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Past life memories: what is the purpose of those memories?
As a child I remembered being born, being in the womb, and the death that preceeded this birth.
I recalled the time between the death and the womb.
I recalled the act I dying.
I recalled the act of taking a blade to my own throat and the process of dying.
I still recall many of the things I did which caused suffering in my previous life, but I do not recall those whom I helped, or loved.
It is a heavy load to bear. Is there a purpose to this ? Am I meant to work to relieve the same suffering I caused in others ?

"Danuka Shewantha asked (2018-03-07): If you don’t mind can you explain your experience with us. Are you recalling past life memory?"
Being born:
Very young I had a recurring nightmare, and it would follow me when I woke up. It was a dream of being huge in a small space and suddenly extremely small in an infinite space. The size of the space I came to realize was being defined by being squeezed from all sides and then the contact disappearing. When all the surface of my skin was in contact with the "squeezing" it felt like I was a giant and the space around me was too small for me, it panicked me, and then when the surface in contact with my skin withdrew I felt myself floating without any sense of being touched -therefore I had no size, it felt like being infinitely small in an infinitely large space. This felt like relief.
This is what I later came to understand (perhaps wrongly, but it felt correct), as the memory of being born. The squeezing of the uterus against me, and then, when the contraction subsided, the feeling of the liquid around and no contact. When I was young I asked other children if they had the same nightmare and several told me they had it too. The memory of it seems to fade, like all nightmares.
My suicide:
One day a friend of one of my aunts, in a (very successful) effort to endear himself gave me a present for Easter (I was raised in a Catholic home). It was a huge rabbit standing like a person. It was wearing clothes like a person (a blazer and short pants). He was taller than I was.  I would have been maybe 6 (?), not much older (we moved from that house when I was 7), but maybe younger. The rabbit was upstairs, there was a downstairs play area in this house.
There was a moment when everything went black (no sight memory, just missing time). Then I felt like I was in a different place. I ran to the kitchen and in the utensil drawer I dug through the knives. I looked at them and kept touching them to find the one my hand remembered. I chose a short knife with a wooden handle. The knife had been washed so much the wood was rough, but it had once been smooth, the wood felt weathered, like the outside wood of an unpainted house. The surface changed by the rain. The blade of the knife had been sharpened many times on a stone. It was a knife my mother used in the vegetable garden, so my father sharpened it regularly because it was often made dull by the labour. I recall the blade shape, but I don't know how to describe it. I recall the knife as clearly as if it were before me now. I can see the lines from the sharpening reflecting light, the colour of the handle. The small rivets that held the wood to the blade were blackened. I held the knife in my hand, the butt of the handle against the middle of my palm.
I knew the knife as familiar in that moment because of the place the handle fit into my palm, the length of it. It was "correct". I ran downstairs with the knife. I leaned the rabbit against a door frame to hold it vertical. Standing in front of it I looked for the place in its neck, and I sliced into it with the knife.
At that moment everything went black. I felt myself different. I felt my right arm, pressed against my body, reaching for my neck on the left side, and the knife in my hand. I felt the tip of the blade against my skin. I felt the moment before the blade cut into my flesh as the blade pushed, and then the moment the skin broke. The flood of heat of my blood flowing from the wound. I felt the heat of the blood as it poured over my skin. I felt the pushing, pulsing of my heart, beating loud, and the increasing heat of the blood as my skin became cold. It (felt as though) it burned my skin. I felt everything. My eardrums hurt as though there was such a huge silence my heartbeat was crushingly loud. The memory continues from that, but I don't know if you really want to know what happened afterwards. It was quite horrible.
Before birth:
I recalled from that event forward and being sent into the womb. I recalled that someone/something sent me, like being pushed by a voice. As though the voice were wind and I was dust.  There were many voices, not all agreed with my birth. Someone advocated for me. I did not have voice. I did not speak, I listened, involved, but not desirous (not against either) the outcome.
when the vision broke I awakened on the ground, next to the now 'dead' rabbit, the small styrofoam pellets all over the floor. I could not explain to my mother why I had destroyed such a lovely gift which I loved so much. She thought it ungrateful of me. Which it was, in many ways.
There are many other such moments. I recall being widowed (that pain is still searing now). I recalled my attachment to wealth and what I did to amass it. I recall the pain I brought to others through my actions, and I recall their blaming me for their suffering. I have met many of them in my life now, and I see them act on the experiences we shared. I see them continue to struggle with the experiences, but they don't seem to recall them. They are just blindly acting on the pain. Some I have helped, but many are living in a fog. It is very like watching a person you knew as a child and knowing the reasons for their current actions is their past experience.

