text:
Unpleasant side effects of meditation
I am 45 years old. I’ve come to realize that I have been more or less unhappy in my life. So I met a clinical psychologist and I do show some childhood codependency issues and we could no CBT and anapanasati for 10in a day to get rid of my anxiety.
Contrary to all our expectations  a day or so after meditation, noticing the breath at nostrils, I become into a very strange mood, low energy, edgy, sad and rarely aggressive. After few days I started having panic attacks and I was asked to stop and do simple relaxation.
But my concern is why is this practise giving me such negative side effects? While others enjoy calm and peace. My psychologist was of the view that it might be the traumatic childhood I underwent with my father. Which was 40 years ago.
Also, I had very painful dreams of my childhood during this time. Also, loss of appetite, tension headaches and loss of taste.
Does anyone had any idea why I’m getting this unwelcomed side effect? Will it stop at some point or should I give up?
Kindly share your experiences.

Might want to check your meditation technique again, for a correct Anapanasati implementation would significantly reduce any sense of "I", "mine", and "myself", and instead put the trainee in sort of an "objective observer" mode, hence greatly enhance his ability to handle stress/anxiety attacks much more efficiently.

Maybe it has less to do with your meditation,than with your expectation of the practice, and maybe it has nothing to do with your meditation at all

Could you clarify the phrase "we could no CBT and anapanasati for 10in a day". Thanks.

As @StillJustJames answered below, several of these symptoms you describe have been associated with COVID19. Have you been tested? This may not be meditation related.

My local Buddhist temple's resident teacher Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo has this beautiful metaphor of the "poop soup", highly relevant to yours (and the rest of ours) situation.
In this metaphor we accumulate all kinds of neuroses ("poop")     in the bowl of our psyche, until after many years it becomes veritable poop soup. Then, as we get older and more restrained, the poop gets harder and the surface of the soup becomes nice and flat. Couple more years and it gets covered by a layer of beautiful silver fungi, giving the whole thing a surreal appearance of something ethereal and fluffy. We become an adult, sometimes even an admirable person, and almost forget what hides in our bowl under its surface level.
The bowl is full of shit! (excuse my language.)
So when we start meditating, we puncture a hole in the lid of fungi and hard poop and start stirring the content. Guess what happens then? It does not smell nice. To be very honest it stinks and looks nauseating.
But wouldn't it be insincere if we kept pretending to be a nice admirable person while holding on to all that baggage?
We must work through it until our cup gets empty and squeaky clean. There's no "unpleasant side effects of meditation", these are The Results of meditation, its fruit and its blessing.
Keep working until you get through it and come out on the other side.

All credit goes to Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo

A couple of days is not enough time for your 10 minute meditation to have resulted in any change in your mood, feelings, or anything else. Were those panic attacks accompanied by difficulty breathing? If so, that and your loss of taste are big indicators of a COVID-19 infection. The other symptoms less so, but not unrelated to viral infections in general. Consider seeing a doctor and getting tested.

Excellent point!

Kimattha Sutta explains the purpose of skillful virtues or sila, and shows its effects on the mind and on meditation.
When you have problems with meditation, it's a sign that you should take a step back and start with development of skillful virtues or sila.
Here's from Chapter Six: Daily Life of Ven. Yuttadhammo's book How to Meditate:

First, it is necessary to discuss activities that are harmful to one’s
mental clarity; activities one must avoid in order for the meditation
to bring about sustained positive results.
As I explained in the first chapter, “meditation” is the mental
equivalent to “medicine”. When taking medicine, there are certain
substances one must avoid; substances that will either nullify the
positive effects of the medicine or, worse, combine with the medicine
to create poison. Likewise, with meditation there are certain
activities that, due to their tendency to cloud the mind, have the
potential to nullify the effects of the meditation or, worse, pervert
one’s understanding of the meditation, causing one to cultivate
unwholesome mind states instead of wholesome ones.
Meditation is meant to cultivate clarity and understanding, free from
addiction, aversion, and delusion, and therefore free from suffering.
Since certain bodily and verbal acts are intrinsically tied to
negative qualities of mind, they are considered ‘contraindicative’ to
the meditation practice; they have an effect opposite to what is
desired, cultivating defilement instead of purity. Meditators who
insist on engaging in such behaviour will face great difficulty in
their practice, developing habits that are detrimental to both
meditation practice and personal well-being. To ensure the mind is
perfectly clear and capable of understanding reality, certain
behaviours must be taken out of one’s “diet”, so to speak.
First, there are five kinds of action from which one must refrain
completely, as they are inherently unwholesome:

One must refrain from killing living beings. In order to cultivate one’s own well-being, one must be dedicated to well-being as a
principle, refraining from killing any living being, even ants,
mosquitoes and other living beings.

One must refrain from theft. In order to find peace of mind, we must grant it to others as well; stealing is a denial of this basic
right to security. Further, if we wish to be free from addiction, we
must be able to control our desires to the extent of respecting the
possessions of others.

One must abstain from committing adultery or sexual misconduct. Romantic relationships that are emotionally or spiritually damaging to
others, due to existing commitments of the parties involved, are a
cause for stress and suffering and based on perversion of the mind.

One must refrain from telling lies. If one wishes to find truth, one must avoid falsehood; intentionally leading others away from the
truth is harmful both to oneself and others and incompatible with the
goals of meditation.

One must refrain from taking drugs or alcohol. Any substance that intoxicates the mind is obviously contraindicative to meditation
practice, as it is the antithesis of a natural, clear state of being.

Complete abstention from these activities is necessary if one wishes
for meditation practice to be successful, due to their inherently
unwholesome nature and the invariably negative effect they have on the
mind.
Further, there are certain activities that must be moderated or they
will interfere with meditation practice. These are activities that are
not necessarily unwholesome in and of themselves but will nonetheless
inhibit clarity of mind and lessen the benefit of the meditation
practice when undertaken in excess.
One such activity is eating; if one wishes to truly progress in the
meditation practice, one must be careful not to eat too much or too
little. If one is constantly obsessed with food, it can be a great
hindrance to progress in meditation since not only does it cloud the
mind, over-eating leads to drowsiness, both in the body and mind. One
should eat to stay alive rather than stay alive simply to eat. During
intensive meditation courses, meditators eat one main meal per day and
suffer no negative physical consequences as a result; whereas the
positive effects of such moderation are clarity of mind and freedom
from obsession over food.
Another activity that interferes with meditation practice is
entertainment – watching movies, listening to music, and so on. These
occupations are not inherently unwholesome but can easily create
states of addiction when undertaken in excess.
Addiction is a form of insobriety in a sense, since it involves
chemical processes in the brain that inhibit clear thought and clarity
of mind. Since the pleasure that comes from entertainment is momentary
and unsatisfying while the addiction and obsession carry over into
one’s life, a serious meditator should determine to make the best use
of their short time in this life by cultivating peace and contentment,
rather than wasting it on meaningless activities that don’t lead to
long term happiness and peace. If one wishes to find true happiness,
one must therefore moderate one’s engagement in entertainment.
Socializing on the Internet and similar activities should be
undertaken in moderation as well.
The third activity one must moderate is that of sleeping. Sleeping is
an addiction that is often overlooked; most people don’t realize how
attached they are to sleep as a means of escape from reality. Still
others become insomniac, obsessed with the thought that they are not
getting “enough” sleep, leading to increased stress levels and further
difficulty in falling asleep.
Through the meditation practice, one will find that one needs less
sleep than before since one’s mind will become calmer. Insomnia is not
a problem for meditators since they are able to meditate even in the
lying position and keep their minds free from stress. People who have
difficulty falling asleep should train themselves to watch the stomach
rise and fall, noting “rising”, “falling”, all night if necessary.
Even if they are not able to fall asleep (which is unlikely, given the
calm state of mind while meditating) they will find themselves as
rested as if they had slept soundly through the night.
Finally, it is worth mentioning that to truly gain results in the
meditation practice, a meditator should set aside at least a period of
time to remain entirely celibate, not just avoiding immoral sexual
activity, since all sexual activity is invariably intoxicating and
will be a hindrance towards attainment of mental clarity and peace.

In the context of buddhist training, sitting meditation is a very important part of the path, but it does not cover all the aspects fundamental to liberate the mind from obstacles.
I suggest maybe exploring those other factors.
The Buddha taught the Noble Eightfold path, with Samadhi (the term usually translated as "meditation") being the last element. The seven preceding factors serve as a foundation to develop the mental conditions for meditation (although I wouldn't say that the whole purpose of the path is meditation: meditation is a means for an end, namely, the gradual uprooting of the conditions that perpetuate dissatisfaction and suffering).
You'll find some useful and introductory information here:

The Noble Eightfold Path --
The Buddha’s practical instructions to reach the end of suffering

What I'm trying to convey here is the importance of having good foundations for getting the best out of meditation practice, and also the idea of meditation being one part of the path, and not the whole path or the goal itself.
The development of other mental factors could lessen the influence, prevalence and effects of whatever could be perceived as an obstacle to well-being.
Kind regards!

Very good question, and many good points in the answers you have been given.
It sounds as though you have been introduced to meditation through Western psychology, or perhaps the "Mindfullness" movement. While it's good that they acknowledge meditation's benefits, there are also other stories and articles about Mindfulness being possibly dangerous.
This is not so surprising, I don't think the modern teachings do more than scratch the surface of buddhist meditation and the 2500-odd years of practice behind it ... which must count for something, right?
I haven't come across a buddhist introduction to meditation - book or course - that DOESN'T have warnings and instructions about what to do if obstacles arise. And I think this is what Samana Johann is getting at with the remark "Better to take the Buddha's medicine" than some of the imitations.
The good news is that the immediate advice you were given, "stop and do simple relaxation" or breath-counting exercises, seems to be widely agreed on.
You can always come back to Andrei Volkov's "poop soup" later when your stomach is stronger.
(I agree with him that ultimately, you'll have to "work through it" to see the greatest benefits, but I hope your gym doesn't tell you in the first session, to "push through the pain" and complete that marathon! First, be kind to yourself.)
I got a lot out of Akong Rinpoche's book "Taming the Tiger" - the first half is a refreshing look at daily life through buddhist teachings, and the second half is a basic manual of meditation. It shows different types of meditation for different purposes:

Some of the exercises deal with suffering, negative emotions and enemies; situations we would normally prefer to avoid. Yet if we learn to face such situations then, gradually, what is painful can be confronted and dealt with properly

And he is quite up front about potential issues:

Sometimes when we want to do therapy exercises or meditation, we can find that we are in a disturbed state of mind. Tn that case, any attempt at relaxation may just increase our agitation, despair or whatever negative state of mind is dominating at the time. At these times it may be more helpful to do something physical - like go for a brisk walk, work in the garden or get down to some neglected household task. It is very important to work with ourselves in a natural and down to earth way and not lose our common sense.

