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What is Karuṇā? Is 'compassion' really a good translation?
Is compassion really a good translation for Karuna? I've been fooled by "patience" before, now I'm sort of suspicious of the other common translations for the paramitas.
Does karuna in addition to feeling other people's pain also entail regret? In "A Few Good Men" by Nattier, she talks about people on the Bodhisattva path developing karuna by doing a 3 part ritual that is a repentance ritual. This seems far removed from imaginatively feeling the pain of others.
Could it be that Karuna and English compassion, don't cover the same semantic ground?

I do not really know whether this is etymologically correct, but I've read somewhere, that "karuna" might have a common root or a connection with "care" in the sense of "to care for" . I can nicely feel into it if I think of my daughter (it has another tone than only "metta"), and -why not- something with this tone might be meant when it is said the it is the feeling a "good king should have for his people" (as mentioned in the other answer)

Please also check out http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Four_immeasurables ... nyingjé was recently translated for me as "good heart" with a hearty laugh and smile.

Literally, karuna means "to mourn", "to pity", "to lament" - but the Buddhist meaning is quite different.
In Pali Canon karuna is one of the four brahmaviharas, practiced as an antidote against aversion towards people and society due to their shortcomings. Somewhere in the Canon I've read Buddha saying karuna is like what a good king should feel for his people. The king does not complain that his country is imperfect nor does he resent his people! Instead, he appreciates their condition and tries to help them out as much as he can. (This doesn't mean he lets them sleep in his bedroom - he can't solve their problems for them, but he can "give them the fish pole and teach them how to fish".) There is a reason they are called "brahma-vihara"-s, the dwellings of Brahma - the nondualistic all-inclusive God-Absolute. It is like the practitioner takes on the Brahma's perspective.
In Mahayana compassion goes hand in hand with wisdom and skillful means, exemplified by Lotus Sutra's parable of the burning house. It is like compassion of parents towards their children. They know there is sex, but they don't want their children to be harmed by what those are not ready for, yet. They know Santa Claus is an illusion, but because they love their children so much they put the gifts under the Christmas tree.
As you see, in both cases it is a top-down compassion, compassion of superior taking care of the junior, weak, sick, or confused - using whatever tools you have at your disposal, from logic, to useful fiction, to wrath and "tough love". Instead of resenting the way the world is or the people are (=the victim stance), we take the master's stance.
At the same time, part of the practice of deconstructing the ego is to cultivate clear understanding that in principle, there is nothing substantial that makes Bodhisattva "better" than others, beside the luck of having encountered, and benefited from, the genuine teaching. Bodhisattva can relate to everybody's dukkha - because they see that deep inside people are not that different. Everyone is subject to the three marks of existence. Every one is subject to emptiness. Even though Bodhisattva has realized Emptiness, s\he sees how hard it is to not assume things to be real. Bodhisattva can see how people organize their lives around illusions - and how it inevitably leads to suffering. This is why it is said, in one who sees things as they are, compassion arises spontaneously.
So [in my understanding] Buddhist compassion is not as much just feeling other people's pain -- as it is an attitude, a modus operandi permeated with the sense of ownership of and responsibility for the good of all beings - based on being able to relate, to put oneself in their shoes.
P.S.
Several quotes to support my understanding.
Thich Nhat Hanh:

[Karuna is] the intention and capacity to relieve and transform suffering and lighten sorrows. Karuna is usually translated as 'compassion', but that is not exactly correct.

Buddhagosha:

1) When there is suffering in others it makes (karoti) good people’s hearts tremble (kampana), thus it is compassion (karuna).
  2) It combats (kinati) others’ suffering, attacks and demolishes it, thus it is karuna.
  3) or it is dispersed (kiriyati) over the suffering, is spread out through pervasion, thus it is karuna.

The-Teaching-of-Aksayamati-bodhisattva Sutra:

As for this great compassion (maha-karuna), reverend Saradvatiputra, it means "work" or "action" (kar-)
  ...
  [Even if is for the sake of others] it is one's own work - thus it is called "great compassion".

Whether we translate karuna as 'compassion' does not matter that much. Why? Because that compassion which is karuna is defined as "the wish for others to be free from suffering and the causes of suffering". Consequently, the fact that the etymology of 'com-passion' might relate to 'suffering with' and so forth does not really matter, since we are clear on the definition of the so-called "buddhist compassion, which is karuna".

I thought that the way in which the Violence chapter in the Dhammapada starts (e.g. "All tremble at violence; all fear death. Putting oneself in the place of another, one should not kill nor cause another to kill.") implied something about the motive for karuna/compassion i.e. implies that the "com" and "with" might be important.

I agree with you that the "com", "with" aspect might be important. We chose "compassion" over, for instance, "private jet" because the usual meaning of "compassion", its connotations, and maybe even its etymology convey something of the meaning of karuna better than "private jet" does. However, compassion which is karuna has a definition of its own, while 'common' compassion has another lexical universe that does not overlap in all respects.

my take on it is Karuna means that feeling you want others to come out of pain or misery. In contrast with metta, a feeling that you don't want others to be in pain or misery.
Karuna drives you to help, where Metta prevents you from harming others.   My opinion.

That seems to be the usual translation. It's specifically associated with removing afflictions. The PTS dictionary pairs it with (i.e. as a complement of) metta,

Karuṇā (f.) [cp. Vedic karuṇa nt. (holy) action; Sk. karuṇā, fr. kṛ. As adj. karuṇa see under 3.] pity, compassion. Karuṇā is one of the 4 qualities of character significant of a human being who has attained enfranchisement of heart (ceto -- vimutti) in the 4 sentiments, viz. mettā k.˚ upekhā muditā Freq. found in this formula with ˚sahagatena cetasā. The first two qualities are complementary, and SnA 128 (on Sn 73) explains k˚ as "ahita -- dukkh -- âpanaya -- kāmatā," the desire of removing bane and sorrow (from one's fellowmen), whilst mettā is expl. as "hita -- sukh -- ûpanayakāmatā," the desire of bringing (to one's fellow -- men) that which is welfare and good.

I Googled briefly to try to understand what you wrote about "talks about people on the Bodhisattva path developing karuna by doing a 3 part ritual that is a repentance ritual."
Could it be that repentance is needed to earn (i.e. to become the object of) compassion, rather than to generate (i.e. become the author of) compassion? Or that one hopes to attain the object of repentance (i.e. removal of affliction) as a result of enlightened compassion?
Which, may eventually amount to the same thing, if you remove self-and-other duality? Included in the PTS dictionary definition:

feat of great compassion: in which Buddha is represented when rising and surveying the world to look for beings to be worthy of his mercy and help

Then there's pages 154 and 155 of this PDF -- the fourth vow is to repent the evil karma of misdeed (which might be where "repentance" comes from), and one of the three kinds of repentance is Dharma ritual,

There are three kinds of repentance: (1) repentance by Dharma ritual (2)
  repentance by meditation (3) repentance of non-arising. First of all, as to the
  repentance by bowing and chanting sutra, a sinner has to confess his wrongdoing in
  front of the image or statue of the Buddha, as if the Buddhad were there, and to ask
  forgiveness with the sincerity. The sinner has to place his knees, elbows and the head
  on the ground to show the ultimate respect; further, he has to keep chanting the sutra,
  and thinking of the positive meaning of the sutra. Therefore, the physical, verbal and
  mental wrongdoing can be purified by the repentance of Dharma ritual. For example,
  the Lotus sutra (法華經) and Maha karuna dharani Dharma ritual (大悲懺儀)
  repentance are the most popular ones. Secondly, as to the repentance by meditation, etc.

Anyway yes, "compassion" is the most common translation. There's a collection of 17 definitions here.
One of these definitions explains why they don't translate it as "pity" or "sympathy":

Karunā is often translated as “pity” or “sympathy”; since these notions tend to suggest passive attitudes that do not contain the quality of active help that is an essential part of karunā, the concept of “compassion” is more suitable.

This seems far removed from imaginatively feeling the pain of others.

Compassion and empathy aren't quite the same thing.  Here's a post by Buddhist monk Matthieu Ricard explaining more:

Compassion and selfless love are associated with positive emotions. Based on this, in the course of my collaboration with Tania Singer, a neuroscientist Director at the Max Planck Institute in Leipzig, we realized that burnout was actually a due to ‟empathy fatigue” and not to ‟compassion fatigue”. In fact, compassion far from leading to distress and discouragement strengthens our fortitude, our inner balance and our courageous determination to help those who suffer. In essence, from our point of view, love and compassion do not wear out. Rather they help to overcome empathic distress.
These three dimensions — altruistic love, empathy and compassion — are naturally connected. Within altruistic love, or benevolence, empathy alerts us that the other person might be suffering. Compassion — the desire to dispel these sufferings and their causes — follows. Thus, when confronted with suffering, altruistic love, catalyzed by empathy, becomes compassion.