"Sankha Kulathantille asked (2018-03-08): Do you remember the names of your parents in the past life or at least the place they stayed?
That is an interesting question, I never wondered about the names of parents. I chastised myself severly for not recalling the names of my children, but parents never occured to me.
I recall young being very upset to be called by the name which I was given. I could not understand why they called me that and it upset me greatly. I knew it wasn't my name and I concentrated very hard to recall my real name. The name I have now is Michele, and when I focused I could recall my name as something very different that I had never heard before. It was something like Mishcoot. I tried to reason with myself that the first part of the name sounded like the first part of this name and it should not be so important. I cried myself to sleep and each time my name bothered me I reminded myself it was not so different. I am still uncomfortable with my name and I avoid its use as much as I can. I try not to think about what I lost. "My name" now is not mine, it is just what people call me. I know when I hear it that I am being addressed, but I feel no attachment to it. It could just as easily be a sound like a whistle or a grunt.
Where:
(very young) I cried inconsolably at the sight of Jewish cemeteries and when asked I explained I could not be buried on sacred ground. I was raised Roman Catholic in a homogenous area, and had never met anyone Jewish at that time.
When I was first in school and learning letters I kept insisting that they also had a numeric value and words could be added. Frustrated teachers insisted I was wrong and to stop insisting. It would be decades before I learned that Hebrew does this.
The first time I traveled to NYC (New York city USA) I knew where things were without maps or street names. I ran down a street and closed my eyes as I reached a street corner. With eyes closed I (gleefully) lifted my left arm and pointed. With eyes still closed I said "Grand Central Station" and when I opened my eyes it was there. It wasn't a surprise, it just was where I knew it would be. I continued this game that first day, and then I just settled into the familiarity. It was very pleasant, and it felt safer there than anywhere else. Like a well loved child in their familial space.

If you don't mind can you explain your experience with us. Are you recalling past life memory?

Do you remember the names of your parents in the past life or at least the place they stayed?

@danukashewantha I answered above. Please let me know if I should modify or delete, I am unfamiliar with protocols. I am concerned that my answer may be too much. If the goal (for everyone) is to let go, should I not hide this information in order not to draw others or myself into a spiral of focusing on the past ? thank you for your guidance

@SankhaKulathantille I answered above. Please let me know if I should modify or delete. I am unfamiliar with protocols. thank you for your guidance.

@Mishtook Thanks! It's not against protocol. It's very interesting information, if you are genuinely telling the truth. Did you try to connect with descendants of your previous family or relatives?

@SankhaKulathantille I feel great shame for what I did. My life is one of exile. I live alone in a cabin in the mountains. I come to the city 3 days a week to work, but I have no contact with people other than that. I do not communicate with any relatives (current or past).

@SankhaKulathantille  I worked for a time for an older man whom I eventually discovered had lost his mother to suicide. I wondered if he and his sister might have been my children. They were born in NYC and were Jewish. I did not ask the circumstances of her death. I worked for him for 8 years, he was a good person, as was his sister. They were very close to each other, but the two halves of their family were split. Their mother's family blamed their father for the death, and the father took them away. They went more than 60 years without knowing their mother's family because of her suicide.

@Mishtook Don't be ashamed. The Samsara is beginningless. We have all committed suicide in the past. What you take as 'I','me' or 'mine' are mere moments of experiences that arise and pass away without your control. it's all a process of causes and effects. There's nothing there to be taken as 'myself'.

@SankhaKulathantille would there not be responsibility to those who suffered from your actions ? is that not the reason we feel (and cultivate) empathy and compassion? If I understand, is karma the resultant of actions, but measured in impact on others ? if i swing my arm and there is only air (no karma), or if there is a person struck and hurt by the movement (bad karma), or there is a flying object which would have struck a person, but is interrupted and the person is saved from being harmed (but my arm is hurt in this act), then good karma ?