He also suggests seeking a teacher, who may be able to help in an individual way that a book or a generic course may not. Are there any buddhist centres in your area? If so, which schools or traditions?

If even after patient practice things are nos going so well in facing yourself and daily situations, then one could try to find some guidance from a good teacher, or the support of a group. However it is wise to investigate the organisation or teacher before putting confidence in them.

(disclaimer : after getting a lot from this book, I was fortunate to take refuge with Akong Rinpoche, at Samye Ling. here in Scotland)

Good householder, better to take the Buddhas Medicine, his teachings, his disciples, not under traders selling, telling fakes under his lable, as it has to be used, then to seek refuge in that and those actually not freed from aging, sickness and death:

The Healing Power of the Precepts, by Ven. Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Many people today have come to the Buddha's teachings in search of emotional and spiritual healing. In this short essay the author reminds us that the single most effective tool for healing a wounded heart may be found in the cultivation of sila, or virtuous conduct.

The Karma of Happiness: A Buddhist Monk Looks at Positive Psychology, by Ven. Thanissaro Bhikkhu (2013; 8pp./34KB) PDF

The author tries to give within this essay certain inspiriation toward the modern wave of "positive psychology, provided in the teachings of the Buddha. In this way he points out the significant —and also long term causal working—differences and holes, open to investigate and addopt to get unfilled spaces possible filled, also within more wordily approaches toward long term happiness, incl. effects on many.

Sila leads to wealth, to long term happiness, to liberation, the path develops on given roots, no shortcuts how ever luring...
[Note that this isn't given for stacks, exchanges, other worldbinding trades and entertaining but for escape from this wheel]

Personal experience here - To have moderate exercise, walk in the nature, relax then try again. I often having side effects when headache, neck pain or high/borderline BP. No side effect when body relax, normal BP and normal resting heart rate.
You can try meditate with White Noise Effects too - It works well on me.
https://blog.noisli.com/what-is-white-noise-and-why-is-it-so-powerful/

You have all kinds of conditionings- both pleasant and unpleasant. When you are aware of the present moment, then these conditionings come on the surface. You should not hold on to them. You should neither accept them nor reject them rather you should 6-R them.

Recognise: जानाति Janati
Release: विनेय्य vineyya
Relax: पस्सम्भयं passambhayam
Resmile: पसन्नेन pasannen
Return : पुनरपि punarapi
Repeat: बहुलीकरित्वा bahulikaritva

It's not just breath meditation, any type of meditation where you relax deeply, calm the thoughts, qi starts circulating throughout the entire body with much more force. Doing meditation, while one has Energetic blockages and deficiency in long term storage of qi can cause all kinds of problems like you've described. Depression, panic attacks, psychosis, etc.
So it's not the meditation method that's the problem, it's that you have some underlying health issues that need to be addressed first. Some problems like this may be long term cumulative result of whatever you did to compromise your health, and would require patient long term remedial practices to heal gradually.
I highly recommend keeping 8 precepts, celibacy, eating healthy, exercising a lot regularly every day, and doing walking meditation instead of meditation in static postures (such as sitting with eyes closed). Living in such a way you'll preserve your vital internal energy which will be used to heal yourself.
I found this exercise was particularly helpful for melting energetic blockages more so than walking meditation, slow jogging, and most types of qigong.
http://lucid24.org/misc/qigor/arsenal/sab/index.html
I do that exercise at least 40min a day total (3 or 4 sessions staggered through the day of 10min or longer each session). When I was having some strange blockages and problems, I would do that exercise more than 60min a day total.
Also great to interleave that with a large variety of basic calisthenics and stretching, squats, pushups, pullups, etc., so you get a large range of movement, contraction and lengthening of all your tissue.

Your experience is actually not uncommon. Meditation can exacerbate hyperarousal of your nervous system (and also the opposite, hypoarousal), which can lead to intense anxiety (or numbness) if your system is already tightly wound/slowed down.
Of course, this can happen with no pre-existing conditions, too.
This is a useful diagram, that may help understand the window of tolerance.
There are resources at Cheetah House, but otherwise you might just want to avoid meditation for a while.

Loss of taste isn't part of meditation. Much of your other experiences probably aren't either.
You describe these experiences as outside of your mental formations. You don't describe thought, emotion, just physiology.
My meditation experience is that growing my awareness was usually unpleasant. I did not use guided meditation. It was rife with monkey-mind, which, when watched, lead to unpleasantness. Doing the practice results in seeing how there are connections.
What you are describing is highly unlikely an effect of your beginner meditative practice, or your past traumas.
If you can't tell where your physiological reactions are flowing from and to, you either have extremely low awareness or they are disconnected from your own mind, meaning illness or external ongoing interaction with your physiology. All these options are  possible.
With me, externally put upon me experiences of my physiology, when my brain is functioning properly and often when it isn't still, are as obvious as someone else touching me. Obvious.

OP re-read your post and see what you are claiming as a you and a yours... with the word "MY" and what you have as "Yours".
Claiming an abusive father all to yourself; endears him to you and only you... such a thing only adds more fuel to what you say is already ashes under the bridge.
Kamma of the body and speech no matter how long past; when the mind calms stirs the coals of that old corpse to throw more wood on it.
The poster saying change your mind by changing your body is good; don't let that old corpse drag you around the one of either self or other. It is a form of negation and yet also one of running away from "Mara" and his armies, instead of facing it directly with gentleness as a yoke calmness as a yoke as you "ghost" or re-live those experiences on the cushion. Imagine oneself as you are now strong and wise standing on your left knee dispensing medicine to the lesser you still stuck and injured and the young you of past the one sitting safe and sound away from all past.
Allow a wise knowing smile to form but a genuine one not a loki sort of one that becomes mischievous and painful as a protector the protector is the you standing on the knee.
Such is a medicine buddha practice. It heals past present and future all that me and mine mentioned a fetid corpse not oneself asking a the question like shakti imploring birth of heavens and hells as ideal to end as she is tired of so much birth pain and suffering in the many realms. Do not fall for her; remeber oneself as the virtuous youth knowing right from wrong sitting claiming the purity you never lost as a lotus throne.
If you fall for her the one standing on the knee becomes sattva and no longer buddha...
It is a very powerful practice and is the exact thing pictured in the bhavacakra as posture right hand up in the gesture o fearlessness with OM written on it as the base or root earth gesture... other hand relaxed in the lap.
Things arise and things pass no matter what those things are is the over all theme for the healing.
Let lit incense focus of scent be the medicine for all three worlds... and when it is no longer lit meditation over.


text:
Does the Buddha have any practices for groups and societies that would lead society to less suffering, prosperity, not decay?
Actually from another question before, but since all are part of certain communities here, good to work out seperate:
"Does the Buddha have any practices for groups and societies that would lead society to less suffering?", or say to prosperty, not to decay.
May the advices, as seen coming from the Sublime Buddha, elders, monk, Brahmans, Insider, are also of good for you community here and elsewhere.
(And since this all about Buddhism is a steady encouragement in practical way, a meta with metta issue, also the link to the current place of practice and reflection of yours: 2020 Community Moderator Election, since where do you like to run again away and consume further without to pay as your past merits run out... and not free from desire, craving yet?)
[Note that this isn't given for stacks, exchanges, other world-binding trades and entertainments but for going on, going forth, escape from this wheel]

are u voting for Drammadhatu in the election?

We don't take side especially not in communities outside, do not take part on elections of common sociaties, Brahman Element. Yet encourage to good where an opening is given, "if... then", "from arising of this, that co-arises...

Gratitude, right view, is actually the base for the prosperity and longlast of a community, from the Buddha's teachings, instructed might know Sangha-Vatthu:

Generosity (giving into first), kind words (bearable word, swollow-able), beneficial help (not necessary desired),
& consistency in the face of events (not bending to daily moods, trends),
in line with what's appropriate
in each case, each case.

Conduct, Silas, perfoming ones duties, is the place of individual contribution to a community, something actually not voluntary if part and consuming on it, as well to contribute in regard of giving to maintain. Something that contradicts modern, marxist, liberal ideas, which are cheating people for short and quick gain, grow and painful decay as result.
There is also a useful collection of parameters to be observed and possible readjusted, from the collection of last words by the Buddha:

do the Vajjis (BSE-ler) have frequent gatherings, and are their meetings well attended?
do the Vajjis assemble and disperse peacefully and attend to their affairs in concord?
do the Vajjis neither enact new decrees nor abolish existing ones, but proceed in accordance with their ancient constitutions?
do the Vajjis show respect, honor, esteem, and veneration towards their elders and think it worthwhile to listen to them?
do the Vajjis refrain from abducting women and maidens of good families and from detaining them?
do the Vajjis show respect, honor, esteem, and veneration towards their shrines, both those within the city and those outside it, and do not deprive them of the due offerings as given and made to them formerly?
do the Vajjis duly protect and guard the arahats, so that those who have not come to the realm yet might do so, and those who have already come might live there in peace?

And in regard of poorness or wealth of communities:

"In every case where a family cannot hold onto its great wealth for long, it is for one or another of these four reasons. Which four? They don't look for things that are lost. They don't repair things that have gotten old. They are immoderate in consuming food and drink. They place a woman or man of no virtue or principles in the position of authority. In every case where a family cannot hold onto its great wealth for long, it is for one or another of these four reasons.
"In every case where a family can hold onto its great wealth for long, it is for one or another of these four reasons. Which four? They look for things that are lost. They repair things that have gotten old. They are moderate in consuming food and drink. They place a virtuous, principled woman or man in the position of authority. In every case where a family can hold onto its great wealth for long, it is for one or another of these four reasons."

[Note that this isn't given for stacks, exchanges, world-binding trades and entertaining but for access a bond that leads to escape from this wheel]

source: Stack Exchange

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Practice of my meditation
When Itry to reach to the toothbrush in the morning I saw my mind intention to take  it and the hand movement is felt like as I was in a magnetic  field. What is it ?

When Itry to reach to the toothbrush in the morning I saw my mind intention to take it and the hand movement is felt like as I was in a magnetic field. What is it ?

