's job as a commissioning editor (of e.g. a newspaper, not of Buddhist books) is to know dozens of authors he can call on when he wants something written about whatever subject.
I gather too that journalists are often experienced at interviewing people and then writing about that, sometimes at great length: and that journalism is sometimes full-time employment and sometimes not, so "journalists" might have the kind of experience that scribewriting.com are employing in their "scribes".
Unrelatedly I know a novelist who runs a bookshop. She writes "young adult" (e.g. young teen) fantasy, if that's a style (a reading level) you'd find suitable. She's a daughter of a colleague of my dad's, lives in The Maritimes and so I guess might have spare time she'd swap for money.
Unrelatedly again I know another colleague of my dad's, one of whose sons is (or was) a lawyer in Boston, and who I think has (at least temporarily) quit his practice in order to help install a Tibetan Buddhist teacher (monk) nearby -- helping to establish a teaching centre or something, I don't know. Not that I have any claim on his time, but he's another example: able to write, presumably; already knows about and values Buddhism; and knows other people too, presumably (so he might say, "I wouldn't do it but I know someone who might be interested").
I was a "professional writer" too, for a while, but writing technical manuals for software products.
I guess any academic (professor or graduate student) might know of semi-professional writers too. I only don't know whether your project could interest them, and/or whether you're looking for anything specific in a writer or publisher beyond just "a professional".
In summary I bet there are a lot of people who know of some professional writers -- and I guess that that any of those (professional writers) are likely to know many more.
If you're looking for professional companies, like scribewriting.com with a process or end-to-end service, I don't know of any/others, but I'm not in that industry. There is a Writing.SE where questions about "publishing" are on-topic -- I guess that asking people to recommend specific publishers might be a "shopping question" and forbidden, but (apart from that) that might be a good place to ask questions about professional writing and publishing in general (perhaps not specific to Buddhism, although who knows perhaps someone knows something about that too).
How much should this cost? scribewriting.com folks charge $36k end-to-end, is this normal?
I've no idea.
I imagine the cost is subject to the "iron triangle" of any project:

Quality: cheaper to do a slap-dash job featuring bugs using less-competent and less-careful staff
Scope: the bigger the more expensive
Schedule: may be cheaper if it's slower, finding the right people, finding cost saving or less-expensive components, doing it in spare time

I don't know that (writing) industry at all. I looked at scribewriting.com --

Their process sounds plausible
It's a multi-person effort (Publisher, Outliner, Scribe, Marketing)
It might (or might not) be cheaper if you found one author (more a jack-of-all-trades)
I don't know what the component breakdown is for that (who gets how much, how much you could save by doing part of it yourself, how much is their corporate profit, whether they give good value for money)

One of the things I notice on their front page is,

We’ve created a process that turns your idea into a book, and only requires about 50 hours on the phone over 7 months.

That ("50 hours" of your time) seems to me very little time in which to write a book, i.e. it represents your offloading a lot of work (a lot of time) from you onto them.
That may be what you want (if you don't have much time to put into the project yourself).
But that might be a reason why the cost is what it is (i.e. substantial): less of your time implies more work for them, so more expensive than e.g. your writing it and someone else's editing and reviewing it.
That might also result in decreased quality? I wonder whether you find the Dalai Lama's books satisfactory, for example -- IMO they're an example of books co-written or ghost-written, perhaps they're a bit superficial.
Your putting only 50 hours into it might imply someone more like a ghostwriter than a co-author, though kudos to you if you're efficient enough to do it. The process is also reminiscent of dhamma talks (i.e. publishing what someone said on a subject).
I was thinking it might be a difficult topic for a random scribe: perhaps you want it to be technical, enlightening, and a good length (sufficient but not excessive). But maybe that responsibility would still be yours, not the scribe's -- 50 hours of (your) speech might be book length. But writing a book yourself takes months, doesn't it? For research and editing etc. If you let them do that then the "good English" might be there, but it might be missing something quality-wise or content-wise, I don't know.
What are the best ways to raise funds for this? Does anyone know a philanthropist that would consider sponsoring a project like this?
If I launched a Kickstarter campaign, would any of you guys consider pre-ordering a book before it was written?
I don't know. No. Yes.
This is a polling question which this Q+A site doesn't support properly. I created a chat room for this question, in case people want to ask question, or post "Me too!" and so, rather than trying to write answers.
Anyone (a potential investor, potential co-author, potential reader) might want to know more about the book you're proposing -- perhaps an outline or table content, maybe the back cover too -- and I think they (e.g. agents and publishers) usually like to see a sample chapter as well (though maybe that's less applicable if you don't intend to write the book yourself).
I presume you have something in mind already. Anyway that's a different topic, a topic on which you're seeking suggestions here.
Anything else I need to know but forgot to ask?
Yes, ask if there's anything to know about Buddhist publishing, rather than writing and publishing in general.

Buddhist resources (e.g. writers)
Buddhist publishers (books, magazines, web sites, conferences)

In the past there have been some authors posting on this site (perhaps including Ronald still). Maybe one of them can offer any advice from their experience, and/or you might contact (perhaps you have already) any Buddhist authors or publishers (to ask for advice), via whatever contact details they may publish.
A chat site for Buddhists (e.g. perhaps the "water cooler" on sutta central) might be a place to ask this question too.
Sorry this is all just general advice, not something I'm an expert in.

You could also think of:

https://www.gofundme.com/tour
https://fundly.com
https://www.plumfund.com/crowdfunding/
https://www.mightycause.com/search/?personalScope=on&page=1&rg=1;34;33;35;36;37

Well, there are probably more options.
Good luck.