@Mishtook No! Karma is very different to what you think. Karma is the intention. Ex: If you accidentally step on an ant, the ant will die. The result of your action  caused a death. But it is not bad Karma for you as long as you did not intend to harm the ant. There's bad Karma and there is good Karma. Any hateful, greedy or ignorant intention is bad Karma. Any non-hateful, non-greedy and non-ignorant intention is good Karma except in the case of Arahanths. We can talk about responsibility of actions on a conceptual level, but at the ultimate level there are no beings.

It's only experiences arising and ceasing. As far as responsibility goes, it's merely a case of wholesome intentions resulting in pleasant experiences and unwholesome intentions resulting in unpleasant experiences. But it's still just experiences arising and ceasing. There's no self in any of them.

Compassion is cultivated to counter cruel intentions as it will result in unpleasant experiences. Cruelty also hinders the path to enlightenment

@Mishtook, it's a long and description of your personal experience and thanks very much for it. I will read and analyze closely. I must tell you, I am little bias to rationalism and science. But I am humble not to refuse concepts like rebirth and other Buddhist concepts. My suggestion to you is stay with us(Buddhist community in this site or any other) and share your knowledge and experiences and continue the journey and gain more and more wisdom to find the path. The beauty of this community is having and confronting different opinions and holding various prospective and lead ....

....a very fruitful discussions valuable to readers and participators of this site. I am still questioning the Buddhism without any hesitations just  for reach the path.(as a humble learner) your honest  personal experience is so unique and valuable to this site. Thanks for your respond and stay with us. Metta!

@danukashewantha thank you for your kindness and warmth. I am also (very) biased towards what should (in my case)be labeled doubt. I look always for proof that things are not so, and no matter how many times I fail to disprove, I still do not find it to be truth. I am afflicted with often knowing things before they arise, or knowing things about others, but no matter how often it is confirmed by outside source I always reserve trust. I wonder if I somehow gleaned it from available information or the person is agreeing because it soothes them to do so. I keep looking for a rational explanation.

I think in this case the purpose is for you to have a readymade insight in dukkha and rebirth. With your knowledge niw you know that if you dont strive for enlightenment you are now bound for another birth again suffering. You insight should help you go deep into meditation. Realise the insight of impermenance.
You are not meant to relieve any thing from past, what you are meant is to realise annata i.e. there is no self to be found anywhere. And hence get relieved from suffering once and for all.

There is no purpose to anything (other than purposeful acts, by definition). My teacher specifically emphasized this point as very important. Until we realize there is no purpose to life we can't accept spontaneous suchness.
There are bits and pieces of information floating in this ocean of energy that manifests as existence and life. This information is no one's. It is not me and not you, but it is what sustains notions of "me" and "you". Some of the information gets recycled in various ways and becomes material for building new forms of existence (new lives).
Identifying with this information is one of the most fundamental delusions that causes suffering and new karma that leads to suffering. Identification leads to taking sides, or to feelings of guilt etc.
Instead, Buddha's advice is to consider nothing as "me" or "mine". By letting go of self-identification we let go of suffering.
At the same time, any circumstances we are given at birth are a blessing. Whatever we have, a talent or a handicap or some difficult life situation, is always something that connects us with our life's mission - whether we want it or not! So in this sense, your memories are "meant" to be used as a starting point for your life's journey - absolutely and without a doubt.
Depending on your age it may not be the time for you to know this clearly yet, which exact way it connects, but one day you'll know. I can't give away the answer to puzzle that is your life, because it is only yours to assemble.
The only piece of advice I can give is to never compromise with your sense of belonging, always go after what you want most (in the high sense, not savage stuff, you know what I mean), and never tolerate a lukewarm existence just out of fear of change. Step by step this will form into the path that you're meant to have.