Buddhaghosa says in the Visuddhimagga: "When there is suffering in others it causes (karoti) good people's hearts to be moved (kampana), thus it is compassion (karuna). Or alternatively, it combats (kinati) others' suffering, attacks and demolishes it, thus it is compassion. Or alternatively, it is scattered (kiriyati) upon those who suffer, it is extended to them by pervasion, thus it is compassion (karuna)."
Stephen Jenkins writes in Action Dharma that the paragraph above alludes to “three verb roots that may be the base of the noun karuna kr, meaning to make, cause, or act; kṛt, meaning to cut or break; and kṛr, which can mean to disperse or spread.”
He continues, "It is notable that the second of Buddhaghosa's roots, krt, meaning to cut or break, gives an even more explicitly active meaning to compassion which is not merely affective, but actually removes the suffering of others."
Like in the Visuddhimagga, the Aksayamatinirdesa Sutra plays on the similarities of arana, meaning action/work and, Karuna. In my experience, compassion is an active attribute, not passive, like empathy or patience. However, they might very well be two sides of the same coin.
Buddhaghosa points at an indiscriminate compassion that only exists in "good people" and, it ends "others' suffering" on contact. It's also extremely important to note that compassion is not directed towards man alone, but animals as well. He speaks of the "suffering other", not the "suffering human."

Personally, I tend to think 'solicitude' or 'tender-heartedness' are more adequate translations than 'compassion' (though I don't think it's a huge issue). The term 'compassion' always feels a bit distanced to me, as though we are sitting on our cushions fully understanding that others are in a misery of ignorance, but holding it as an abstraction, not really connecting with it. 'Tender-heartedness' suggests that we feel the pain in our own hearts that arises as we face the miseries that others are caught in. This pulls things a bit closer to the original sense of karunā as 'mourning': it is our own sorrow over the nature of the human world that rises within us.
A while back I was talking with a friend of mine — a youngish woman I knew from school — who was having a moment of heartbreak over something her boyfriend of the time had done. I listened, and in that hearing I had a moment (like an echo chamber, or a hall of mirrors) where I felt as though the sound of countless women across every time and place was washing over me, all voicing the same heartbreak over the same action. That sense of constantly recurring heartbreak, of a karmic pulse of misery as regular and inescapable as waves crashing on a shore... That tore at my own heart, a heartbreak over heartbreak. That, I think, is the essence of karunā.

Maybe a useful source not to simply give it a name, but also to educate it in the way it was thought by the Buddha, maybe such as real "care or charge" for others is well put. As it was said "The desire to free others form suffering" and not only this but being confident that one actually does the best when sitting in brahmavihara meditation: Educating Compassion

We have two words in English, "empathy" and "compassion," that are similar to "karuna" but not identical to it.
Empathy particularly involves "feeling another's pain," and that process is not shared by the Buddhas. They understand your pain, but are free from it. Buddhas don't suffer "with us," but they do love us unconditionally and work for our betterment.


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Meditation posture and language as a monk in Thailand
I am not able to sit in the lotus position. I'm only 24 years old but quite tall (189 cm). Usually I sit in this position:

(I googled the picture, it's from EMPFOHLENE MEDITATIONS-POSITIONEN UND SITZHALTUNGEN)

If I want to enter a monastery in Thailand and become a monk, is it a problem if I can't sit in the lotus position for meditation but in the position I posted above? I'm asking this, because I have never seen a monk meditating in a position different from the lotus position.
I suffer from back problems and need to workout regularly in order to reduce the pain in my back. My back muscles need regular workout because they are weak. Is it possible to perform basic exercises in my own room or is it against the vinaya?
While being in a monastery in Thailand, is it possible to improve my skills in english in order to understand the instructions perfectly? I understand english pretty well but I have difficulties in speaking sometimes. I have learned english at school for 3 years only (I've had some help when writing these questions). So my skills are pretty basic. Or is it possible to learn thai?

Thanks in advance for taking your time to answer my questions.

I understand why you asked this as one question... sometimes I think it would be easier to get good answers if we did not mix multiple questions together...

Answering from the Ajahn Tong (Mahasi-like) vipassana lineage I am somewhat familiar with:

Sitting posture is not a problem. Most people in Thailad, as far as I have seen, practice in the "burmese" posture, having legs flat on the floor (one in front of the other one), but some were sitting in the chair (without leaning) for health reasons.
You will be likely a lay practitioner (on 8 precepts) for some time, before you ordain, but the practice is the same anyway. The most important is that you practice and learn to deal with the situation you have, including back pain, skillfully. That might include some exercise, but also facing the pain in meditation. In fact many people think they have back pain because they have weak muscles (exactly as you say), but it is in fact meditation pain, which is very useful (which does not mean you like it) training for you; it goes away after some time. Your teacher will guide you through that territory while on retreat.
Out of the thousands temples in Thailand, only a minority does meditation, and only a few of them has English-speaking sections (I can recommend, from this lineage, the Chom Tong temple, http://www.northernvipassana.org/about.html; the other ones I know of are Wat Rampoeng and Wat Doi Suthep). You don't need extreme language skills to do Vipassana, just enough to understand the instruction; if you learn Thai in long-term, good, but I would not see it as something to start with. In some centers, there might be yogis speaking your language (French?) which could translate for you.

Before being too far in your plans about becoming a monk, you could do retreats (starting with the 2-3 week "basic course") without long travels to Asia for the start, and then see if the practice is suitable for you; I posted some of the centers from this tradition in Europe in this answer; in France, there is a group organizing retreats regularly which may also help you find a suitable place.

What is "meditation pain"?

This term refers to pain one may experience in meditation but does not signal dangerous body condition -- e.g. when one has numb legs, the meditator might think (s)he will have necrosis unless s(he) moves, or back pain, which usually disappears the moment one leaves the cushion. It is a natural part of meditation. Middle way is the important rule -- working with the pain if possible, use it for insight, see also the mind's reaction to it (anger, self-pity, switch-off, fear, ..; very useful), but not torture oneself by remaining in position which is unbearable, and mindfully adjust the posture.

Thank you for your reply. I have problems with my back for 8 years already. I have a slight scoliosis and since nearly 2 years chronic pain in my  left shoulder. I'm making a physiotherapy and the therapist told me that i need regular exercise. I'm worried that it gets worse if i go to a monastery and can't exercise there.

PS: My native language is German.

For german-speaking centers in Europe, look at Dhammacari (in Bavaria/Bayern) and Tisarana (in Prague); in Thailand, there are quite often German yogis or teachers in Wat Chom Tong.

source: Stack Exchange

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Has anyone seen any meditation master demonstrating abhinna or supernatural powers?
Has anyone seen any meditation master demonstrating abhinna or supernatural powers stated in various suttas and in Visuddhi Magga? I know, most will suggest me to keep practicing meditation to see or experience it by myself. But I would like to hear from modern day people about their practical experiences, not from the suttas and texts.
PS: It's not about starting a debate. Basically it's just yes/no answer based on practical experiences. I would love to hear it.

Doesn't the Vinaya more or less forbid monks from claiming to have psychic powers, and forbid demonstrating such powers to lay people?

Ok, leave the monks. There are many meditation masters who are lay people, not monks, and now they are teaching worldwide. In the net, I have found the names of Sharon Salzberg and others, the names of which I can't figure out right now. Anyway, if Buddhism promises psychic powers with 4th jhana, and if these masters achieved that state, then they should possess psychic powers and it should have been manifested somehow as mind reading and so on.

With the squeamishness and outright censorship that supranormal powers are treated with today, you'd think that they were Buddhism's dirty little secret...some dark, clandestine history that's best left forgotten.  The fact of the matter is that iddhis occur quite frequently in the sutta pitaka, commentaries and non canonical texts, the Tibetan Tantras, and in the accounts of many famous Buddhist figures such as Moggallana, Milarepa, and even modern teachers like Chogyam Trungpa.  The Buddha does mention that we shouldn't give too much thought to these abilities for much the same reason you wouldn't teach advanced woodworking to someone who hasn't touched a saw.  Lacking the appropriate context and practical understanding, they can be a distraction if introduced too early in one's practice.  This isn't to say, however, that they aren't worthy of discussion.
One of the purposes of the the supramundane powers is to serve as a kind of corrugated approach to the development of concentration.  They are another vector for approaching samatha practice.  According to the Visuddhimagga, the supramundane powers aid the adept so he will "more easily perfect the development of understanding" (Vism. 12.1).  They also serve as means of inspiration "[i]n order to show the benefits of developing concentration to clansmen whose concentration has reached the fourth jhána, and in order to teach progressively refined Dhamma" (Vism. 12.2).  The kind of mental suppleness and malleability developed through these practices aid the adept in the the development of wisdom in ways that extend well beyond the psychic abilities they might achieve.
However, while these practices have their place in the teaching, you are unlikely to find anyone practicing them today.  Even if they do exist, they aren't exactly easy to master.  Here is just one prerequisite from the fourteen ways of taming the mind that Buddhaghosa outlines for the cultivation of iddhis:

[H]aving attained the first jhána in the earth kasina, he again
  attains that same jhána in the fire kasina and then in the blue kasina
  and then in the red kasina, this is called skipping kasinas. (ix) When
  he skips both jhánas and kasinas in the following way: having attained
  the first jhána in the earth kasina, he next attains the third in the
  fire kasina, next the base consisting of boundless space after
  removing the blue kasina, next the base consisting of nothingness
  [arrived at] from the red kasina, this is called skipping jhánas and
  kasinas. (Vism. 12.6)

Reading that, there are a few things that strike a modern reader immediately.  First, the emphasis on samatha is obvious.  Samatha has fallen out of vogue, especially in the West, in favor of practices like insight meditation.  Next, while there are some teachers in the Western world and still others in Asia teaching samatha, few teach kasina meditation.  Even less teach the formless attainments.  Finally, of what few teachers we have, few of them have lay or even monastic students who have developed concentration to this degree.
Even Buddhaghosa recounts how rare a feat the supramundane powers are:

It is not possible for a meditator to begin to accomplish
  transformation by supernormal powers unless he has previously
  completed his development by controlling his mind in these fourteen
  ways. Now, the kasina preliminary work is difficult for a beginner and
  only one in a hundred or a thousand can do it. The arousing of the
  sign is difficult for one who has done the preliminary work and only
  one in a hundred or a thousand can do it. To extend the sign when it
  has arisen and to reach absorption is difficult and only one in a
  hundred or a thousand can do it. To tame one’s mind in the fourteen
  ways after reaching absorption is difficult and only one in a hundred
  or a thousand can do it. The transformation by supernormal power after
  training one’s mind in the fourteen ways is difficult and only one in
  a hundred or a thousand can do it. Rapid response after attaining
  transformation is difficult and only one in a hundred or a thousand
  can do it.  (Vism 12.8)

I'll let you do the math on that one.  :-)

It is not desirable to answer such questions because inevitably some smart cookie will debate every example by offering counter examples of parlor magicians who can do the same.
As the Kevatta Sutta states, the real magic is in the bringing of peace, happiness and goodness to the hearts and minds of people.
It is a magic that cannot be argued against.