All actions are preceeded by the mind. An intention (Cetana in Pali), which is a mental formation, is the initiator behind the subsequent action done by the body - in this case the bodily action of reaching out for the toothbrush.
In reality that movement can be broken up into many smaller steps suchs extending the arm, flexing the wrist, flexing the fingers etc. There's also the feeling of touch sensation when holding the toothbrush and the awareness/consciousness of all the movements.
Beginning to see intentions is an important, vital step in understanding how the mind/body complex works. It's a sign that introspection is beginning to happen.
My advice would be to find a good teacher or undertake a meditation course to develop your practice further.

interesting point; how about 'actions' which are done reactively cf through specific reasoning, eg maintaining balance when moving/ walking over uneven terrain, maybe maintaining balance is somewhat considered overall, yet specific adjustments are simply done while moving & without specific pondering (for a somewhat practiced walker)

Intention = intention
Mind = mind
Magnetic field = magnetic field
Vipassana = clearly seeing of not-self (anatta); of elements (dhatu).
"I", "my", "I" = wrong view = source of suffering

Is it mindfulness?

You were ´seeing’ reality as it truly ‘operates’:
Intention = desire = condition
(Body with arm, toothbrush at hand, etc., all conditions)
Mind = responsive naturing of reality (clarity, light, responsiveness)
Arm moving toward toothbrush = response
(Dropping toothbrush in sink = evidence that attention was distracted ☺)

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text:
Sequece of Meditation and Side Effects

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkKOyV_pJ74
Refer to the image and video above, Venerable Guan Cheng explains that meditation should be practiced after proper moral virtue/Sila been achieved for the monks.
Question 1: Does side effects occur due to basic or minimum of Buddhism Precepts or Sila (requirement) not been achieved yet? Most Common side effects could be hallucination, feeling dizziness or more example below
Meditation side effects
Unpleasant side effects of meditation
Question 2: As a lay Buddhist, is it a right practice if the sequence is wrong or Sila/Precepts and Meditation being practiced together? If no, then at what stage of requirements? Well, i know at least not after being drunk and go meditate.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_precepts
Post Note: In the Youtube video above at 57:00, Venerable Guan Cheng explains that those monk only focusing on Moral Virtue before start meditation for the first five years. I had recently re-verify with another Bhante and he mentioned also must follow the sequence.

People shouldn't need to watch an hour-long video in order to know what the question is. Is there a specific paragraph (timestamp) in the video that you're questioning?

In your "Question 1" what did you mean by "side effects" -- what side-effects are you referring to?

@ChrisW Edited, brother

@littlestar  nice chart of Noble Eightfold Path, maybe look at in cht Buddhism1 :)

Question 1: Does side effects occur due to basic or minimum of Buddhism Precepts or Sila (requirement) not been achieved yet?

Yes. Right speech, right action, and right lively hood are all foundational virtues. If your morality is not in check, the mind tends to be busy. The side effects that occur due to the above precepts not being adequately followed include but are not limited to gilt, anger, fear, worry, frustration, and the cultivation of complicated and trouble causing situations.
The reason why they suggest tackling the above before meditation, is so that you can stay focused. It is easy to be distracted if you try to meditate when, due to poor morality, you have cultivated pervasive mind states.
You could still meditate before getting your life into a peaceful state, but you make more work for yourself if you don’t.

Question 2: As a lay Buddhist, is it a right practice if the sequence is wrong or Sila/Precepts and Meditation being practiced together? If no, then at what stage of requirements? Well, i know at least not after being drunk and go meditate.

As a lay Buddhist, the order doesn’t really matter. The order only matters if your goal is to become enlightened. Each layer makes the next one easier to achieve. By having good morals it becomes easier to meditate. By meditating you train the mind to be more able to observe the universe as it is and gain wisdom.
If you are meditating for some other reason than to train the mind to cultivate wisdom, such as to de-stress or energize the body, just make sure you set the right environment to achieve what you are looking for. If your goal in meditation is to enhance concentration, don’t drink beforehand. If your goal is feel peaceful, don’t murder someone the day before.
Just know if you don’t follow the suggested order, the next link in the chain will be harder to achieve.

Question 1: Does side effects occur due to basic or minimum of Buddhism Precepts or Sila (requirement) not been achieved yet?

Yes.
However, the minimum Sila is not just 5 precepts. It is included "good verbal&bodily behaviors" and "the virtue that has livelihood as eighth" (7/10 of Paths of Wholesomeness with right livelihood).
For example, if one can keep in 5 precepts, but he never taking care of his mothers, his wives, or he is stubborn to the Buddhist masters, then he is breaking the virtue in MangalaSutta, etc.

Question 2: As a lay Buddhist, is it a right practice if the sequence is wrong or Sila/Precepts and Meditation being practiced together? If no, then at what stage of requirements? Well, i know at least not after being drunk and go meditate.

The sequence is not depending on completion because the completion is at the enlightening moment. It's depending on the knowledge accumulation (paññā > ñāna > purification) and each time renewal attentions (samādāna). When you are keeping your virtue on the right knowledge, or developing your knowledge then renew your action to be better. This is enough virtue for the meditation. However, this is just what identifying that you can do the meditation. It is not guaranteed you are going to enlighten. If your virtue and concentration meditation is not good enough, your insight meditation will not get the enlightenment state.
So, keep meditation, keep goig to meet the Tipitaka Memorizer master, such as Pa-Auk Tawya Sayadaw, keep reciting and memorizing Sutta and it's commentary more and more to keep meditating your knowledge.
And don't trow away them entire your life because you are practicing your behavior and we keep the right behavior  entire life or until it is wrong.
Ps. The meditation is development. The good development is the continuous doing without any space in between. Some project developers drink alcohol to depress their confusing mind while doing a project. But the Buddhist practitioner can't drink it because we are practicing the awareness of unwholesome by keeping mindfulness wholesome, so if we drunk we already destroyed our meditation.
Do you the concentration meditation instead to depress our mind after the insight meditation.

The Kimattha Sutta (AN 11.1) -- says that the purpose of "skilful virtue" is to lead, via "freedom from remorse", through other states of mind and ultimately to knowledge and vision of freedom.
This is close to what you're asking, except that it focuses on "good effects" instead of "unpleasant side effects".
See also one of the answers to What is the basis? which says,

So the absence of remorse is conditioned, but not being an existing thing, not having been constructed (sankharaed)-- it was the result of not-doing, is not itself subject to ending and is a small taste of Nibbana.

I think that's difficult for "worldlings" to understand. A worldling will delight in what exists, and in what becomes. Conversely an ariyasāvaka may esteem what isn't subject to becoming -- e.g. in SN 36.6:

Because an educated noble disciple understands an escape from painful feeling apart from sensual pleasures.
Since they don’t look forward to enjoying sensual pleasures, there’s no underlying tendency to greed for pleasant feeling underlying that.
They truly understand feelings’ origin, ending, gratification, drawback, and escape.
There’s no underlying tendency to ignorance about neutral feeling underlying that.

AN 6.10 says that "recollection (or remembrance) of own virtue" -- as well as the other recollections, including "recollection of generosity" -- is an basis for concentration:

Furthermore, a noble disciple recollects their own ethical conduct, which is unbroken, impeccable, spotless, and unmarred, liberating, praised by sensible people, not mistaken, and leading to immersion.

I think that what I said about the problems of a "worldling" is crucial. It reminds me of how difficult people say it is to explain enlightenment in a way that unenlightened people can understand. I think that  Mahanaya has a metaphor of the finger pointing at the moon with "the moon" being a symbol for enlightenment.
With that in mind I read The Moon Cannot Be Stolen

i think my sequence of practice is wrong, i think more on right speech lack of merits. Will try to do more writing here :D . Hopefully not bother u too much brother.


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Would Buddhists object if Gautama Buddha were seen as a Prophet by Islam
I recently posted on the Islam site that we (Muslim) could consider Gautama Buddha as a prophet in our sense. I have originally put three different questions here; now I put two separately; under this title I leave the question of courtesy whether Buddhists would rather appreciate or oppose to it if I would call Gautama Buddha a prophet in the sense of Islam (not a prophet of Islam), knowing that the relation between both religions is not entirely peaceful (which I, personally, regret)
Thank you for your feedback

Jeshu - as an activist in the interreligious dialogue here in Kassel in the years between 2001 and 2012 I'd like to think about your question and to find qualified answers. For me it occurs that I do not know, what -in the sense of Islam- would qualify someone to be called a "prophet"?

If the prophet taught buddhism then it wouldn't be a big deal.
It's not that you can change it if you think he's buddhist or not.

@GottfriedHelms A prophet in the understanding of Islam is a human person who receives guidance/enlightenment from God Allah. We understand the world from a monistic (All is connected) and monotheistic (this All is God Allah) view. We accept not to know how a prophet/messenger is chosen.

Ah, thank you, @Jeschu! Nice to receive an answer even 3 years after.

@GottfriedHelms Sometimes, things here get out of my scope...

@Jeschu - don't mind; I'm happy there was an answer to my old question at all. Please have a peaceful day!

@GottfriedHelms Friede sei auch mit dir. Gute Nacht.

Hmph, well...
There are Buddhists who practice in a purely religious mode — a mode of rites, rituals, and obligations, or where Buddha is conceived as a transcendental being on a different plane of existence who can be worshipped and appealed to — and such buddhists might take offense at what they perceive as Islam co-opting or distorting the faith. I imagine most of the frictions we find between Buddhism and Islam (e.g., Myanmar) are of that nature, where Islam is seen as an encroachment that must be defended against.
Buddhists in the more mystical or philosophical mode don't reify or deify the Buddha in that way. Buddha for them is a man who awakened, and who showed a path to awakening that we might all follow. Such Buddhists would greet the idea of 'Buddha as a prophet' with (perhaps) a raised eyebrow: an unnecessary wrinkle in the fabric of the practice, one that could only lead to attachments and conflicts. However, such Buddhists are likely to eschew the very concept of 'prophet', which would likely unsettle devout Muslims.
It's a bit of a pickle...
The problem we consistently see in the world is that every faith starts with the pure goal of salvation — attaining a state of peace, grace, love, joy, etc. — but most faiths eventually collapse into a fear-state, where they perceive other faiths as overt threats to their own system of salvation. Once they collapse that way, they begin to practice brutality, vindictiveness, hatred, and everything that contradicts their own sense of salvation, merely because they are afraid of losing that salvation. It is the epitome of cutting off one's nose to spite one's face. Buddhism has something of an advantage in this regard because Buddhist salvation is rooted in emptiness, and emptiness is difficult to translate into a fear-derived opposite, but they are not immune to the effect. I'd suggest that instead of trying to morph buddha into a prophet (which might be greeted with raised hackles or irritatingly studied indifference, depending), it would be better to embrace buddhism (or any faith) as a sister-faith: an intrinsically different system that leads to the same goal. Much easier on everyone...