The purpose of recollecting past lives is described in the Khajjaniya Sutta:

"Monks, any brahmans or contemplatives who recollect their manifold
  past lives all recollect the five clinging-aggregates, or one among
  them. Which five? When recollecting, 'I was one with such a form in
  the past,' one is recollecting just form. Or when recollecting, 'I was
  one with such a feeling in the past,' one is recollecting just
  feeling. Or when recollecting, 'I was one with such a perception in
  the past,' one is recollecting just perception. Or when recollecting,
  'I was one with such mental fabrications in the past,' one is
  recollecting just mental fabrications. Or when recollecting, 'I was
  one with such a consciousness in the past,' one is recollecting just
  consciousness.
"And why do you call it 'form'? Because it is afflicted, thus it
  is called 'form.' Afflicted with what? With cold & heat & hunger &
  thirst, with the touch of flies, mosquitoes, wind, sun, & reptiles.
  Because it is afflicted, it is called form.
"And why do you call it 'feeling'? Because it feels, thus it is called
  'feeling.' What does it feel? It feels pleasure, it feels pain, it
  feels neither-pleasure-nor-pain. Because it feels, it is called
  feeling.
"And why do you call it 'perception'? Because it perceives, thus it is
  called 'perception.' What does it perceive? It perceives blue, it
  perceives yellow, it perceives red, it perceives white. Because it
  perceives, it is called perception.
"And why do you call them 'fabrications'? Because they fabricate
  fabricated things, thus they are called 'fabrications.' What do they
  fabricate as a fabricated thing? For the sake of form-ness, they
  fabricate form as a fabricated thing. For the sake of feeling-ness,
  they fabricate feeling as a fabricated thing. For the sake of
  perception-hood... For the sake of fabrication-hood... For the sake of
  consciousness-hood, they fabricate consciousness as a fabricated
  thing. Because they fabricate fabricated things, they are called
  fabrications.
"And why do you call it 'consciousness'? Because it cognizes, thus it
  is called consciousness. What does it cognize? It cognizes what is
  sour, bitter, pungent, sweet, alkaline, non-alkaline, salty, &
  unsalty. Because it cognizes, it is called consciousness.
"Thus an instructed disciple of the noble ones reflects in this way:
  'I am now being chewed up by form. But in the past I was also chewed
  up by form in the same way I am now being chewed up by present form.
  And if I delight in future form, then in the future I will be chewed
  up by form in the same way I am now being chewed up by present form.'
  Having reflected in this way, he becomes indifferent to past form,
  does not delight in future form, and is practicing for the sake of
  disenchantment, dispassion, and cessation with regard to present form.
"[He reflects:] ''I am now being chewed up by feeling... perception...
  fabrications... consciousness. But in the past I was also chewed up by
  consciousness in the same way I am now being chewed up by present
  consciousness. And if I delight in future consciousness, then in the
  future I will be chewed up by consciousness in the same way I am now
  being chewed up by present consciousness.' Having reflected in this
  way, he becomes indifferent to past consciousness, does not delight in
  future consciousness, and is practicing for the sake of
  disenchantment, dispassion, and cessation with regard to present
  consciousness.

So I have thought to give some reasonable and rational answer to your issue. I will not push you to mystery or darkness with my answer. First of all our (human) brain include 100 billion neuron cells and trillions of electro-chemical activities called "functional brain or stream of mind" create lot of illusions and dilutions we totally failed to understand and interpret. Our mind is a the great creator of everything. When I state everything it include our mind. So this is a one whole system. I have similar(small compare to yours) paranormal experience and I have realized it as distorted brain function. Your paranormal experience is so strong. When you come to mind it create illusion of me,mine,I and lead to lots of trouble. I suggest to you engage with meditation suitable to you like Zen or any other. Try to live and stay in present. Don't try to live in past. Try to convince mind using same mind what you recall is past event and that's an illusion. conquer the mind and become a great conqueror. you have to confront a grate battle with mind and it require lots of courage.If you require further explanations please do not hesitate to communicate. hope my suggestions will help you. Thanks and metta!

is there a way to have a private exchange on this site ? I have a question.

There's no privacy (hidden from moderators) on the site. You can use a chat room e.g. this one, or exchange email addresses (post your email address so the other person can email you).

you can forward mail danuka5870213@gmail.com. Thanks

The reason why you remember that is because it is a very strong memory.
You should feel lucky to be able to remember something about your past life, even though it is a very unpleasant memory. Many people take up materialistic/nihilistic views just because they have no memory of their past lives. They waste their whole life thinking up materialistic theories and sinking deep into ignorance to justify the belief that it's all over at death.
Like other answerers have mentioned, there's no purpose to anything in life. You are not supposed to do anything. But you can certainly use this memory to your advantage to cultivate your mind so that you do not have to experience such horrors ever again.