Sansayan: the short answer to your question is yes, I have.  A Sri Lankan monk who is now deceased for some years now, Ven Anandamaitreya, definitely had acquired it.  There is nothing unique to this period of time, in its essence.  Every generation in the past had always thought of their time as "modern".  The problem is that those who have achieved any abhinna always seem to be extremely reluctant to talk about it or even to let people know they have acquired it.  The reasons are manifold.  It is only if you know the person extremely well and is trusted implicitly that you may come to know of it.  One exception may be an American now living in Florida, who claims to have achieved a couple of abhinnas.  Of course, he also claims to have acquired the four mundane material jhanas in the course of a few months. So, form your own opinions about him.  But he has a website which you can visit.  It is www.jhana8.com.  "Meditation without religion" is apparently what this site is about.  It has also expanded to provide "courses" in meditation.  The .com extension is also what gives the game away.
So, the above is an attempt to answer your question.  But now, I would be remiss if I didn't take the opportunity to state that acquisition of abhinnas is immaterial to achieving wisdom and enlightenment.  They can be achieved with exceptional achievement in absorption-concentration.  They can, in fact, be a distraction and detract from the real goal: bodhi, as Ahmed says above, which may be one reason Lord Buddha did not emphasize them.  The path of jhana, both material and immaterial jhanas are the path of the samathayanaka.  The vipassanayanaka can also achieve enlightenment and he may not even have acquired a single jhana, let alone abhinna.  Abhinnas are a side show.
Best Wishes
Pradip

I guess you are referring to Ven. Balangoda Ananda Maitreya.

I have heard that there are. But they don't demonstrate publicly of course. The people close to them know.
But might have heard @Sansayan, such powers is not the desired outcome of the practice, but rather a side effect. But anyone can achieve them if they wish.

Yes. John Chang in this video demonstrates fire.
The book "The Magus of Java" explains his spiritual journey and teachings.
I would recommend reading that but there are many correlations between Buddhism and Taoism that should be learned before reading into such anecdotal books. I would recommend Bill Bodri and Master Nan's material to study this non-denominational topic further because the Buddha chose not to emphasize this inferior achievement (of physical transformation). Having an understanding of this topic in this day and age can serve to dis-enchant you from the physical side of things so you can obsess over what truly matters: bodhi.

Maybe that video demonstrates psychic ignition ... or maybe not.

@GreenMatt Judging from the book(s), my lack of experience, and my indifference... I'll say it's real and keep cultivating. The Buddha talked about these things anyway and mentioned what is more important.

Maybe , maybe not
It is possible to achieve those things , but when a person achieves it , his mind has developed to a very high level. So there is no need or desire in his mind. Thus , he do not need to show off his powers . And there are people who can send their minds to different places and see whats going on . Specially in India and Sri Lanka.
If you want to see how they have achieved it you can go to those countries and learn from a teacher ,you can't learn those things by reading books. Must learn from a person who has practical knowledge ,but in the process you will loose all your desires and needs , and you won't use your abilities even if you have them. So it is impossible for other people to even believe that those people exist.
So ,
Maybe , maybe not...

Books like Venerable Ācariya Mun Bhūridatta Thera by Ajaan Mahā Boowa Ñānasampanno has accounts of such situations in modern times.
Though not result of Abhinna I have seen monks with a glowing halo around their heads.

Yes, John Chang or Dynamo Jack

Dynamo Jack has mastered the practice of Qi Gong through years of
  practice involving Meditation, Isolation and intense Concentration.
  Jack is an advocate for Eastern medicine and Holistic approaches to
  healing.
  He was able to create an Electric current from his stomach.  Jack has been filmed lighting a Newspaper using energy created by his own
  body, emanating from his hands. Jack is believed to have Psychic and
  Paranormal powers. Jack has had a Mystic teacher, Liau Tsu-Tong, who
  helped him become a guru. He was trained in the MoPai, an Esoteric
  part of the Mo Tzu School of Thought.

Here is the link1 link2 where he is shown catching bullets, burning papers with his bare hands, giving electric shocks to people who touch him and he explained how he is doing this with Qi, so this is not some black magic.

I just looked up "Abhinna" in Google, and eventually found this page. I'm the American from Florida that has the Jhana8.com site. My name is Vern Lovic. I am not Buddhist or any other religion. I have no agenda, except to further the idea that meditation without religion can lead to Jhana states and possibly Abhinna...
I won't go through a huge history about what happened with me. In short, I read some meditation books in the late 1990's. I wasn't looking for a religion to be attached to the meditation, so I thought - why not just pull the essence from the Vipassana and other books? Pull out all the religious fluff and sit and look at the breath... and see what happened.
What happened was that Jhanas came without me having known in advance about them. I had no idea what a first Jhana was, and then there it was... I had no idea what to do when the amazing light grew in my mind... I had no teacher, I had no authority. So, I just did what I did with everything - note it, and let it go. When it didn't go - I watched it. It was the same with all the Jhanas, which occurred in sequence one after another exactly as the Buddha described.
If it was an incredible state, I was sometimes attached to it, and couldn't let it go. It disappeared until another time when it arose, and I could let it happen, observe with the mind until it either disappeared, moved into something else (another Jhana or experience), or I somehow lost focus and snapped out of the Jhanas.
Anyway, there is a lot of information about my experience at the jhana8.com site. I chose .com because everyone chooses .com, not for any specific reason. I sell my two meditation books on the site. I also mention that if someone doesn't have the money, I will send it to them for free.
Abhinna seemed to occur to me in a few different ways. I was already experiencing the fourth Jhana regularly during sitting meditation, and then on a few occasions some weird things happened that appeared to be the Divine Eye, and mind-penetrating knowledge.
Here is one experience that I am open to believing it could be the Divine Eye Abhinna... http://www.jhana8.com/what-is-abhinna/my-divine-eye-experience/
I understand people disbelieving a person can get into and through the Jhanas in under a year. I think it is available to so many more people than are currently experiencing it. I think that because I didn't know what the Jhanas were, and that they were important to Buddhists - and not being Buddhist - they were not important to me, I could let them go so easily - as if they were nothing. They really were nothing more than just another experience as I meditated. There were many strange things that went on prior to Jhanas, so to me they were just another bunch of experiences. They were cool, they were amazing, but so too were some other experiences.
I think that Buddhist monks, and other Buddhist practitioners have a much more difficult time of ever stumbling upon Jhana because they are aiming for them. They are so strongly attached to the idea of experiencing Jhana that they make it the main goal. As you may know, when you are attached to something, to some experience, during meditation, it just goes... it doesn't stay any longer. The experience stops, and you're left looking at yourself like - oops!
So, when monks first creep up on Jhana, they are already ecstatic about it. Emotion, attachment engages, and there goes Jhana - bye-bye! lol.
Anyway, so, I just wanted to comment a bit about Jhana and Abhinnas because I saw a reference to me above in the comments. I have lived in Thailand now for 12 yrs. I have reached a point where I don't meditate at all... but some changes have taken place even after I stopped meditating. It seems to me that once the process really starts - say, maybe by the time you start experiencing the fourth Jhana - it kind of keeps going, regardless whether you're going to keep meditating, or not. I like to say, it has its way with you...
There are 2 audio files you can listen to to hear about my path - I think they are on the about page on that jhana8 site.
Ok, cheers, and best of life to everyone... VJL

In Thailand we have many teachers and students with abinna abilities. It isnt something we talk about much but we use the seeing other's minds ability to help students recognize mental phenomena for mindfulness for insight. To get them on the right track.
We also use the ability to see beings after their death to reassure survivors and/or help deceased relatives of students.

all_licenses: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

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Is there a connection between Lord Buddha & Hinduism?
I am new to Buddhism & exploring it. Recently I came across this video which made me ask few questions & they are:
1)They have shown image of Lord Shiva at 13:50 above the baby(Lord Buddha). Even in Hinduism Buddha is considered one the avatars of Lord Vishnu. So is there a connection between Buddha,Shiva & Vishnu.
2)Lastly in this video they said child's(Buddha) parents are Brahmins. So was Buddha a 'Hindu Brahmin' before he attained enlightenment?

I think, nobody except of someone who himself is a Buddha, can know this. The Hindu might think so; the buddhists don't think so. Also, all oral and scriptual transmission in buddhism say that Gautama was not offspring of a brahmin but of a former warriors tribe/caste (Sakyans) .