As mentioned elsewhere: To revere Buddha even if as a prophet is still a good action that from a Buddhist perspective would cause the production of "mental seeds" that can be karmically harvested in the future. I can't think of any Buddhist who would not see that as a good thing.

You see friend, it's a sad state of affairs. Even the Buddhists of this site reject your respect of our teacher on the grounds that your faith is wrong in their eyes. And if your faith is "wrong", your respect must be misplaced, is that what we are saying? What a shame!
You are not asking for much - not asking to accept your faith, not asking for their respect, just asking to accept yours and even that you are denied! What a sad sad sad world.
You know what? You actually are free to respect whoever is worthy of respect, it's up to you to measure your respect and give him a title of Prophet, or a Wise One, or an Awakened One, or whatever title you see fit.
Did Buddha teach unity or division? Buddha taught unity. Did Buddha teach "only this is right, anything else is wrong"? The Buddha taught the danger of attachment to one-sided views, and the escape from attachment to one-sided views. Whoever speaks on behalf of the Buddha in the voice of division - misrepresents the Buddha.
The message of enlightenment is the message of non-hatred, message of non-division, message of non-attachment. It is the message of peace, the message of love. The flavor is unmistakable and you can see it in any religion, whether it goes in the same depths of psychology as Buddhism or not, any true teaching is a teaching of consolidation, not quarrel of "us" vs "them".
So thank you for making this step and stretching your hand across the divide, brother. I'm confident this step is right and the history will confirm it.

Dear Andrej - please take me out of "the buddhists of this site" in your answer. Before I don't see the OP's understanding of what he means with "a prophet" I did not take side. Please remember that a generalized notion of "a prophet" (... "in a sense of...") might be able to open a route to more, deeper, understanding and then of educated agreement or disagreement. See for instance the list in dhammadhatu's answer where three notions of "a prophet" are tabulated for several islamic philosophers.

"Even the Buddhists of this site reject your respect of our teacher on the grounds that your faith is wrong in their eyes" what? Non of the answers on this site says such thing, what are you talking about?

I suppose you don't see the deleted answers that were here back in 2020... But also, look at these extant answers: "It follows the Buddha cannot be seen as a prophet by Islam because Islam, like the Jews, worship creation and the flesh and material things of this world and rejects monasticism." and "I'd suggest that instead of trying to morph buddha into a prophet (which might be greeted with raised hackles or irritatingly studied indifference, depending), it would be better".

I like your answer and send your message back : "Thank you for making this step and stretching your hand across the divide, brother. I'm confident this step is right and the history will confirm it." I also noticed th high score of affirmation of your vote with pleasure. Please do not take it as a refusal of this that I chose a more objective "accepted answer".

To add another answer, similar to the questioner, Muslim scholars in the distance past appeared to have a superficial and/or inaccurate understanding of Buddhism, despite their praises. For example:
Ibn al-Nadim (10th-century) stated:

These people [Buddhists of Khurasan] are the most generous of all the
inhabitants of the earth and of all the religionists. This is because
their prophet Budhasaf [Bodhisattva] has taught them that the greatest
sin, which should never be thought of or committed, is the utterance
of “No.” Hence they act upon this advice; they regard the uttering of
“No” as an act of Satan. And it is their very religion to banish Satan.

By 12th century, al-Shahrastani also repeated al-Biruni’s account of Buddhism in his book entitled The Book of Religions and Creeds (Kitab al-Milal wa al-Nihal). Al-Shahrastani (1992) placed the Buddha's position as Prophet Khidir which can be summarized as follows:

Buddha was an ideal human. He was not born, did not get old, and even
did not die. He avoided the pleasure of eating, drinking and remained
celibate all his life. He was a perfect ascetic and an exemplary model
for his disciples. Accordingly, a Buddhist can be defined as a seeker
of truth, a practitioner of various ascetic works, and a holder of the
deepest sense of inner morality. Buddhist ethical practices include
having patience, giving alms, renouncing this world, abstaining from
greed and worldly pleasure, and showing compassion for all creatures.
Thus, a Buddhist is required to live an ethically correct life. In
addition to practicing these ascetic disciplines, a Buddhist is
encouraged to pursue spiritual perfection. He must enhance his
intelligence and seek a higher existence. By doing so, he can liberate
himself from this lower world that is destined to decline, live in the
eternal world, and eventually be led to the presence of divine beings.
Buddhism places importance on ascetic disciplines and spiritual
endeavor. At the end of this description, Shahrastani states that
Buddha in the Buddhist context can be compared to Khaḍir (Khiḍr), a
legendary Islamic saint whose existence is taken for granted by
Muslims.

From: Muslim scholar’s discourse on Buddhism: a literature on Buddha’s position

I didn't know those authors. Of course, looks from far-off are usually not accurate. This is very useful for Islamic views.

The Buddha worshiped the Law of Liberation, per SN 6.2. The Buddha taught others to worship the Law of Liberation rather than worship him, per SN 22.87. While the Buddha did provide teachings of social morality or guidance for laypeople & the world (DN 31), the Buddha was primarily an ascetic that renounced the world.
Islam, for the most part, does not appear to worship the Law of Liberation but, instead, worships the Creator. In Buddhism, the Creator of this world is craving or lust, per SN 12.44.
It follows the Buddha cannot be seen as a prophet by Islam because Islam, like the Jews, worship creation and the flesh and material things of this world and rejects monasticism. Even where Islam encourages renunciation of the world, namely, zuhd, it, per the Koran, rejects monasticism.
In summary, Islam is predominantly a doctrine of social morality for the world rather than a doctrine of liberation from the world. A most positive thing a Buddhist can approve of in relation to Islam is the Koran says: "There is no compulsion in religion". Actual history shows many different religions coexisted under the political system of Islam, which included Buddhism in Persia for around 500 years (before the Turks and then Mongols harmed the Islamic culture).

Interesting point of view, trying to learn more about it. Can you elaborate more  about turks and mongols harming the Islamic culture?

i'm not an expert but the central Asian Turks (who drifted west) were originally used as mercenaries for the Persian Muslims until the Turks realized since they are the military they might as well take over the Islam Empire. These Turkic warlords then invaded North India mainly for the purpose of looting so they could finance their wars. Then the Mongols turned up (Gengis Khan was originally a Buddhist) & they destroyed Bagdad, killing 100s of 1000s of people, mostly Muslims. Then the Mongols converted to Islam but obviously they & the Turks caused much harm to the original Islamic pluralism

Upon the rise of Islam in Persia, Bagdad became the great cultural city of the world, including religious & philosophical exchange. Some early Muslim scholars in Bagdad praised Buddhism greatly, saying Buddhists were unsurpassed in their generosity and that Buddhism has the same goal as Islam, which was the defeat of Satan (Mara). But, as I said, when the Mongols sacked and wrecked Bagdad, its former glory, which represented the original pluralism of Islam, never recovered. The centres of Islam probably later moved to Cairo, Damascus, Istanbul, etc

Later certain Turks would drift all the way West to Anatolia, today called Turkey. These Turks established the Ottoman Empire, which was very pluralistic. But the original Turkic converts to Islam invaded Northern India, as i said, and looted the remains of Buddhism in India (which was dying anyway).

some links here: 1. https://www.shs-conferences.org/articles/shsconf/pdf/2018/14/shsconf_ichss2018_04001.pdf 2. https://www.jstor.org/stable/23011678?seq=1

i watched around 150 of these at my friends place on Netflix. it was a long way to learn a little about the Turkish invasion of Anatolia and the establishing of the Ottoman Empire https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fJXATpIiUQ

Thanks a lot for the fascinating story about Mongols, Turks, Indians, Muslims, the quarrel between pluralism and religion. Links to the scientific papers are impressive, It will take a bit more time to go through those. It is nice to see complete series/video in youtube. I also tried to search for videos on netflix, but those are harder to find as material not the same/available in different continents/countries. What makes the matter even harder is that we are guided by artificial intelligence in youtube/netflix.

One focuses on the information/suffering needs fighting against the flashy/addictive trends in the society and sinking its own tendencies to pay attention to things one believes oneself. What fascinates me is the life of gods, kings, priests, warriors, workers, cleaners, teachers, transition between those, and cutting the fetters.

"the Creator of this world is craving or lust, per SN 12.44.". I don't think that this is an adequate understanding of the text; maybe the translation is not really good (can't verify it). "From becoming as a requisite condition comes birth. From birth as a requisite condition, then aging & death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair come into play. This is the origination of the world." It's about birth into this world, not about the creation of the world.

"The Buddha cannot be seen as a prophet by Islam because Islam, like the Jews, worship creation and the flesh and material things of this world and rejects monasticism. Even where Islam encourages renunciation of the world, namely, zuhd, it, per the Koran, rejects monasticism." Islam as other Abrahamic religions do not worship creation and the flesh and material things of this world. It's true that Judaism and Islam reject Monastism. Withdrawal for contemplation should be temporary. It is important to act here in this world. Gauthama Buddha did that as well.

"In summary, Islam is predominantly a doctrine of social morality for the world rather than a doctrine of liberation from the world." True. In our view, we should live in this world and prepare for the perfection, which we cannot reach here, but in Janah. Islam is not Buddhism. There are differences.

"Actual history shows many different religions coexisted under the political system of Islam, which included Buddhism in Persia for around 500 years." Islam generally allows to agree authonomy of other religions under the reign of Islamic kings/kaliphs. There have been very tolerant as well as very intolerant Islamic reigns over time. I personally think that the present time where people migrate all over the world needs general religious tolerance (where tolerance starts where agreement ends).

"... question of courtesy whether Buddhists would rather appreciate or oppose to it ..."
If the intent is to show respect and veneration towards the Buddha and his teachings even if you are not Buddhist but follow another religion, then I would absolutely welcome this kind act. Further, I would offer that you are providing a testament to your own religion by showing such a good example of kindness and respect.

Even orthodox Muslim are open to this thought, as It is said in the Quran, that God has sent prophets to every nation, although they do not consider his teachings as relevant for Islam. This is a good base for mutual respect and peace. I personally like to read and reflect the wisdom from other traditions, including Buddhism, from the perspective of the path I go.

I see no problem in a similar way how some Buddhist like to think of Jesus and Muhammad and other world religion founders as Boddhisatvas and some Christians see Buddha and other world religion founders as saints. To revere Buddha even if as a prophet is still a good action that from a Buddhist perspective would cause the production of "mental seeds" that can be karmically harvested in the future. I can't think of any Buddhist who would not see that as a good thing.