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Where can I find suttas about the immaterial realm?
I read in Ajahn Brahms book that you pass through 4 immaterial realms after jhanas and before enlightenment. I want to know more about them. Where  can I find the suttas in the Tripitaka?

The immaterial jhana are optional & not required for enlightenment (refer to SN 12.70), which is why immaterial jhana are not included in the noble eightfold path (refer to SN 45.8). The Buddha attained enlightenment by developing the 4th material jhana (refer to MN 19). However, the immaterial jhana are described in many suttas (such as in detail in MN 111) because they are a natural development of concentration or quieting (refer to SN 36.10). I recommend reading MN 111.

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Did Gudo Wafu Nishijima claim that there will be no pain for anyone after death?
Gudo Wafu Nishijima (incidentally Brad Warner's teacher) the soto monk, claimed that sentient beings in pain are just in hell, and hell is a supposition.
I take this to mean that pain occurs without rebirth, already in this life, andt hat we cannot know that we will suffer pain after death: so I'd conclude that rebirth that isn't painful. What I think I'm adding to his exact words is just that facts like suffering are all or nothing, nothing real is incomplete.
That may seem crazy, but I like it. I'm highly skeptical that we need to experiecne more pain to experience the dharma. Even if sentient beings do (and do not!) experience the result of their evil acts.
Is there any basis in the sutras? Not to my conclusion, but his claims about pain.
I've read that zen teachers are often ambivalent on their students belief in rebirth, but I mean something more than that, that to experience the result of bad karma is either in this life or not what we usually mean by "painful".

First off, the concept of death and rebirth in Soto Zen (Nishijima was a Roshi of the Soto school) differs from the general cosmology during the Buddha's lifetime.
The Buddha's world-view was greatly influenced by Hinduism, the dominant world view in his region during his lifetime. The original Buddhist concepts of karma, hells and rebirth are basically a facsimile of these concepts in Hinduism and were taken quite literally during and after the Buddha's lifetime.
The Mahayana view on hells and rebirth is not necessarily taken so literally. For example, one hell is populated by constantly angry beings, another by constantly hungry beings with very small mouths, so it's impossible for them to quench their hunger. In several Mahayana schools, it is suggested that humans go through these realms of hell every waking day when feeling angry, hungry, etc. In Nichiren, this is called "Three thousand realms in a single moment of life". You should read Nishijima's statement in this context.
Also, in Mahayana Buddhism, "death" does not necessarily refer to physical death. Reaching a single moment of Kenshō is referred to as "the Great Death".
Lastly, on the concept of "pain". Eastern teachers will often use this word to refer to Dukkha which can be translated as pain in the Pali canon, but is also translated as "uneasy, uncomfortable, unpleasant, difficult, causing sadness". It refers to the unsatisfactoriness of daily life caused by the five Skandhas. This is the cause of traversing "Three thousand realms in a single moment of life".

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If Sabbe Dhamma Anatta then is there hope?
I am hopeful that I will attain Anatta. After I attain Anatta I will cease to be expressible. That hope motivates me to give up the clinging to forms, feeling , perception , consciousness etc... But what about the clinging to the hope of getting Nirvana...? Should I give up hope of getting Nirvana in order to achieve Anatta or Nirvana ?

Nobody attains Anatta. Everything is Anatta to begin with. It's just an aspect of all realities. I think you have Anatta confused with Nibbana.

Nobody attains the Anatta. What happens is the cessation of suffering. That cessation of suffering is only possible if I get rid of ignorance. Knowledge and realisation of Anatta removes the ignorance. Have I realised Anatta ? No ... I identify myself with a feeling of pride. I identify myself with a consciousness of sound, smell etc..I identify myself with form. That is why I feel sad and hurt. Remove the ignorance and I will be free from suffering that is the promise of Anatta.