Hi Varun Krish and welcome to Buddhism SE. We have a Guide and a Resource tab for new users that you might like. Enjoy your time here.

No all concept that shivah, vishnu, krishna are just try by brahmins to corrupting Buddhism. It's myth those all deities were reincarnation of Buddha. Mahabhrata and ramayana are just mythology. If you really want to know Buddhism read Buddha and His Dhamma by Dr. B. R. Ambedkar.

@Swapnil don't you know that even Buddha narrated Ramayana in one of his Jataka tales? You are speaking as if Brahmins corrupted Buddhism. Don't you know that many important Buddhist philosophers were Brahmins? (Nagarjuna, Arya Deva, Vasubandhu, etc)

@Naveen Kick In which Jataka tale he have narrated? I know Ramayana is also corrupted read "Sacchi Ramayana" by Periyar Ramaswami.

@Naveen Kick And if shiv is avatar of Buddha why Buddha would be violent and aggressive? Why Buddha would beheaded his own son?

@Swapnil read Daśharatha Jataka. Of course the Ramayana he narrated is slightly different from Valmiki Ramayana. Also, when did I say Shiva is avatar of Buddha?

@Naveen Kick I'll read. I didn't mean you said I'm talking about question context.

Of course there is connection between Lord Buddha and Hinduism! Lord Buddha grew up studying many teachings of Hinduism as well as Jainism. But he was not satisfied with the answers he was getting. He found that some of the Hinduist teachings were confusing or not applicable to practical life - and he also found that some of the Brahmin priests were corrupt and unethical. (Maybe you can see some of this remain true even today!) So he decided to put all their teachings in practice 100% completely -- to see if he can get to the very end and achieve the results they were claiming possible. He practiced 100% pure ethical conduct, at level of pure actions, pure speech and even pure thoughts. He studied Hinduist philosophy, all various branches that existed at his time. He also practiced very strict meditation. Then he understood that even his teachers were confused!  After many years of study and practice he understood the same Dharma that was in the origin of Hinduism and Jainism - and understood it with great clarity and without confusion. Then he spent the rest of his life explaining and teaching this Ancient Dharma that he re-discovered. Later on his teachings were re-incorporated back into Hinduism and some of them were even included into the Bhagavat-Gita. And he was given the honorary title of Vishnu Avatar - which just means the he was an embodiment of the abstract energy of Sat Dharma (eternal true way). But to answer your second question, no Lord Buddha's parents were not Brahmins, they were Kshatriyas - although when he was a little boy he had a Brahmin teacher his father has arranged for him. All this you can know from Buddhist texts that preserved stories told by Lord Buddha himself to his students. You can find many of them in English translation on this site: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/ or if you read Pali (an ancient language similar to Sanskrit) you can read them in the original language here: https://suttacentral.net/mn
Of course I must add that around the time of Lord Buddha, Vedic Hinduism was religion of the pro-Aryan government while the Shramana movement (the melting pot of wandering ascetics, of which Lord Buddha was the winner of the jack-pot) was in major political opposition. So it is no wonder that Brahmins were trying to show Buddhism as in part wrong and in part no different from Hinduism (by assimilating those very popular parts of Buddhism that they could not argue with). As we both know, the Aryans and the Vedic Hinduism have won - although Buddhism survived outside of India and is now experiencing renaissance even in India, especially among the lower casts coming from Dravidian "untouchables".

Your post does answer my question but within that I doubt your claim related to Bhagavat-Gita. Its more than 5000 years old text related to Mahabharata, which is millenniums apart from Buddha's timeline, so Bhagavat-Gita can't be totally Buddha's teachings. Some of it might have been incorporated but i don't believe it unless I see some facts related to your claim.

According to modern scientists, Bhagavat-Gita was written between 4th century BC and 2nd century AD. Sorry I was not clear - of course it is not Buddha's teaching, it is written in a Smarti (Hinduism Synthesis) tradition, incorporating and harmonizing elements of all schools - but it does have elements of Buddhist influence and/or polemics with Buddhism. You can read more about this in the following two books:

https://books.google.com/books?id=JBbznHuPrTYC&lpg=PR9&ots=kOdYTZYZdL&dq=The%20Impact%20of%20Early%20Buddhism%20on%20Hindu%20Thought&pg=PR18#v=onepage&q=The%20Impact%20of%20Early%20Buddhism%20on%20Hindu%20Thought&f=false or on Amazon: Early Buddhism and the Bhagavadgita

http://www.exoticindiaart.com/book/details/bhagavadgita-and-buddhism-IDL127/ or on Amazon: The Bhagavadgita and Buddhism

Oh so due to Shramana movement Lord Buddha is not much worshiped in many parts of India, However Buddha seems to affect the largest number of people's lives on entire planet.

@AndreiVolkov "Then he spent the rest of his life explaining and teaching this Ancient Dharma that he re-discovered" this your saying is incorrect. Buddha had come to realize the 9th Dhyana, 滅盡定, which was the extra from all the rest of Dhyana(s) known, namely, the 8 Dhyana(s) the topmost taught by his teacher Alara Kalama 非想非非想定. Your "Pali (an ancient language similar to Sanskrit)" claim is yet to be re-studied. It's not certain if Pali is a real language spoken by certain ancient people, Pali means "line". Pali is highly mythologized/sainted by the modern conventional Theravadist.

HInduism did not even exist when Gotama was alive & evidence needs to be provided Gotama studied Jainism. To me, this is a very low quality post, without any references to support it.

Prior to the Buddha (born 563 or 480 BCE), was the historical Vedic religion (1750 - 500 BCE), followed by the shramanic movement (500 - 200 BCE), and the beginnings of the Upanishadic movement within Hinduism (500 - 200 BCE). Buddhism is also considered to be part of the shramanic movement. Vedanta came later as part of Classical Hinduism (200 BCE - 1100 CE). You can find this information here.
Prince Gautama (therefore a kshatriya, not brahmin), after leaving home, followed the shramanic traditions which were based on asceticism. Jainism was one of the major shramanic traditions at the time. The Pali Canon (DN2) has descriptions of various shramanic teachings at the time (Pūraṇa Kassapa, Makkhali Gosāla, Ajita Kesakambalī, Pakudha Kaccāyana, Sanjaya Belatthiputta and Mahavira). These teachings may or may not be compatible with Hinduism at the time.
Gautama tried to follow the different teachings at the time (Hindu and shramanic teachings) and found that it did not lead to the goal that he sought. And you know the rest of the story of how he found enlightenment and started teaching.
The Buddha did not accept the authority of the Vedas, preached that a Supreme Creator God did not exist and also taught anatta, which implied that there is no permanent absolute self (atman). All these contradicted the teachings of Hinduism at his time. The teaching of anatta and the Buddhist version of karma also contradicted Jain teachings.
According to the Krsna Consciousness (ISKCON) movement on this page, the Buddha, the Avatar of Vishnu, gave false atheistic teachings to the hedonistic nihilistic atheists who were living a sinful lifestyle, so that they can practise virtues, while remaining atheists, because God was kind to them and knew that they would never accept God and the "true" teachings which has both virtues and devotion to God. He also preached against the sacrifice of animals which was an abuse of Vedic sacrificial rites. The Krsna devotees therefore respect the Buddha but reject his teachings.
The idea that the Buddha is an Avatar of Vishnu comes from the Hindu text Bhagavata Purana, which was written around 500 - 1000 CE. It is possible that this was one way to bring Buddhist converts back to Hinduism, while reconciling the Buddha's position.
Did the Buddha say that he was an Avatar of Vishnu? No. According to the Buddhavamsa, he was the Bodhisattva Śvetaketu who resided in the Tushita heavans, before being born as the human Prince Gautama. Please see this answer.
The Hindu text Brahma Sutras, written around 200 BCE, has some criticism of Buddhism as found in this question.
Later on, Buddhist teachings was found to influence Hindu philosophy, to give rise to Advaita Vedanta. Even the Indian Mahayana schools of Madhyamaka and Yogacara predate the Advaita Vedanta school and Adi Shankara by centuries. Please see this answer for details. This meeting point of Advaita and Mahayana, now has the highest level of philosophical compatibility between the two religions. In fact, Advaita philosophers were accused of being Buddhists in disguise. However, anatta still keeps the two religions apart, philosophically.
The Hindu philosopher and scholar Adi Shankara who expanded Advaita, was also responsible in reviving Hinduism once again in India, and may have caused the decline of Buddhism and Jainism in India. However, Buddhism spread outside India.

Can you explain Tushita heavans a bit please

You can find more info here. Out of the 31 realms of existence, the realm of the contented devas (tusita deva) is number 9.

There is no connection between Buddha and hinduism. Buddha the awaken and intelligent had denied Vedas and the brahmanas which were the main religious books of Hindus saying that it was not based on facts and logics. He said no to veda then how can he tell aomething about bhagavatgeetha.. bhagavatgeetha is simply a story what did he had to do with it. He said no to chaturvarna and spoke about equality but all Hindu mythology is about varna system and suppress and oppress women and shudras. Buddha was doing a social reform giving equality and you talk about the Hindu Vishnu incarnation which is totally irrelevant. He says there are no janmas and karmas of past life. There is only one life and everyone should go in the righteous path. He totally deneid the idea that god created us or there was a creator. He was an atheist. His teaching never said anyone to worship god instead to leave all the dogmas that Hindu had already put in the minds of people and said to evolve and be intelligent. Buddha means awaken. Anyone who lives in the natures principle and practising it can be buddha. He never mentioned buddhism anywhere.