Here's how Islam works think of the BhavaCakra... twelve links of causation. One pictures oneself in the Yama position: In Islams case? Yama becomes Allah/God/Brahma whatever then the twelve nidana get called sons or "Mohammad".
Same thing with Christianity with the twelve "saints". Of course the difference? Allah is in fact the name of god to the Islamic people.
Christians are still playing scape goat with their "gods" name. The god of Abraham... is all they feel comfortable with as a name.
So If Allah wanted to be Christian he would just have to be called: The god of Mohammad.
Who knows who knows is the best answer to whom someone's "god" is... diarrhea for many becomes "god" really quick in search of a bathroom or else boom right there in the robes without a single thought about it. In such a case... How is that not: "Zen mind, beginners mind"?
If someone is disgusted by the very idea? They should try wearing them; or at least remember you once did and someone was kind enough to change old baby for money(hospice) and kind enough to change new baby for "free"(parental figure).

Sorry, I don't get your point. I don't see the link between the concepte of Twelve Nidanas (which are teachings, not teachers) and 12 saints (the Catholics have 14, and they have nothing to do with Muhammad, p.b.u.h. Our image of God is closest to Brahman in the Indian tradition; we don't see a difference between the God of Abraham, Moses, Jesus or Muhammad. I don't understand anything from tho two last sections.


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Is Yiguandao teachings part of buddhism?
I've recently been invited to a Maitreya Buddha's Temple. They are required to held a ceremony if you want to join. So I do a little research and found out the name of their teaching is actually "Yiguandao".
They stated that this world/earth is created by Eternal Venerable Mother (Wusheng Laomu) source which I find contradicting to Gautama Buddha's teaching where there is no supreme creator source.  And some other factors I find even more contradicting to Buddhism as what I know.
All I need to know is whether this teachings is something different from true Buddhism Teachings and where did this teachings come from?
And If they are not the same, why do the use Maitreya Buddha in their teaching?

Based on the wikipedia page on Yiguandao, I would say that this is not Buddhism. It seems to be a Chinese folk religion.
Why do they use Maitreya Buddha in their teaching? Well, Chinese folk religion tends to integrate elements of Taoism, Confucianism and Buddhism.
That's not surprising. Even Hinduism has the Buddha as an incarnation of Vishnu. So, it's no surprise if Chinese folk religion includes Maitreya Buddha.
But as a whole, it doesn't appear to be a Buddhist sub-school or tradition, unlike say Nichiren Buddhism.


text:
Looking for a Sutta wherein the Buddha talks about dreams
In the Dhamma talk "Sleeping and dreaming", by Ajahn Punnadhammo, he mentions that in the Anguttara Nikaya (no specific sutta mentioned) the Buddha talked about the origins of dreams and different kinds of dreams.
He taught that some dreams could be visions of the past and future, messages from Devas and "Wind in the belly" meaning random content with no real significance.
What sutta is this?
Thank you for your time.

This answer said that's in the Milinda Pañha.

Source: milindapañha, anumānapañho, vessantaravaggo, supinapañho

That is the right answer (by Ven. Yuttadhammo). Thanks @ChrisW.

The OP asked about the Anguttara Nikaya. The Milinda Pañha is in the KN and is probably not a "sutta".

@Dhammadhatu True enough. And a common reason for not finding something is looking for it in the wrong place. :-)

"When the Tathagata — worthy & rightly self-awakened — was still just an unawakened bodhisatta, five great dreams appeared to him. Which five?"
AN 5.196


text:
References to descriptions of the formless realms in the suttas (or other Theravada texts)
For example in Wikipedia it mentions: "The inhabitants of these realms are possessed entirely of mind". Also, "They do not interact with the rest of the universe".
In "In the Buddha's Words" (Bhikkhu Bodhi) it mentions "The lifespans ascribed to these realms are
respectively 20,000; 40,000; 60,000; and 84,000 great eons".
I'm looking for that kind of descriptions of the formless realms but in the suttas (or other source Theravada texts).

...They enjoy it and like it and find it satisfying. If they’re set on that, committed to it, and meditate on it often without losing it, when they die they’re reborn in the company of the gods of the dimension of infinite space. The lifespan of the gods of infinite space is twenty thousand eons.

...If they’re set on that, committed to it, and meditate on it often without losing it, when they die they’re reborn in the company of the gods of the dimension of infinite consciousness. The lifespan of the gods of infinite consciousness is forty thousand eons.

...The lifespan of the gods of nothingness is sixty thousand eons. ~~ AN 3.116 ~~


text:
Yatha bhuta and Dhamma
Can you say that Yatha bhuta (= seeing things as they really are) and Dhamma are synonyms?

Yatha Buthavādin: Yes, good householder, nothing wrong with it, all Dhammas (with one exeption) are actually Yatha Butha (are conditioned, "truly born", originated).
One who sees Dhamma(s) sees yatha bhuta, phenomenas as they really arise.
It's even possible to call the Unborn "Yatha bhuta", in a sense of "real".
While falsehood is called "abutha". Someone thinking and arguing in ways of "is" speaks for the sake of taking a stand abutha, yatha abutha, abuthavacana.
[Note that this isn't given for stacks, exchange, other worldbinding trades but for escape from such stands]

No
Yatha bhuta = as truly exists
Dhamma = "bearer, supporter"
'Yatha bhuta', which forms 'truth', 'wisdom' or 'reality', is simply one type of many types of dhammas that are supporters of life &/or salvation.
For example, yatha bhuta may be synonymous with the use of dhamma in the 1st sentence of AN 3.136 below but is not synonymous with the use the word dhamma in all contexts:

Mendicants, whether Realized Ones arise or not, this law of nature
persists, this regularity of natural principles, this invariance of
natural principles:
Uppādā vā, bhikkhave, tathāgatānaṃ anuppādā vā tathāgatānaṃ, ṭhitāva
sā dhātu dhammaṭṭhitatā dhammaniyāmatā.
All conditions are impermanent. All conditions are unsatisfactory. All
things are not-self.
AN 3.136

For example, the translation of "dhamma" as "things" in  the 2nd sentence above is not synonymous with yatha bhuta.
Or dhamma in the term "akusalā dhammā" ("unwholesome qualities") is not synonymous with yatha bhuta.
(Note: there are unwholesome dhammas because anger & violence, for example, are survival dhammas, despite not being wholesome.)
This link may assist: The word ‘dhamma’ in context


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Origin of the concept of «Oneness» in (Zen-) Buddhism
I know that Zen-Buddhism knows a form of practise to achieve full harmony between the individual, his/her action and the animate or inanimate environment, often translated as «Oneness».

Does anybody know the roots of this practise?

Does it go back to Gautama Buddha or to an other known Buddhist teacher?

(Background: Around the year 800 CE (1300-1400 BE), Sufi Islam, and, shortly later, Christian and Jewish Mysticism have developed a concept of «Oneness» to reach by Dikr or meditation, meaning to reach a full compliance with the God; God meaning the Whole that is in relation to us. This concept does not have direct roots in either the Quran or the Bible. Although it might have been an independent parallel to Buddhism, I rather suppose that this concept is inspired by the Buddhist religion, above all because at the same time, even the concept of rebirth has been taken over by Jewish Kabbala and Alewite Islam although it is incompatible with traditional concepts of the three religions (which, in contrast to the aforementioned Sufi/Mystic practises have not entered into the main stream of either religion). It is part of the question whether we Muslim could or should recognise Gautama Buddha or possibly a Buddhist after him as a Prophet or as a valuable source of wisdom of Islam; I will have to discuss this question in Islam rather than here.)

Unfortunately I can't contribute about the source of an "oneness"-idea in Zen; at least I can say I didn't find this topic as philosophical goal in any of the parts of the pali-canon that I've read so far. To me it seems that this topic has always been popped up when a religious movement had grown up to some mature and culturally "metabolized" status. I was looking for an answer of a question very near to yours some years ago and didn't succeed - thus I like your question much and am curious about some interesting and qualified answers/comments! (...)

(...) perhaps it is worth to mention, that in the indian mysticism under the name "Upanishad"s at the time of or shortly after the Buddha this idea of "unification" or "immersion" with a god/with the universe has been cultivated, perhaps even as a more explicite answer to the Buddha's teachings. Maybe after a more serious search one can find some sources there?

interesting question, some of the unclarity in recent writings is from misleading/ mistranslations of terms into English; and concepts from Buddhism and Taoism have been presented together: maybe try going through 道德經/Tao Te Ching/Dao De Jing(c.500B.C.) in original readily readable characters(c.200B.C.) could be helpful for further refining apects of the question

(writings of Dogen DaiSho maybe are available more in original language, & writings of Hakuin Daisho)

Samadhi... is the correct term. Adding the concept of "Oneness" is trying to translate something that should be practiced instead of preached... such a thing only muddies the waters and gives rise to more grasping than: Sweep sweep sweep sweep sweep until the broom jumps off the ten thousand foot pole.

Thank you; indeed Samadhi in Wikipedia describes well what I read about under the translation of oneness.

In sitting and action is the quicker path... in Theravada everything is in breath Bud out breath dho until interrupted. As A lot of "people" play house builder/master of the house when it isn't even their house to do so... such a thing inevitably becomes a monkey minded tar trap ensnared in five ways. Buddho is meant to counter that and yet also keep things out of Shunyata at the same time. Someone sees "broom" they'll pick it up and broom that has had nothing but sweep on it? Will put it to work from that mindfulness left on it.