Anatta is only one aspect. There's also Dukka and Anicca. You don't need to reach the end of suffering to realize Anatta. It can be seen even by beginners here and now. It's just that the realizations of the 3 characteristics peaks just before one attains enlightenment.

Desire to be free from desire is desire again.
Make right effort i.e. meditate without desires...and strive towards final goal with desire to attain nirvana but dont start craving...in the end tine will come when the final desire will drop itself.

Thanks for reminding me... I use hope to get rid of hope.. I shouldn't suddenly drop the hope.

I read somewhere that the aspiration to be free of desire and hence suffering is a skillful aspiration and hence encouraged.

Desire to be free from desire is desire again- This is well said. Beautiful.

Your question reminds me of this sutta, when Buddha told monks it is normal for oldest prince born from a great king and rightful queen.  He is from righteous blood line 7 generations up, endowed with physical strength and intelligence.  It is only normal for him to expect to inherit the throne when time comes.  So do monks who has 7 factors for enlightenment.  It isn't unusual for them to expect nirvana. I don't believe Buddha said anything about how to deal with the "hope/expectation", as long as you have 7 factors of enlightenment
again, i maybe someone with better memories than me could help me recall referencing sutta number.  thanks.

Point no.2 - keen investigation of Dhamma. When I investigate Dhamma I ask Am I hope ? Do I keep hope ? An honest answer is yes. Then I give up the hope of getting Nirvana. Thus I get rid of craving.

Nowhere does the Buddha say there is no self (natthattā). Anatta refers to the five aggregates which are never our self/atta which is our true nature. The Buddha in fact says, Monks, you should abandon desire for whatever is anatta (S.iii.77). Remember too the aggregates are Mara the evil one (S.iii.195).


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Why did Buddhism declined and then almost extinguished in India?
I am currently exploring why Buddhism declined in my country India. Most of internet sites tell me that it was because of islamic invasion, but then hinduism survived it.
In my opinion, it is easy to follow Hinduism where you just have to worship a diety for material gains. However to understand Buddhism itself you need certain amount of intelligence and life experience. So the Indian kings must have found it easy to back Hinduism to reign as it bolsters desires to rule and perpetuate.
What is your opinion on this?

The religion which has committed greater sacrifice for the humanity will always come on the top. Good Karma never dies. Moreover we believe in the cycles of period. This period belongs to Christianity. May be next will belong to Hinduism and then may be Buddhism will come. In this era the things are happening exactly the way it should. Only a fool will believe that Greatest religion now will remain the greatest religion forever because Sabbe Dhamma Anatta.
Buddhism declined the way it should have declined for the conditioning of this era. Give up these mental fabrications. These are not good for Anatta.


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How can mindfulness be maintained while receiving and processing information?
It seems that when I process information, be it at work or with people in general, I struggle to not be swept into a cerebral/cognitive space. How can this be remedied/avoided?

Hello and welcome to Buddhism SE. We also have a Help Center with useful resources that you might like. Enjoy your time here.

At different points throughout your day, try moving your feet, wiggling your toes, knocking one foot on another, until you regain good awareness of your lower body. Also try to push your lower abdomen out.
In general, try to get in the habit of watching various parts of your body, stretch them, put them in comfortable positions. Neck, legs, waist, diaphragm, face muscles - everything. The more you recover awareness of your body, the better your connection with emotional/subconscious mind will be.
My Zen Master called this "coming downstairs" (from one's head to one's body and heart)

Warren, what is your intention in practising "mindfulness"? There is nothing wrong with thinking especially when you receive information. If you want to quiten the mental chatter , you have to practise formal meditation daily, because if you are developed in this you can, with few attempts, shut off a lot of thinking by an act of will. As a beginner it is better to start a small meditation session, seeing and remembering the various benefits that mindfulness entails and making it a habit. Slowing one's behaviours down (walking speed, speech, eating pace...) can all act like cues so that mindfulness re-occurs. Secular mindfulness, usually taught by Jon Kabar Zinn, is kind of just experiencing and savoring the moment, one's pains and emotions and for stress reduction (MBSR - Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction). In cognitive behaviour therapies it is employed to become more aware of thoughts and emotions and then to either challenge these thoughts or with a curious attitude let them drift away (Zinn mentions beginner's mind and acceptance for example as basic attitudes). In Buddhism, however, mindfulness (sati-sampajañña) has a variety of uses. It is used to remember (sati) certain teachings (dhammas), apply situational wisdom (sampajañña) due to the "rememberance" (sati), developing the 4 satipatthanas (4 foundations of mindfulness: Body, feelings, Thoughts and Phenomena), developing concentration to penetrate meditation subjects so that the mind sticks at the object/subject. Due to the concentration, the mind becomes calm and  can do the thinking/concentration without getting carried away by other thoughts, noises et cetera unrelated to the meditation. One more thing: Since mindfulness or concentration seems to be important for you, Buddhism teaches us that morality and one's positive emotions give rise to more concentration. If one is always angry, anxious, jealous etc. your mind will be restless and sleepy quite quickly.