When Gotama was alive, Hinduism did not even exist. The religion of the Brahmans at that time is best called Brahmanism. The Pali suttas show the Buddha knew about the Four Vedas of Brahmanism. Both an examination of the Vedas plus an examination of the interactions between the Buddha & Brahmans shows there was no systematic doctrine of karma & reincarnation in the Vedas. It appears the Brahmans believed they were born a special group from Brahma's breathe or mouth and would return to Brahma in heaven.
Therefore, what became known as Hinduism, with its various doctrines, such as; (i) the desireless Bhagavada Gita; (ii) the Trimurti of creation (Brahma), maintenance (Vishnu) & destruction (Shiva) and (iii) reincarnation over many lifetimes until reuniting with Brahma (whatever it is;  was probably influenced by Buddhism & the later self-corruptions of Buddhism.
I think the common view that the Buddha was influenced by Hinduism is completely the opposite of the truth; that the truth is Hinduism was influenced by Buddhism.

Just would like to highlight the following things happened with respect to the ongoing discussions.
Quotation from Wiki:
In 1999, at the Maha Bodhi Society in Sarnath, Jagadguru Sankaracharya, Jayendra Saraswati of Kanchi matha and Vipassana Acharya S. N. Goenka after having a mutual discussion, gave a joint communiqué agreeing on the following three points.

Due to whatever reason some literature was written in India in the past in which the Buddha was declared to be a re-incarnation of Vishnu and other various false things about him, this was very unpleasant. In order to foster friendlier ties between Hindus and Buddhists we decide that whatever has happened in the past should be forgotten and such belief should not be propagated.
A misconception has spread in the neighbouring countries that the Hindu society of India is organising such conferences to prove its dominance over the followers of the Buddha. To forever remove this misconception we declare that both Vedic and Samana are ancient traditions of India (Vishnu belongs to the vedic tradition and Buddha belongs to the Samana tradition). Any attempt by one tradition to show it higher than the other will only generate hatred and ill will between the two. Hence such a thing should not be done in future and both traditions should be accorded equal respect and esteem.
Any body can attain high position in the society by doing good deeds. One becomes a low person in society if one does evil deeds. Hence anybody by doing good deeds and removing the defilement’s such as passion, anger, arrogance, ignorance, greed, jealousy and ego can attain a high position in society and enjoy peace and happiness.

Courtesy quoted in an article in a blog https://karutharangam.blogspot.jp/2013/06/


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Does the concept of Brahma muhurta (time of Brahma) exist in Buddhism?
On Buddhist retreats and at most Buddhist monasteries the morning meditation session is at around 4:30 or 5:00 am.

In Hinduism, Brahma muhurta (time of Brahma) is a period (muhurta) one and a half hours before sunrise or more precisely 1Hr 36 Mins before sunrise. i.e. 96 Minutes = 2 Muhūrta or 4 Ghaṭīkā,and each Muhurta lasting for 48 minutes. Literally meaning "God's Hour", it is traditionally the last phase or muhurta of the night and is considered an auspicious time for all practices of yoga and most appropriate for meditation, worship or any other religious practice.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmamuhurtha
Is there a similar theoretical basis in Buddhism? If so, where can I learn more about it?
Side note: I've been automatically waking up at 4:00-4:30 am now for sometime now without intending to. It doesn't matter how tired I am, or how late I go to bed, I come fully awake at this time, and my eyes aren't burning or showing any signs of fatigue. I'll sit up and mediate in bed after a little washing up. After an hour or so (actually 48 minutes sounds about right, I don't set a timer so I can't confirm) I will go back to bed or about the day after a little more meditation, depending on my schedule. I find this automatic process quite fascinating. That's how I started to research this phenomenon.

Actually, this is not a mandate of Hinduism - It is a fact of nature and universe and the order natural cycles; daily, seasonal, annual. Natural cycles of body & environment have been documented & researched scientifically in Ayurveda - Science of Life. The body, mind & environment undergoes shift between Kapha, Pitta & Vata and Sattva, Rajas & Tamas - I recommend reading up on Ayurveda.
Hence, certain kind of foods, herbs & timings affect your system. e.g. your digestive energy is connected to the Sun, highest at Noon hence ability to digest more, while digestive fire goes down after sunset

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circadian_rhythm

@Ryan These appear different from circadian rhythms based waking up - I can't explain better, but intuitively feels different.

I see. I hope your practice is going well :)

I am unable to find a reference, but I have heard at a Dhamma sermon that the Buddhist monks are advised to get up at 4 in the morning, then clean the mouth and have a light soup which consists of salt, water and may be some other ingredients.(A light soup with salt in it) After that monks are advised to learn the Dhamma, may be memorizing, understanding etc. So yes it is advised to get up at 4 am and study but I am not sure whether the term Brahma Muhurtha is used in that scenario. Outside the Dhamma, many studies have been done on morning people and they have been found to be more successful, proactive and happier.
http://www.inc.com/news/articles/2010/07/research-says-morning-people-are-more-proactive.html
http://www.prevention.com/health/sleep-energy/study-finds-morning-people-are-happier
Laymen also can follow these steps and can become happier and more successful in reaching their visions.

I've not encountered this in the suttas, but certainly discipline and practice are (always) strongly recommended, so if you have a routine which promotes these, it would seem to be beneficial.
(I've also never read anything contrary to the idea, and it may be built into the monastic framework implicitly.)


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Devas and their appearance
Far as i know Devas are born without parents so why are they in two genders?
If they have no biological need to reproduce what is the reason for two genders and if the Devas are born after doing many good and noble things in this world, how are their companions and concubines are born, are they residing in a world inhabited by other beings?

Not sure if this makes a difference because I don't know much about devas myself, but- are you interested in a specific tradition's take on this, or all of them? If a specific one, adding in some applicable tags might help you to get a better answer.

Do you have any references from Buddhist texts for stating that they have two genders or whether they have concubines and children?

@ruben2020 they can't have children in deva realm.For the rest of your comment, yes there is a whole sutra/sutta called "Vimana vattu" dedicated to explain it.   You can find a sermon about it here    http://mahamevnawa.lk/inenglish/dhamma-talks/                               Thank you for the comment  :)

Reproduction is not the only function of having opposite genders. If that is the case, both males and females should look the same when sexual organs are covered. Even at the beginning(Agganna sutta) of man kind, reproduction happened as a result of beings who looked different getting attracted to the differences.
Companion nymphs are beings who get born in heavens due to less powerful karma. Their main duty is to entertain the Deva who owns them.

Your saying - "If that is the case, both males and females should look the same when sexual organs are covered." Other than some alternations of sizes we are actually alike.Sex is not the only thing that defines a body structure evolution plays a big part in this,making a body that can withstand the impacts of nature.Humans are very much alike when in comes to appearance between genders.We even share some unwanted parts (Google this - reason for male nipples).I value your opinion just wanted to add by perspective.


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What are the Devaputra / Devaputta?
I have occasionally heard about the Devaputra (Sans.) or Devaputta (Pal.), particularly in regards to Mahayana, but haven't been able to find out very much about what exactly these are, as a category or class.
Presumably they are not the same thing as the sons (and daughters) of Devas in Hinduism (and in also Greek mythology), wherein they usually refer to the physical progeny of divinities, who are often have supernatural powers and are involved in heroic exploits.
What do Devaputra mean in Buddhist thought?

At least based on the Pali Canon and its commentary, devaputta are precisely what you state:  sons of devas with comparable divine powers.
For instance, the Pali Canon's Samyutta Nikaya's second chapter is entitled, "Devaputta Samyutta," and collects discourses involving the Buddha (or one of his disciples) engaging with a devaputta.  (You can find free, on-line translations of a few of these discourses at http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/index.html#sn2 .)  In his introduction to the Wisdom Publication edition of the Samyutta Nikaya, Bhikkhu Bodhi writes:

The devaputtas, or 'sons of the devas,' are young devas newly arisen in their respective heavenly planes; devaduhitās, 'daughters of the devas,' are also mentioned in the commentary but none appear in this saṃyutta. The commentary says these beings are reborn spontaneously in the laps of the devas.... [I]t is surprising to find that several of [the devaputta] — or at least their verses — have already appeared in the Devatāsaṃyutta [which is the preceding chapter in which the Buddha engages with adult devas].... This suggests that the dividing line between the two classes of deities is not a hard and fast one, just as the dividing line between an adult and an adolescent is not hard and fast...  (Source: Bodhi, Bhikkhu, 2005-06-10. The Connected Discourses of the Buddha: A New Translation of the Samyutta Nikaya, Kindle Locations 1285-1293. Perseus Books Group. Kindle Edition.)

Just to note, the referenced commentaries were likely written centuries after the Samyutta Nikaya itself, and thus have significantly less authority.  In addition, I know you expressed particular interest in Mahayana tradition and the Pali Canon is most closely aligned with the Theravadan tradition; nonetheless, this canon provides a basis for understanding much of the Mahayana cosmology.
I hope this helps,
Larry

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

Hi @Lanka, thank you so much for so kindly sharing the guide and resource tab.  I will review them presently.  Mahametta, Larry

No problem:) Hope you will enjoy your time here.