Oneness of the Universe was the original thesis of the (Kuru-Pancala) Vedic Religion (Brahmanism, as opposed to the later religion, the multi-deity Hinduism) - centuries before Buddhism appeared on scene. But it was never fully understood and the actual practitioners were rather corrupted, showing all kinds of real-life behaviors that went contrary to their own ideal.
Buddha had effectively cleaned it up and re-interpreted from the perspective of his own experience-centric framework.
Basically, Buddha said, the All of our lives can be summarized to our sensory and mental experience. Since experience is All,  having painful and conflicted experience is the essence of suffering while having peaceful and harmonious experience is the essence of happiness.
The highest happiness or bliss, is Nirvana, the complete cessation of all limits, divisions, and conflicts that would have induced suffering. This cessation of limits includes (among other things) complete and utter cessation of any and all I-making or self-identification. So once the individual mind stops identifying anything as "self", not even the universe, the true realization of that which the concept of oneness meant to represent is achieved.
Note how this is different from the Vedic experience of All Universe as Self. In Buddha's own words, that could be liked to a dog claiming freedom from the pole it was tied to, while still running around that pole a leash-length away.
In Buddhism the authenticity of the attainment is verified in practice as absence of any longing, grasping, attachment, identification, juxtaposing, and reification. Any kind of conflicted unsatisfied mind betrays still having some limits. The liberated mind has no limits, no position, no identity, no fixed form. It is beyond even the concept of oneness and off to the Unbounded - which is what the notion of oneness meant to mean anyway. This emphasis on direct experience and personal behavior that must be in line with the transcendental realization is the trademark of the Buddha's method.
The essence of this teaching was carried along the trade routes from the original birthplace of Buddhism to Kashmir and from there to China, where it grew into Ch'an Buddhism, and then to Japan where it got known as Zen. The essential practice of Zen is direct non-verbal transmission of the first-hand experience of this formlessness and limitlessness, beyond scripture and conceptual interpretation.
Part of Chan's inspiration for making the emphasis on harmony with the natural environment comes from the ancient Chinese tradition of Taoism which teaches a similar end-state but without tying it to the social, ethical, and psychological implications the way Buddha did.
Coming back to the original Buddha's teaching, the suttas often describe Buddhist path as progression of steps taking the student from confusion to the experience of oneness and beyond. For example in MN137:

"There is equanimity coming from multiplicity, dependent on multiplicity; and there is equanimity coming from singleness, dependent on singleness.
"And what is equanimity coming from multiplicity, dependent on multiplicity? There is equanimity with regard to forms, equanimity with regard to sounds...smells...tastes...tactile sensations [& ideas: this word appears in one of the recensions]. This is equanimity coming from multiplicity, dependent on multiplicity.
"And what is equanimity coming from singleness, dependent on singleness? There is equanimity dependent on the dimension of the infinitude of space, equanimity dependent on the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness... dependent on the dimension of nothingness... dependent on the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception. This is equanimity coming from singleness, dependent on singleness.
"By depending & relying on equanimity coming from singleness, dependent on singleness, abandon & transcend equanimity coming from multiplicity, dependent on multiplicity.
"By depending & relying on non-fashioning, abandon & transcend the equanimity coming from singleness, dependent on singleness. Such is its abandoning, such its transcending."

In other words, the Buddha repurposed naive oneness of Brahmins as a stepping stone to "emptiness" - the true state of shapelessness and limitlessness which is the end of suffering.
Just like the Buddhist social ethics of non-violence, truthfulness, non-intoxication etc. lead away from the objective causes of suffering, Buddhist practice of oneness (Brahmaviharas, Formless Jhanas) leads away from the subjective causes of suffering, and all this is culminated by the teaching and practice of transcending the limits of conceptual mind - Emptiness - which removes the very ground the suffering stood on.

Gautama Buddha did not teach "oneness" ("ekatta") as the goal of his teachings or path. The sutta MN 1 clearly distinguishes between "oneness" ("ekatta") and the Buddha's goal of Nibbana.
Similarly, the sutta MN 121 rejects the various delusions of "oneness" ("ekatta") born of various samadhi states as being the supreme emptiness (sunnata) or Nibbana.
"Oneness" is found in Taoism, which would have probably influenced Chinese Buddhism, which is the source of Zen. For example:

Primal Virtue is deep and far. It leads all things back toward the
great oneness.
Tao Te Ching 65

The Way is perfect like great space, Without lack, without excess.
Because of grasping and rejecting, You cannot attain it. Do not pursue
conditioned existence; Do not abide in acceptance of emptiness. In
oneness and equality, Confusion vanishes of itself. Stop activity and
return to stillness, And that stillness will be even more active.
Merely stagnating in duality, How can you recognize oneness?
The Hsin Hsin Ming Verses on the Faith Mind by Chien-chih Seng-ts'an
Third Zen Patriarch [606AD]

"Oneness" or "Advaita" is also found in Hinduism, which would have influenced the Mahayana.

As for Christian, Jewish Kabbala, Alewite and Sufi Mysticism, these are the practices and doctrines of heretics.
Jewish Kabbala probably has its roots in the Old Testament, particularity in the later teachings such as the nihilistic Ecclesiastes, which appears to normalize evil, such as in Chapter 3.
Sufism was probably Buddhism in disguise, since Buddhism did appear to continue to exist in Persia & Afghanistan for around 300 to 500 years after the rise of Islam; until the Turks & then the Mongols took control of Islam in Persia.
Syrian President Hafez al-Assad in the 1960s ordered a fatwa issued to declare Alawite as legitimate Islam because, previously, it was generally not considered to be true Islam. Since the Alawite believe in the Trinity and other aspects of Christianity, they are obviously heretics.
In summary, "Oneness" is evil Satanism because it negates 'good' & 'evil'. 'Oneness' is 'nihilism'.  Gautama Buddha would never teach such evil & madness.
For example, when Muslims experience a terrible misfortune done by the evil violence of others, they declare: "It is the will of Allah". The Buddha utterly opposed this type of thinking in AN 3.61.

Also, Buddhists have often rejected monotheism, including in the Theravada scriptures (somewhere). This rejection is based on the logical argument that if there is one god, this god creates both good & evil. If this one god creates evil, it, itself, must be evil.

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

Hmm, I gave +1 when I read the leading information part, but removed it when I arrived at the opinion/damning part.

it doesn't matter what you think when you are wrong

Oneness in the context of practice that I read about, was in fact translated from German "Eins-sein", used in Christian Mystics; it is referring to Samadhi (see มนต์ดำ above). I read MN121 teaching oneness like a step on the path, the goal bein Nirvana. Do you know whether oneness in MN121 refers to Samadhi ?

You appear to be misrepresenting Islam and its notion of a monotheistic god. It appears the oneness of god in Islam is not about what you are posting about.

Case 15 of the Blue Cliff Record
Preaching on Not-Oneness
A monk asked Ummon, “What is it when no thought is stirring and nothing presents itself?”
Unman said, “No preaching on Oneness.”
What makes you think that Zen preaches oneness?  There are no practices that create or engender oneness. There is only emptiness and insight.  Sometimes emptiness show us oneness, but sometimes it reveals two-ness.  Sometimes we have to face down twoness to see oneness.  The opposite is also true.  You’re better off finding the place where oneness and two-ness are of single essence.  Anything less is attachment to oneness.  Anything more and you are lost in multiplicity.
Oneness is dead air.  Twoness is a storm.  Zen is both without compromising either.

Personally-speaking, I found the term on an older version of Ram Dass' website a few years ago. I don't think it was from his own words though. Also that website and him don't tout Buddhism, despite that he described solo retreats by himself, facing his internal self and attachments in numerous situations, and found a spiritual teacher to follow, things very much done in a variety of Buddhist practices. I believe on that website it originated from some Hindu teachings. This matches what other users described as a Vedic concept.
I found it a useful concept, personally. I also draw upon my Catholic background, Tao concepts as well.
To me it was a reshaping of my understanding of God. This is also not Buddhist. Buddhism does not describe the indescribable really, finds this foolish, innacurate, likely to be detrimental.
I know very little history, but perhaps I gave you another place to look if tracing it.


text:
Gautama Buddha and Hindu divinities
Am I right that Gauthama Budda did not teach to worship the Hindu Gods?
Did he teach not to worship them?
Maybe my questions sound stupid to a Buddhist but I am practising Islam and do not know very much about Buddhism.
Peace be with you, and thank you for you help.

Actually it appears that the Buddha spoke positively of the use of legitimate wealth for performing oblations or offerings to the gods (who are not immortal or eternal) in the sutta quoted below.
From AN 5.41:

Furthermore, with his legitimate wealth he makes five
spirit-offerings:
Puna caparaṃ, gahapati, ariyasāvako
uṭṭhānavīriyādhigatehi bhogehi bāhābalaparicitehi sedāvakkhittehi
dhammikehi dhammaladdhehi pañcabaliṃ kattā hoti.
to relatives, guests, ancestors, king, and deities.
Ñātibaliṃ, atithibaliṃ, pubbapetabaliṃ, rājabaliṃ, devatābaliṃ—
This is the fourth reason to get rich.
ayaṃ catuttho bhogānaṃ ādiyo.

I think this answer could be misinterpreted. The Buddha did not advise people to worship the Hindu Gods in order to reach salvation or liberation. This Sutta you link was undoubtedly a skillfull means highly context dependent upon a specific audience for a specific purpose and not one that is broadly applicable in the way this OP probably intends.

Lord Buddha did not say not to worship gods. What Lord Buddha did say was not to become unconditional followers/worshipers of gods by neglecting the Triple Gems - The Buddha, The Dhamma and The Sangha.
According to Buddhism, a person who engages in righteous work and prevents from sinful acts might eventually become a god in his/her next life or lives because of his/her achieved merits. Therefore, any god deserves our respect.
For example, no matter our religious beliefs, we bow/respect/worship the King of the country. Because the king is a leader; a powerful person. He is indeed lucky and luxurious. Likewise, we must respect all gods because they are in a far more powerful, meritorious and higher place than any of us combined.
Specifically in Hindu religion, there are many gods with many names. I don't know much about them but that's their belief. It is okay to worship them. As a Buddhist, what's not okay is to abandon the Triple Gems and blindly going on worshiping gods.
For your knowledge, I also added some extra information below too.
According to Buddhism, every single person who still travels though this tough sea of Samsara,

Had been
Still being
Will be

a god for numerous times until he/she attains Nibbana. Anyone who engages in righteous work and prevents from sinful acts might eventually become a god because of his/her achieved merits. But when those merits fades after a long time, then that god will become another living being again. (may be another god, human, animal or a being in hell).
In order to become successful in life, Lord Buddha said "Give respect for those who deserves respect." You can read Singalowada Sutra to get more information about how to show respect and uphold the necessary responsibilities to 6 specific parties. Those 6 specific parties are mentioned as 6 directions and you have to respect/worship/oblige to them. They are,

Parents - represented by EAST direction
Teachers - represented by SOUTH direction
Spouse - represented by WEST direction
Friends - represented by NORTH direction
Monks - represented by UP direction
Servants - represented by DOWN direction

To be a good person is to respect all 6 directions everyday and to make sure that our responsibilities towards them are always met. So that you will get their respect and obligations back.
I hope you got your answer. Wish you well.

I think that the term "god" as you use it does not fit the notion of a divinity in English or ilah in Arabic, meaning an imaginary non-human partial power, as you said a person may traditionally become this even before reaching Nibbana. There's also a difference between respecting and worshipping.

Yes, Buddhism I believe did syncretize many Hindu devas ie Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. But, lessened their importance, the traditions are separate hence.