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What practices can aid (or not ruin) the mahasi style meditation?
This question goes specifically to theravada insight practicioners - but everyone  can answer if they think they have something useful to add - even from other traditions
since my mahasi style practice is going slow and even though i tried in many ways  i cant maintain a steady practice - and my doubt increases - i want to freshen up my practice - maybe get some "results" wheter its improvement in concentration or metta or some "cool" results like seeing images or feeling strange stuff ect
i wonder :

whether some practices can ruin my main mahasi style practice (which i want to keep as my main path cause i have access to teachers in it) maybe kundalini and third eye and stuff like that can ruin my practice ?
whether  some practice can aid in my practice - im pretty sure metta can be helpful but maybe pure concentration focus can distract me and do more harm than good to my practice ?
i read that some food can be good for opening the third eye - can this food be helpful to the practice of insight meditation as well ?

If you want to pick something else to explore I would suggest focusing on the breath. Check Ajahn Lee, Keeping the Breath in Mind, second style. Keep a steady practice with it. Whether you feel like or don't, just do it for a few weeks. Everyday. http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/thai/lee/inmind.html#method2

I would also suggest you read the book of a great meditation master from Thailands forest tradition, The teachings of Ajahn Chah, as you will find many tips on how to deal with you doubt. A lot of great tips on how to deal with these mind states like worry, doubt, insecurity, not knowing what to do, not knowing if what I do is correct, etc.

Have a look at: http://www.mettadharma.org/video-teachings/

Also: https://www.youtube.com/user/begintosee

Have you tried "guided" meditation? Joseph Goldstein has some very innovative guided meditation recordings for free of course. There are a lot of guided meditation recordings compatible with the Mahasi technique.

Things have causes and to get fruits ajusting the basics is needed: Sila, speech, deeds and livelihood. Once virtue is pure the path developes.

The easiest thing to do to aid in your practice is to stop being so scattered!  Pick one technique and stick to it.  That you're all over the place exploring other systems and looking for results indicates to me that you are having a hard time staying focused on the cushion.  Trust, trust, trust in the process!  It's the only way you are going to make any progress.

I am focused, i only do one practice, but i cant trust my practice - i do this for some years, i  did retreats - but i cant manage to keep a fluent steady practice  - i just tried to do "tiny habits" and do tiny meditations and i cant even keep this up - cant develope a meditation habit -  im pretty skeptic not about the possibility to gain results in this  practice - but for me to gain reuslts cause i cant keep a constant practice - and i tried it for a long time now
so i would love to gain some cool experience for fun or proof there is supernatural or add some stuff to boost my advancement

If you are practicing, you are progressing.  It just might not look like what you are expecting it to.  My best advice for you is to find a community to sit with and set a meditation date for yourself.  Commit to just getting your butt on the cushion at, say, 7PM every night.  Don't even worry about how long you sit.  Once you establish that habit, I think things are going to go easier for you.

Theravada Buddhist answer, based in the tradition of Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw.
In the tradition of Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw, we observe and note everything that comes up, i.e. all mental and physical phenomena.
Now, you have pointed out your own hindrance and blockage right here: "Wanting to get results, seeing images or strange stuff".
That is your road block. Unless you resolve this matter, it will continue to be a hindrance on your path. Sometimes a meditator may meet a hindrance, that is not immediately visible, so its very good that you know what blocks you.
Then what to do?
As a Mahasi-practitioner, one should note the phenomena of wanting as "wanting, wanting". It could perhaps also fall under the 5th hindrance, Doubt. Here the solution would be to also note the doubt as "doubting, doubting", and to go freshen up on your theory, i.e. the method of practice. A skilled meditator knows the theory that he or she practices. Theory and practice has to go hand in hand. One has to know what to do when hindrances arise, which they will sooner or later for all meditators. When one knows how to deal with them like the inside of ones own pocket, then one can use them to cultivate insights and thereby progress on the path.
For reading material, I would suggest the book How To Meditate: A Beginner's Guide to Peace, by Ven. Yuttadhammo. It covers all one needs to know regarding the burmese method.
Wanting to get results is one of the greatest pitfalls on the path. Wanting something will ironically stir one further away from getting what one wants. By for example wanting to win Nibbana, one is actually moving further away from that goal, because the wanting itself becomes a road block on the path.
It might also be beneficial for you to read up on the 10 paramitas, namely the 8th paramita, i.e. the Adhitthana-paramita. Adhitthana means "Determination or  Resolution". It can be cultivated in the meditation practice, e.g. by choosing to meditate for one hour and not moving at all. This is just an example. There are many other ways to cultivate this paramita.
Its very useful in the training of the mind, so that it will stray less. When the Buddha attained his enlightenment, Mara sent his beautiful daughters to the Buddha to tempt him and he sent an army of demons towards the Buddha but he did not move at all. That is an example of Addhitthana.

What practices can aid (or not ruin) the mahasi style meditation?

Regarding the augmentation of your practice, the burmese method is complete in itself. Wanting to augment the practice, should again be noted as "wanting, wanting".
Mixing methods is called "Eclecticism" and its not recommended. Try to stay with one method of practice and if that does not work out, then choose another method of practice. Mixing methods will not give good results since methods are often not designed to be mixed. This will result in one having a halfway house and not a final vehicle.
If you have any questions to what I wrote, let me know. May you have a fruitful practice.

My doubt is about my ability to advance with this practice -  since i cant keep up a steady regular practice -    i think to myself "whats the point" if im going to stop again in 2-3 weeks the meditation  - and you need  continuity to "advance" and if i stop for a week or two each time its hard to advance in anything
and yes i understand the "wanting" will harm my advancement - but after i practice this for a long time and doing some retreats its natural to look for results and to improve my advancement - my doubts about the ability to improve with this practice seem smart - i didnt have them

I would suggest for that you, that you find a teacher who can teach you in real life or online. A good teacher can give you advice on how to proceed and having a teacher, creates a kind of responsibility. Having a teacher will make it a lot easier to practice consistently.

i have a teacher - i report to him every 14 hours of sitting

You want many things whereas You can recall that the whole point of the endeavour is to establish firmly the equanimity and the benevolence, towards your self and others (in phrasing the goal in terms of exterior of the the self and interior of the self).
You also do not state what you accomplished nor what is blocking.
Here is a little compilation of links to practice
http://pastebin.com/m4vS0KMg

I had the same issue and this is the advice i got from a monk...
What we call meditating is not something that must be done while sitting down,you can meditate in many other positions.
For example other than Breathing meditation you can actually do any other Buddhist meditation without having to sit down.
Here are some examples.If you do not know these meditation click on it and it will open a web page for you to learn.All these meditations can be done without staying still so you will have all the time you need to meditate.
Impermanent Meditation 1 - lesson
Impermanent Meditation 2 - lesson
Loving Kindness Meditation - lesson

Practice these meditations while doing your day to day stuff and before you know it you will be a good practitioner,This is how i got over the issue my self.
May triple gems bless you!

What have you experienced that has given you confidence? Hopefully you will have some seed of confidence that you can cultivate through reflecting & chanting the reflections. Then there is no need for distracting yourself with a whole other technique.


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When to help and when not to?
How does one know when to help and when not to help others?
It seems without awareness of the results - bad, good, neutral for the one being helped and one who is helping, it is difficult to make choices.
For example, you may help someone in distress however you may also become the recipient of that distress.

reminds me of Did I do more harm than good?

@Andrei Volkov - The key difference being when you would not help as well as an awareness of the outcomes

I guess the most Buddhist answer is going to be, to the extent you are blinded by "kleshas" (mental/emotional hangups) you can't clearly see what is good for others -- nor even what is good for yourself. The fewer hangups you have, the better you can estimate the outcomes - all the way until Buddha's omniscience, which involves 0% obscurations and therefore 100% clarity. So working on your own mental and emotional hangups is the best way to ensure your actions will do more help than harm.
As was said in Sedaka Sutta:

And how does one help others by helping oneself?
  -- By practicing Dharma, by developing it, by pursuing it.

Meanwhile, is there a rule of thumb we can apply to decide when to help and when not to help? Here is what I follow:

the kind of help that inspires other person to let go of obsessions, negativity, confusion, attachments, fixed ideas, overgeneralizations, preconceptions, one-sided views etc. - is useful even if it involves lots of effort and pain on my side;
but the kind of help that supports person's samsaric lifestyle - and helps them run on like a squirrel in the wheel - this kind of help has very little long-term effect IMHO, outside of reducing their immediate suffering. I still do it sometimes, out of compassion -- and in the hope that perhaps it will inspire recipient's faith in basic goodness -- but I don't allow it to use all of my energy / tip me out of balance - otherwise that would be what Chogyam Trungpa called "idiot compassion".

Thanks Andrei. I am interested in knowing about helping those in  physical, mental and emotional distress. For example, someone may be physically abused and attempt to help the person may lead to undesirable outcomes for yourself e.g. placing yourself in danger.

Another example would be helping that results in someone being taken for granted or the lack of ownership and responsibility.

Your first example is like asking, "if someone is drowning, should I help?" -- If you are a good swimmer, you'll know how to handle the currents. If you are not a good swimmer, perhaps you should find someone else. So it's not a question of danger - it is a question of your skill.

Your second example is like asking "I share a house with someone, and he does not do his share of keeping it clean, should I clean it all by myself?" -- I think you should confront them and have a talk. Perhaps they are indeed lazy, or perhaps you have different standards of "clean" - or perhaps they are busy fixing a giant leaking hole in the roof - while you worry about the debris on the carpet.

Whenever there is a disconnect in the area of ownership and responsibilities - it is safe to assume the sides do not have the same view of the situation. The best way you can help is by facilitating discussion/negotiation with the goal of getting on the same page.

@AndreiVolkov Do you have advice on how to help others let go of obsessions, negativity etc.? At which point is one to accept that one can't change others?