He taught that they exist only at the behest of a god feeling at the end of their proverbial "rope".
It's like celebrity the world is their oyster and then the pearl goes missing out of it; at their wits end grasp and cling scamper and scurry.
Standing on the moon?
Stop that noise and just practice so it does not occur again. "Resting on one's laurels" is what the greeks called all: Self or other appointed bouts of fame or recognition.
The grasshopper and the ant; is a good fable for such a thing.
The Buddha and others like him before and after; sat through, stood through, or lay through death until they arose again and were conscious the whole time such thing was occuring... the pain of being eaten alive, the pain of being chopped down like a tree, etc etc. no matter what mode of existence or life one finds themselves in?
Suffering... no matter the form of life suffering exists. Money, fame, and fortune a fools errand to tarry on. Have compassion on them? Hell no... it's the same thing as an enabler it only allows the rise of a system and cycle of abuse to keep occurring.
When Arhats would go see the Buddha; to avoid kamma accumilation from such beings? He would point out that there are: Quick learners, medium learners, and slow learners. Kammic fruition goes both ways... patience was the key to over coming the stubborn Ox; as "A good horse runs under the shadow of the whip." Once his son; knew the whip? "Fetter" was more suiting of a name than horse.
...are we not fortunate to have the entire path to escape that suffering lain out before us? Indeed so, and yet being the path is something else entirely.
Age does not necessarily mean someone is wise or innocent. I have seen the "rainbow bodied" only help to continue cycles of pain and suffering; as it is often a siddhi/riddhi abuse of power used to induce attachment in the weak like a preta preying on peoples weaknesses. Instead of leading to liberation.
The Kalichakra initiative was meant to try to help put an end to the abuse of such a thing... However; it does and it does not it is best seen with direct experience between; Old age and death as "sickness" as the twelve nidana go, not a gate or pathway to liberation.

"Am I right that Gautama Budda did not teach to worship the Hindu Gods?"
Yes, you are correct.
"Did he teach not to worship them?"
For those taking refuge in the Triple Gem (ie., Buddhists) it is advised not to seek salvation in the form of the Hindu Gods. The Buddha taught that salvation or liberation can not be found via worship of the Hindu Gods.

It is important to note that the Buddha was not an active proselytizer disparaging other religions. The Buddha taught the Dharma to those who were interested and had the capacity to understand and take the medicine to achieve liberation. The Buddha acknowledged many times during his life as Gautama, that some sentient beings were not yet ripe enough to understand the Dharma to achieve liberation in their present circumstances. The Buddha even censored himself at times from teaching aspects of the Dharma that practitioners were not ready to understand or hear.
For this reason, today's masters of the Dharma - for instance the Dalai Lama - also do not proselytize and even warn other Dharma practitioners against proselytizing. The Dalai Lama says that Buddhist proselytizing can even lead to more suffering, not less. So it is advised that Buddhists do not proselytize or try and convert unsolicited people.


text:
What is the quality and status of the Tripitaka texts at tipitaka.org?
I am looking for high quality etexts of the Tripitaka and so far after weeks of search, the best place seems to be tipitaka.org.
However, when looking at the texts, the punctuation and writing style is doesn't seem high quality to me, and I wonder how it compares to the "originals".
For example, look here:

කතමෙ ධම්‌මා කුසලා? යස්‌මිං සමයෙ ලොකුත්‌තරං ඣානං භාවෙති නිය්‍යානිකං අපචයගාමිං දිට්‌ඨිගතානං පහානාය පඨමාය භූමියා පත්‌තියා විවිච්‌චෙව කාමෙහි…පෙ.… පඨමං ඣානං උපසම්‌පජ්‌ජ විහරති දුක්‌ඛපටිපදං දන්‌ධාභිඤ්‌ඤං ඡන්‌දාධිපතෙය්‍යං…පෙ.… වීරියාධිපතෙය්‍යං…පෙ.… චිත්‌තාධිපතෙය්‍යං…පෙ.… වීමංසාධිපතෙය්‍යං, තස්‌මිං සමයෙ ඵස්‌සො හොති…පෙ.… අවික්‌ඛෙපො හොති…පෙ.… ඉමෙ ධම්‌මා කුසලා.

There are ellipses … everywhere, Latin punctuation like the question mark ? and period . everywhere. Some things are centered, some things are in bold, and not being a native reader, I am not sure what the significance of all these "features" are.

Things are aligned in several different ways as in the last image. Again, why so much random bold? And there's quotes ".
I am just collecting these texts for later learning, and want to clean them up. What do I really need out of these texts? Do I need to keep the bold and centering and such (i.e., what information does it contain/encode?), or can I get rid of it? Are these ellipses some sort of signifier that the text is incomplete, or is it a list they are iterating over or something? Basically, can I remove the ellipses too?

It's never ending job. I'm focusing on reciting and memorizing instead.

I think the question is on-topic here, but that someone else at https://discourse.suttacentral.net/ might know more about this sort of topic.

Yes, agree, nicely written & very On-topic question for here. Thank you  :)

The texts at tipitaka.org were created by the VRI institute in the 90s, and generally are quite good. However, their work was very carefully studied and corrected by the Dhamma Society in Bangkok and the results published as the Mahasangiti Edition. It is this edition that was used as the basis by SuttaCentral (disclaimer: it me!).
The Mahasangiti, while not perfect, is the most accurate and reliable digital Pali text that has so far been created. Note that "reliable" here means that it accurately represents the 6th Council edition on which it was based. I have done a brief comparison of readings, and you can see that here:
https://discourse.suttacentral.net/t/what-is-the-difference-between-the-pali-text-of-the-vri-and-that-of-the-mahasa-giti/2667
As for the features such as punctuation and markup that you identify, as you surmise these are not found in the manuscripts. They were added by modern editors for ease of reading. So yes, feel free to ignore them. They are not always correct.
I think this is fine for a general purpose edition like the Mahasangiti, but I think we should also have what are called "diplomatic editions" that exactly represent what is in a specific manuscript with no alterations. SuttaCentral is currently working on such a diplomatic edition of the oldest Pali manuscript, a Cullavagga from the 13th century held in the Colombo Museum.
We have recently concluded a systematic set of tests for the integrity of our Pali texts, which you can read about here:
https://discourse.suttacentral.net/t/pali-text-integrity-checking/16438
I agree that we should remove all markup and extraneous information from texts as much as possible, and we are building a new system called "standoff markup" to achieve this. All non-essential information is separated from the text and can be recombined. Everything is stored as JSON data. We so far have not done this with punctuation, as it is too complex, but it would be a good idea. Perhaps at some point we'll be able to do that, too.
You can see an example of our corrected texts in standoff JSON here:
https://github.com/suttacentral/bilara-data/blob/published/root/pli/ms/sutta/mn/mn1_root-pli-ms.json

The Manuscript(s) and Edition(s) information is very helpful & useful :)
The exact Intact Manuscript(s) Text(s) is very much appreciated :)
The Accuracy and Conscientious Effort is very helpful and very appreciated :)
Thank you very much :)
Thank you !
Bless you !
:)
OM

OP: There are ellipses … everywhere

This is a Tipitaka writing method called peyyala (p) [පෙය්‍යාල (පෙ)] to omit repetitive phrases or paragraphs in order to prevent Tipitaka becoming unfeasibly lengthier. In peyyala writing method, ellipsis (...) with or without p (පෙ) used to indicate an omitted phrase or passage.
e.g. The following paragraph written with peyyala.
කතමෙ ධම්මා කුසලා? යස්මිං සමයෙ ලොකුත්තරං ඣානං භාවෙති නිය්‍යානිකං අපචයගාමිං දිට්ඨිගතානං පහානාය පඨමාය භූමියා පත්තියා විවිච්චෙව කාමෙහි...පෙ...පඨමං ඣානං උපසම්පජ්ජ විහරති දුක්ඛපටිපදං දන්ධාභිඤ්ඤං ඡන්දාධිපතෙය්‍යං...පෙ...විරියාධිපතෙය්‍යං...පෙ...චිත්තාධිපතෙය්‍යං...පෙ...වීමංසාධිපතෙය්‍යං, තස්මිං සමයෙ ඵස්සො හොති...පෙ...අවික්ඛෙපො හොති...පෙ...ඉමෙ ධම්මා කුසලා.
If we write the same paragraph without peyyala it would become lengthier like this;
කතමෙ ධම්මා කුසලා? යස්මිං සමයෙ ලොකුත්තරං ඣානං භාවෙති නිය්‍යානිකං අපචයගාමිං දිට්ඨිගතානං පහානාය පඨමාය භූමියා පත්තියා විවිච්චෙව කාමෙහි පඨමං ඣානං උපසම්පජ්ජ විහරති දුක්ඛපටිපදං දන්ධාභිඤ්ඤං ඡන්දාධිපතෙය්‍යං, තස්මිං සමයෙ ඵස්සො හොති. යස්මිං සමයෙ ලොකුත්තරං ඣානං භාවෙති නිය්‍යානිකං අපචයගාමිං දිට්ඨිගතානං පහානාය පඨමාය භූමියා පත්තියා විවිච්චෙව කාමෙහි පඨමං ඣානං උපසම්පජ්ජ විහරති දුක්ඛපටිපදං දන්ධාභිඤ්ඤං විරියාධිපතෙය්‍යං, තස්මිං සමයෙ ඵස්සො හොති. යස්මිං සමයෙ ලොකුත්තරං ඣානං භාවෙති නිය්‍යානිකං අපචයගාමිං දිට්ඨිගතානං පහානාය පඨමාය භූමියා පත්තියා විවිච්චෙව කාමෙහි පඨමං ඣානං උපසම්පජ්ජ විහරති දුක්ඛපටිපදං දන්ධාභිඤ්ඤං චිත්තාධිපතෙය්‍යං, තස්මිං සමයෙ ඵස්සො හොති. යස්මිං සමයෙ ලොකුත්තරං ඣානං භාවෙති නිය්‍යානිකං අපචයගාමිං දිට්ඨිගතානං පහානාය පඨමාය භූමියා පත්තියා විවිච්චෙව කාමෙහි පඨමං ඣානං උපසම්පජ්ජ විහරති දුක්ඛපටිපදං දන්ධාභිඤ්ඤං වීමංසාධිපතෙය්‍යං, තස්මිං සමයෙ ඵස්සො හොති.
යස්මිං සමයෙ ලොකුත්තරං ඣානං භාවෙති නිය්‍යානිකං අපචයගාමිං දිට්ඨිගතානං පහානාය පඨමාය භූමියා පත්තියා විවිච්චෙව කාමෙහි පඨමං ඣානං උපසම්පජ්ජ විහරති දුක්ඛපටිපදං දන්ධාභිඤ්ඤං ඡන්දාධිපතෙය්‍යං, තස්මිං සමයෙ අවික්ඛෙපො හොති. යස්මිං සමයෙ ලොකුත්තරං ඣානං භාවෙති නිය්‍යානිකං අපචයගාමිං දිට්ඨිගතානං පහානාය පඨමාය භූමියා පත්තියා විවිච්චෙව කාමෙහි පඨමං ඣානං උපසම්පජ්ජ විහරති දුක්ඛපටිපදං දන්ධාභිඤ්ඤං විරියාධිපතෙය්‍යං, තස්මිං සමයෙ අවික්ඛෙපො හොති. යස්මිං සමයෙ ලොකුත්තරං ඣානං භාවෙති නිය්‍යානිකං අපචයගාමිං දිට්ඨිගතානං පහානාය පඨමාය භූමියා පත්තියා විවිච්චෙව කාමෙහි පඨමං ඣානං උපසම්පජ්ජ විහරති දුක්ඛපටිපදං දන්ධාභිඤ්ඤං චිත්තාධිපතෙය්‍යං, තස්මිං සමයෙ අවික්ඛෙපො හොති. යස්මිං සමයෙ ලොකුත්තරං ඣානං භාවෙති නිය්‍යානිකං අපචයගාමිං දිට්ඨිගතානං පහානාය පඨමාය භූමියා පත්තියා විවිච්චෙව කාමෙහි පඨමං ඣානං උපසම්පජ්ජ විහරති දුක්ඛපටිපදං දන්ධාභිඤ්ඤං වීමංසාධිපතෙය්‍යං, තස්මිං සමයෙ අවික්ඛෙපො හොති.
ඉමෙ ධම්මා කුසලා.