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How is white lie damaging?
Someone is chased by a murderer, he hides in your house. The person who wants to kill him asks you if you have seen the man. And you say you didn't see. How is this action damaging, what harm have you done?

See also Should a person never lie?

How is this action damaging, what harm have you done?

Actions are 3-fold. They are done by body, speech and mind. All actions originate in the mind (Dhp. verse 1-2).
Unwholesome actions are based in the 3 root defilements, i.e. Greed, Hatred and Delusion. All other defilements are variations of these roots.
When one commits an unwholesome (akusala) action, e.g. tells a lie, then one is stiring up/giving rise to defilements and reacting to them. Defilements are one of the foundations for unwholesome actions.
When commiting unwholesome actions by body, speech and mind, oneself is always the first one to be harmed. That is because one must give rise to defilements and react to them, i.e. act on basis of them, thereby harming oneself and setting oneself back on the path.
One is moving further away from Nibbana, when one commits volitional unwholesome actions.
The Buddha was very clear on the destructive nature of lying, even if a lie is merely told in jest.
This can be seen in the "Ambalatthikarahulovada Sutta". In this sutta the Buddha is giving an exhortation to his son Rahula, on how to distinguish between wholesome (kusala) and unwholesome actions.
The following quote is the Buddha's words on the topic of lying:

Thus I have heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was living at Rajagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrels' Sanctuary .

Now on that occasion the venerable Rahula was living at Ambalatthika. Then, when it was evening, the Blessed One rose from meditation and went to the venerable Rahula at Ambalatthika. The venerable Rahula saw the Blessed One com- ing in the distance and made a seat ready and set out water for washing the feet. The Blessed One sat down on the seat made ready and washed his feet. The venerable Rahula paid homage to him and sat down at one side.

Then the Blessed One left a little water in the water vessel and asked the venerable Rahula: "Rahula, do you see this little water left in the water vessel?" - "Yes, venerable sir." - "Even so little, Rahula, is the recluseship of those who are not ashamed to tell a deliberate lie."

Then the Blessed One threw away the little water that was left and asked the venerable Rahula: "Rahula, do you see that little water that was thrown away?" - "Yes, venerable sir." - "Even so, Rahula, those who are not ashamed to tell a deliberate lie have thrown away their recluseship."

Then the Blessed One turned the water vessel upside down and asked the venerable Rahula: "Rahula, do you see this water vessel turned upside down?" - "Yes, venerable sir." - "Even so, Rahula, those who are not ashamed to tell a deliberate lie have turned their recluseship upside down."

Then the Blessed One turned the water vessel right way up again and asked the venerable Rahula: "Rahula, do you see this hollow, empty water vessel?" - "Yes, venerable sir." - "Even so hollow and empty, Rahula, is the recluseship of those who are not ashamed to tell a deliberate lie."

"Suppose, Rahula, there were a royal tusker elephant with tusks as long as chariot poles, full-grown in stature, high-bred, and accustomed to battle. In battle he would perform his task with his forefeet and his hindfeet, with his forequarters and his hindquarters, with his head and his ears, with his tusks and his tail, yet he would keep back his trunk. Then his rider would think: 'This royal tusker elephant with tusks as long as chariot poles.. .performs his task in battle with his forefeet and his hind- feet... yet he keeps back his trunk. He has not yet given up his life.' But when the royal tusker elephant...performs his task in battle with his forefeet and his hindfeet, with his forequarters and his hindquarters, with his head and his ears, with his tusks and his tail, and also with his trunk, then his rider would think: 'This royal tusker elephant with tusks as long as chariot poles... performs his task in battle with his forefeet and his hind- feet... and also with his trunk. He has given up his life. Now there is nothing this royal tusker elephant would not do.

So too, Rahula, when one is not ashamed to tell a deliberate lie, there is no evil, I say, that one would not do. Therefore, Rahula, you should train thus: 'I will not utter a falsehood even as a joke.'

-- MN 61 Ambalatthikarahulovada Sutta, p. 523, Bodhi Translation

For further information on this important sutta, there are 2 audio Dhamma talks available.

First one is by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi and can be found here.
The other is by Ajahn Brahmali and can be found here.

If you have any questions to what I wrote, let me know.

But everything that we do is rooted in delusion, greed and hatred. There are people who have their light bulb turn on and off by itself based on the time set by the timer, the purpose is when you are not at home, people will think you are at home, sometimes this is useful to prevent theft. Other thing such as social niceties can be rooted in greed, hatred and delusion too.

If you are asking about a white lie this is the method.As to Buddhism you can't lie but you can divert attention.In your scenario if the murderer asks your reply can be not in my house!yes it looks like a lie but if you say with mindfulness that there's nothing yours in the deep sense of Buddhism,you are not lying
If you remember what Lord Buddha said to "Angulimaala" the finger collecting murderer.Buddha said "I have stopped,Now you should stop".while saying this Lord Buddha was still slowly moving from him.What Lord Buddha meant was that Lord Buddha is no longer bound to anything,that Lord Buddha has reached enlightenment.You see what apparently a lie can still be true.It's all in the mind of the one saying the statement!


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How do memories affect the path?
If one has recollection of memories that were experiences of pain be it physical, mental, emotional, how do these affect the path?
Often memories are triggered involuntarily and more than often they surface when reflecting.

This is a form of Papanca or mental proliferation (If one has recollection of memories that were experiences of pain be it physical, mental, emotional, ...). At first you should try to learn what is happening at your experiential level. When there is the is contact, there is feeling, feeling coupled with perception creates a metal reaction which creates more feeling which triggers more memories with similar association (either by type of feeling, situation, people or external objects involved).
1st you have to you have to practice equanimity towards the feelings and reduce the reaction. This in term reduces proliferation as there are lesser amount of bodily feeling to combine with perception to create to create new formations. Also equanimity reduces your hold on perception which again is needed to create formations. (Some of these relationships are covered in Abhidhamma for the Beginner by Egorton C. Baptist page 2.) The Buddhist path aims to put an end to creating volitional formation and also calm exiting formation.
Also thinking and pondering is verbal fabrication (... how do these affect the path?), which is something you have to actively calm. You should calm them by 1st looking at them and practising equanimity thus your volitional reaction. Also dissolving base off Sanna or perception which triggers this reaction. In addition you can anchor your mind on one object.

Often memories are triggered involuntarily and more than often they surface when reflecting.

None off these are triggered involuntarily. They are reaction of Sanna combined with Vedena which creates Sankhara. (Again refer to Abhidhamma for the Beginner, page 2.) The contact is due to past Sankara, either a karma which gave fruit giving you the experience which caused the incident and subsequently caused the memory, or the rebirth related Karma (your existence in Samsara) along with a Niyama Dhamma. Reflecting or one memory can trigger other memories as mentioned above. This is when the memory comes in contact with your mind sense door coupled with your perception of the memory creates a sensation which trigger other memories. By practising equanimity towards sensation mindful of their arising and passing as well as anchoring your mind you can gradually cut out this habitual response.
Also see:  Madhupindika Sutta

In terms of how they affect the path, obviously, these are holdbacks. The goal is to get free from them.
Here is the instruction I received from my teacher about this:
In meditation, when memory comes up, do not replay the event that caused the pain. Do not think about it, thoughts don't help. Instead, stay with the pain itself. Feel it in your body. Stay focused on it and get a full taste of the feeling, thoroughly. Then go inside the feeling. Accept it and feel its texture, thoroughly. Despite the pain, go all the way inside until you get out on the other side. Accept. Go through.

Thank you so much for sharing that piece of insight Andrei.


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Should detachment, and letting go, be an appropriate response when you are owed money?
I'm trying to adhere to buddhist principles in my life wherever I can. I understand that it's really the best approach in just about every situation you can find yourself in.
However, right now I'm owed a not insubstantial amount of money from one of my clients who is refusing to take my phone calls, or answer emails to discuss the matter.
Honestly, it burns me up inside and when I think about having to deal with it I feel angry and resentful which I know is not a good way to live.
From my understanding I should really just let go of the matter completely, and calmly wait for the universe to resolve this for me, one way or another. If I receive the money, then all is well, and if I don't receive the money, all is still well.
From a Buddhist perspective, at what point should I give up and move on?

I think that you should let go in the way that you don't take the matter personally, see the anger that is conditioned by factors and conditions as not being yourself, and so don't resist that anger but let it cease, let it go home by itself. "Ah, this anger has arisen because this happened, it is conditioned, it is not me, it is not mine, it is not myself. :)"
Then go after the money smiling if you get it, smiling if you don't get it.

Thanks @UrsulRosu. That makes sense, and helps. Accept the anger for what it is, watch it (hopefully) pass, and have no expectation one way or the other for the outcome. All the while continuing to pursue them in a reasonable, and non-agressive, yet persistent, manner.

@Suibhne: see http://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/12025/43

Answer based in Theravada Buddhism.
Such situations that you describe here can really get one burning inside. It can make one so angry. The feeling of being poorly treated can also arise.
The nature of these feelings are dark and stormy. They leave a gloomy print on the mind, which is not conducive to either ones practice or ones way of life.
One can choose to see this from the above mentioned angle. One can react to the anger and feed it, by giving it attention and dwelling in it. One can identify with it and take ownership of it, saying that "I am angry" and that "This is my anger" or "This person did this to me". These are examples of how ignorance (avijja) and conceit (mana), makes one see reality from a distorted perspective. Like when horses are made to eat dry grass, by wearing a green eye-glas, making them believe that the dry grass is fresh.
When one reacts to anger and feeds it, it will grow. When one throws gasoline on a bonfire, it will grow. The negative feed-back loop is in effect. The snow-balling is in effect. When unbroken, this loop will only produce more and more anger. If this anger is allowed to persists in the mind over longer periods of time, it will produce responses in the physical body such as "increased respiration, perspiration, rapid heartbeat, head-ache, tensions".
The above, describes how anger develops when not dealt with and how it can affect ones mind and body and ones practice and life. When anger is left unattended, i.e. without mindfulness, then this defilement can operate in the dark. Defilements like to operate in the dark, where one cannot see them. Here they grow and multiply like bacteria or fungi, which also like dark and moist places.
One can also choose to approach this from an insight-meditational perspective.
By observing the anger with mindfulness in the present moment, one can clearly see how unwholesome defilements really are. One can see for oneself what effect they have on the mind and body. By observing the anger with mindfulness, one is dragging the anger out in the light. In the light, it cannot conceil its operation anymore. When observing the anger with an objective and non-interacting approach, the anger cannot grow because it is not being fed anymore. When one is not interacting with conditioned phenomena, they will reveal their true nature for the observer. Their true nature is that they are impermanent (anicca), unsatisfactory (dukkha) and uncontrollable/ungovernable (anatta).
When one is interacting with phenomena, i.e. reacting to them, one will get burnt. Its like picking up a piece of hot charcoal and holding it in ones hand. One is bound to get burned.
Only you can decide what to do in this situation. Only you can make a decision.
You have the Buddha and the Noble Eightfold Path to guide you.
My suggestion is that you use this remarkable oppertunity that you have been given, to develop insight into the nature of reality. You are very lucky, that you are now experiencing this intense anger inside you. Why are you lucky?
Because pain and suffering are great teachers and if you use these teachers correctly, i.e. by observing them with mindfulness in the present moment, with an objective and non-interacting approach, you will see how the defilements affect the mind and body. When seeing how anger makes one burn inside, over and over, one will eventually stop reacting to anger. One has seen for oneself the destructive nature of anger. If you keep observing the anger, you will also see that it is impermanent and that it changes over time. You will see that this anger is not you or yours. How can it be? It arose without your permission and it does not go away, just because one wants it to go away.
In insight-meditation we treat all phenomena the same. A happy feeling is treated in the same way as intense anger, meaning that the anger is not given more or less attention. All objects are treated the same. When observing the anger and aversion towards it arise, then observe the aversion. You can also observe the physical effects of the anger, if they are there.
In short, use this remarkable oppertunity to see for yourself, how conditioned phenomena affects the mind and body. Use this pain and suffering to cultivate insights. We tend to turn away from pain and suffering, yet these are our greatest teachers. If we were happy all the time, then why would anyone work on themselves?
Pain and suffering is what makes us want to change and work with ourselves. Use this oppertunity wisely. A human life is very short. Cultivate as much insight as you can before this life ends.
Lastly, here are some videos from my teacher Ven. Yuttadhammo, on how to deal with anger and pain and suffering.

Monk Radio: Dealing With Anger in Meditation
Ask A Monk: Dealing With Pain and Using Suffering as a Vehicle for Enlightenment

Now, I have not gone into the antidotes for dealing with anger, such as Metta-meditation, since that would make this answer too long. Just know that anger is one of the 5 hindrances, that blocks one from progressing in meditation. Read about the hindrances and learn how to deal with them. Metta-meditation is mentioned by Ven. Yuttadhammo in one of the above videos.
May you have a fruitful practice my friend. Let me know, if you have any questions to what I wrote.

Thanks very much for taking the time to reply @Lanka. That's given me a lot to think about, and I really appreciate your perspective and opinion. I'll spend some time contemplating your answer and will let you know if I have any further questions.

Imagine a monkey came to your house and grabbed something of value and climbed a tree. You tell the monkey "please give it back to me! Be a good monkey!". But it doesn't respond. What would your plan of action be? Start cursing and hating the monkey? No! You would try to lure the monkey with a banana or something. If that's not successful, you might call a wild life officer. You have to use your wisdom instead of getting all emotional. And if you still can't get it back, you don't wish for the universe to resolve it. ex: Wishing for the monkey to be struck by lightning. :) You just let it go and credit it towards experience or a lesson learnt and see what you can do to prevent the same from happening in the future.

Good points @Sankha. Keep it practical and remove the emotional aspect. While I do realistically need to get the money back, I need to focus on the practicalities of doing so, and not let myself get sucked into the angst of the process.

Wisdom is what gets things moving in your favor. Not unwholesome emotions


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How is marriage after divorce looked upon?
From this article, it is clear that Buddhism accepts(but doesn't really root for it) divorce when things get worse.  But, how is marriage after divorce looked upon?

The first paragraph of that article says that Buddhism has no religious rules about even the first marriage. So perhaps it's only individual Buddhists or specific Buddhist societies who might "look upon" marriage after divorce. If this is a question about the social conventions of Buddhist societies perhaps it would be better to identify which society (e.g. which nationality) you're asking about.

@ChrisW Tibetean Buddhism.  Added the relevant tag

The 3rd precept doesn't prevent you from getting remarried. So as long as you don't steal another man's wife, it should be fine.

As not learning from your mistake.
Just kidding. :)
No problem at all. From the same article mentioned:

The Buddhist views on marriage are very liberal: in Buddhism, marriage
  is regarded entirely as personal and individual concern, and not as a
  religious duty. There are no religious laws in Buddhism compelling a
  person to be married, to remain as a bachelor or to lead a life of
  total chastity. It is not laid down anywhere that Buddhists must
  produce children or regulate the number of children that they produce.
  Buddhism allows each individual the freedom to decide for himself all
  the issues pertaining to marriage.

Although this is the author's interpretation or opinion, I didn't find anywhere in the article that mentioned that remarrying is looked down upon. I don't know of any teachings related to this either.


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What happens to my body when I breathe out?
It is suggested, that one concentrates on the breath while meditating. It is also suggested that one breathes out and remains in this state for a moment, to feel the emptiness. What happens to my body while I remain in this breathless state?
Does it cause relaxation and if so, why?
I'd like to know something about the physiological effects of this aspect of meditation...

In terms of physiology, it may be of interest to you to peruse these questions:
What are the physiological effects of mindfulness based meditation? and Is there any research on physiology of deep and long meditative states (i.e. days and weeks of sitting)?

There are a few mental cultivation techniques which involve breathing. E.g. there is Paranayama which pre-dates Buddhism. Here you do try to regulate the breath.
In Anapana there is no regulation of the breath. Hence you do not breath out and try to rain in that state. (It is also suggested that one breathes out and remains in this state for a moment, to feel the emptiness.) During the natural cause of calming the breath (bodily fabrications) your breath becomes calm and stops. You should not force it through actively focusing on the breath (without your mind wavering to other subjects) helps towards this.
Breathing does have feeling associated feelings tied to the body.

expansion and contraction
oxygenating feeling / pertaining the corporal structure - when you are a reasonable level of tranquillity with all other bodily feelings subsiding, the bodily feeling in the in breath is slightly different from the feeling you have on the out breath. / 4 elements.
contact / touch - feelings and / or 4 elements

In addition your breath becomes shallow and stops after a while as you go deeper into meditation. This happens when you calm the bodily fabrications (relaxing the bodily function) as the breath is the body conditioner. Relaxation of your breath through focus on the breath and breath alone relaxes your body and vice versa. The way to calm the body is to look at all bodily sensation scanning from head to the toes and back again with no reaction to the sensations. This progressively changes the sensation until you get Piti followed by Passadhi followed by Samadhi (The Upanisā Sutta, The Das’uttara Sutta, etc.). This also calms you breath.
Physiological is that breath meditation:

calms your breath if you practice correctly
calms your body and releases tension if you practice correctly
makes your bodily feelings more pleasant and tranquil

Does it support me to get calm, and if so why?

If the practice is Samatha Bhavana, i.e. tranquility meditation, then any object on the body can potentially serve as an object to develop calmness. Most commonly used, is the area around the upper lip and the entrance of the nostrils. Here the breath has a smooth and silky feeling which is very conducive towards the development of concentration, calmness and tranquility.
You could also the feeling of the emptiness in the body after exhalation, as you mention, and then focus your attention on that feeling and use it to develop tranquility.
It might be a bit more difficult, since shortly after the lungs will again be filled with air after inhalation. This movement of the air through inhalation and exhalation might affect the tranquility and make the mind waver, if mindfulness is not strong.
If mindfulness on the other hand is strong, then it might not matter.

Thanks, but I'd like to know something about the physiological effects...


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What are some good sources to know more about the Buddha and his teachings
When I was going through difficult face my life, I read little bit about the Buddha's thoughts and it really changed my life. When I started to think from his perspective, I explored a new way of looking at Life which was amazing.
I want to know more about his philosophy towards LIFE. I tried Wiki and other article over the internet, But it doesn't satisfies me. Can anybody suggest me any good source like any book English or Hindi.

http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/ritepath.pdf

http://www.wisebrain.org/HouseholderPractice.pdf

There are some meta-topics tagged book-of-the-month in some of which people suggest various books they'd like to read or recommend reading:

Choosing a book for book of the month club?
Choosing a book for Book of the Month [June]
Choosing a book for Book of the Month [July]

Some introductory online resources are listed in the Useful resources section at the top of the Help page.