OP: Latin punctuation like the question mark ? and period . everywhere.

Your first quote is from "Dhammasaṅgaṇī" and it is written in a question and answer pattern. So the latin punctuation question mark (?) has its usual meaning (used at the end of an interrogative sentence). Period (.) is used to indicate the end of a sentence.

OP: Things are aligned in several different ways as in the last image.

I cannot see much importance of the alignment of the sentences.

OP: Again, why so much random bold?

I'm not sure why some of the sentences and words are bold apart from the titles.

OP: And there's quotes ".

Quotes (") are usually used as speaker tags.

OP: What do I really need out of these texts? Do I need to keep the bold and centering and such (i.e., what information does it contain/encode?), or can I get rid of it?

My suggestion is to keep all the formatting except different alignments. (Most importantly the ellipses should be kept). I'm not sure whether the bolds should be kept as they are or not.
Note: This is how I understood. I may be wrong, but not Dhamma.

Good clear answer. Thank you  :)

Just to clarify, the bold in the VRI text (and the Mahasangiti) usually indicates a special part of the text, such as the term to be defined in a Vinaya rule, commentary, or similar. The markup is not semantic, however, so it may mean different things in different contexts.
See here for an example: https://www.tipitaka.org/romn/cscd/vin02m1.mul0.xml

If, good householder, and who ever joy in such, is interested to help to care about the gift, my person had received, short before Upasaka Goenka left his existance here, for the Sangha of the Eight direction, as it is not really maintained (errors not corrected, not brought right into particular scripts), if he likes to make merits toward the Sangha, he may feel given to do so here. (Note that it isn't a worldly undertaking and dedicated toward liberation)
Tipitaka project
Some scripts had been already placed for further maintaining here.
And you should be clear that usual acting and punder is not only Karmical very destructive but also in regard of common laws, often a violation:
Copyright Vipassana Research Institute, for the source you probably think you can do want you want. And, yes, also approve and encoragement of taking on what is not given is bad Kamma, leading to poorness.
Din't one think because bad habits are common that they are justified, not to speak about long-term effects.
[Note that this isn't given for stacks, exchange, other world-binding trades, but for liberation]


text:
What causes the arising of fear that the sense of "me" will be threatened by the fruition of my practice?
When practicing meditation (samatha and vipassana) intensely it feels like the sense of self is disintegrating and breaking apart. What causes that?

The Pali suttas teach self-identity is born from craving. For example:

The craving that makes for further becoming — accompanied by passion &
delight, relishing now here & now there — i.e., craving for sensual
pleasure, craving for becoming, craving for non-becoming: This, friend
Visakha, is the origination of self-identification described by the
Blessed One. MN 44
He assumes form to be a self. That assumption is a fabrication. Now
what is the cause, what is the origination, what is the birth, what is
the coming-into-existence of that fabrication? To an uninstructed,
run-of-the-mill person, touched by that which is felt born of contact
with ignorance, craving arises. That fabrication is born of that. SN
22.81
And what may be said to be subject to birth? Spouses & children are
subject to birth. Men & women slaves... goats & sheep... fowl &
pigs... elephants, cattle, horses & mares... gold & silver are
subject to birth. Subject to birth are these acquisitions, and one who
is tied to them, infatuated with them, who has totally fallen for
them, being subject to birth, seeks what is likewise subject to birth.
MN 26

From when you were very young, your mind attached to things due to both craving & fear. For example, as a baby, your body was hungry and you attached to your mother, who was the source of food. Or when you were lonely & frightened, you craved your mother's attention. Since your children, your life has probably continued like this. While you may not crave your mother for food & comfort, you probably have sought pleasures & attention from other things, so to escape the instinctual fear of being alone, bored & restlessness. From these objects the mind craves & attaches to, a sense of self-identity is born, such as: "My mother, my toys, my food, my friends, my girlfriend, my boyfriend, my husband, my wife, my profession, my sport, my favourite pop star, my favourite movie, etc".
Meditation is similar to being alone. Because the sense of self-identity is built upon external attachments, the sense of self-identity can reduce &/or break apart in meditation. What remains is the original fear the mind has been escaping since it was born into the world.
If your mind is naturally strong, you endure this fear until it passes. Even the Buddha did this, as described below:

So when fear & terror came to me while I was walking back & forth, I
would not stand or sit or lie down. I would keep walking back & forth
until I had subdued that fear & terror. When fear & terror came to me
while I was standing, I would not walk or sit or lie down. I would
keep standing until I had subdued that fear & terror. When fear &
terror came to me while I was sitting, I would not lie down or stand
up or walk. I would keep sitting until I had subdued that fear &
terror. When fear & terror came to me while I was lying down, I would
not sit up or stand or walk. I would keep lying down until I had
subdued that fear & terror. MN 4

However, there are meditators unable to endure this fear. For example, i listened to a Western monk of 30 years who has given up on even trying to overcome this fear. He spends most of his time as a monk talking & teaching.
This lecture has a good introduction about what the 'self' is: Anattā and Rebirth
by Buddhadāsa Bhikkhu

That's a great answer. Why did that monk give up? He might not work through the fear in this life, it might take many life times but at least he would have started untying the knot.

It's caused by the sense of self disintegrating and breaking apart.  That's kind of the whole point.  What you think of as you, the thing you identify with your name, is actually a fiction.  It's just a concept, an agreed upon convention.  It's convenient...I mean, having a name makes it a lot easier for your boss to pay you at the end of week...but this you who you take to be you keeps you from seeing who you really are.
Buddhist practice is many things, but chiefly it is a process of disentangling our mistaken identities.  It's about ceasing to identify with this flesh, this mind, these habits, these loves, and these hates and instead seeing ourselves as not body, not mind, no habits, and something that is beyond love and hate.  Undertaking this process can be painful.  Nothing characterizes our smaller selves more than its desperate scrambling for continued existence.  The more you sit, the more insight that awakens, the more it will claw and scratch.  If you are going to practice the great way, be prepared to struggle.  Be prepared to be wounded.

"When you realize what the real is, you will see that we pass from one
husk to another like travelers stopping for a night's lodging. But if
you do not realize it yet, I earnestly advise you not to rush about
wildly. When earth, water, fire, and air suddenly separate, you will
be like a crab struggling in boiling water with its seven or eight
arms and legs. When that happens, don't say I didn't warn you."
From Case 35 of the Mumonkan

Thank you very much.


text:
What effect does social media, mobile gaming and watching movies have on my meditation practice?
I use FB and Instagram quite a lot. I also play a mobile game called Genshin Impact which is an RPG-game where one can level up ones heroes and gain new abilities and weapons to defeat monsters and other creatures. It's a huge open-world game with tons of stuff to do.
The movies I watch are usually horror movies such as Hereditary, Midsommar, The Conjuring, Sinister or science fiction movies such as Arrival, Interstellar, Moon etc.
Will I be better served without these activities?
What effect will the absence of those activities have on my meditation practice?

maybe if could include what types of  communications & what types of films could be helpful, as content etc could vary significantly, also venue, music/ sound  :)

@MH. Do you mean what games and movies I watch?

yes, many films seem fine & some games are okay, & music; also might depend on what specific contemplation/ meditation , eg some things are restful & serene etc, other things less so etc, thank you  :)

@MH. Okay, I updated my question and added a description of my activities - is it better now?

thank you for including additional information  :)

If you are regularly practising meditation, you should know for yourself how various activities affect your meditation.
For example, if desires & thoughts about various activities pop into your mind regularly when meditating then obviously these activities are hindering the development of meditative concentration.
In summary, if the quality of your social media, mobile gaming and watching movies is related to lust, violence & restlessness then they will inevitably hinder concentration meditation.
But if social media & movies are of a more wholesome quality then they will not hinder meditation.
Note: I am too old to know what mobile gaming is.

You let go of the grosser forms of happiness, the grosser strategies for happiness, and get used to more and more refined ones. And they finally take you to the point where there's no course left but to let go of strategies. All strategies..... This is the way to true happiness.

Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu

This video really tell me something. Emptiness is to develop good habits and watching TV, video games, etc are draining your energy and keep an deilllusion that world is so perfect but the real life is way too much different yet will lead you to a mindset to have life dissatisfacion.
https://youtu.be/lrnqdezWaTE

I think u have heard some famous actors shown up in perfect life in the TV but suicide next few months right. Their real life and their acting are totally 2 different worlds. I knew few of them and saw them the life in mental illness state. So choose the right TV program :)

Thanks little star:)

If one was on the Titanic, one might realize that social media, mobile gaming and watching movies are unproductive. Focusing on such trivial activities, one might suffer a painful death and end up being reborn craving for air and warm water.
Life is short. We can spend that time grasping at the unsatisfactory. Or we can seek out and let go of the root of suffering.
Do social media, mobile gaming and watching movies give us lasting happiness or do we have to "keep playing"?