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Does anyone know the origin of the Buddhist Prayer of Forgiveness?

Buddhist Prayer of Forgiveness
If I have harmed anyone in any way either knowingly or unknowingly
  through my own confusions I ask their forgiveness.
If anyone has harmed me in any way either knowingly or unknowingly
  through their own confusions I forgive them.
And if there is a situation I am not yet ready to forgive
  I forgive myself for that.
For all the ways that I harm myself, negate, doubt, belittle myself,
  judge or be unkind to myself through my own confusions
  I forgive myself.

I love this prayer. It is found on many sites on the Internet as the Buddhist Prayer of Forgiveness. Can someone guide me to the origin i.e the sutta where this prayer can be found?

According to this Google search the first appearances of this text on the internet is in 2001.
And (among those earliest references) this says,

Actually, the origins of this prayer are unknown. Sylvia Boorstein shared with me that she learned a prayer almost exactly like this one—a Jewish prayer—as a child.

I think that may be right -- it seems to me similar in structure to the Serenity Prayer, for example.

Also I think that "forgiveness" doesn't show up as a major theme in the Pali canon (but it's central to Christianity, e.g. "the forgiveness of sin"). This search doesn't return many results.
Reconciliation, Right & Wrong explains a difference between forgiveness and reconciliation -- to the extent that they do talk about reconciliation, I think that's mostly in a monastic (community) context, and along the line of confessing one's own transgression and admitting a fault, to avoid repeating the mistake: and I think you'd do that in person i.e. say it to someone else, not say it silently in prayer.
The other side of the coin that is promoted in the sutta is the Akkosa Sutta, where an insult isn't forgiven because it isn't accepted.
And Wikipedia's article about Forgiveness (which talks about "reliious views" of forgiveness, starting with Judaism) says,

Buddhism places much emphasis on the concepts of Mettā (loving kindness), karuna (compassion), mudita (sympathetic joy), and upekkhā (equanimity), as a means to avoiding resentments in the first place.

The one kind of Buddhist text that this does remind me of is the Metta Gatha.
By Googling for khama gatha I found some slighty similar texts, for example in this Gatha Book:

ASKING FOR FORGIVENESS ( KHAMA YACANA)
Kayena vaca-cittena Pamadena maya katam
  Accayam khama me bhante Bhuripanna tathagata.
If, due to neglence, I have done some wrong by body,speech, or mind
  Forgive me of that offence, O Bhante, Perfect One of vast wisdom.

... and these Daily Buddhist Prayers:

Rectification of faults
Kāyena vācā cittena
  Pamādena mayā katam
  Accayam khama me bhante
  Bhuri pañña Tathāgata
Kāyena vācā cittena
  Pamādena mayā katam
  Accayam khama me dhamma
  Sanditthika akalika
Kāyena vācā cittena
  Pamādena mayā katam
  Accayam khama me Sangha
  Supatipanna anuttara
  Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu!
If due to negligence I have done
  Some wrong by body, speech, or mind.
  Pardon me that offence, Bhante!
  Perfect One of vast wisdom.
If due to negligence I have done
  Some wrong by body, speech, or mind.
  Pardon me that offence, O Dhamma
  Visible and immediately effective.
If due to negligence I have done
  Some wrong by body, speech, or mind.
  Pardon me that offence, O Sangha
  Practising well and supreme.
  Excellent! Excellent! Excellent!

The "kayena vaca" verse starts very similarly to this Hindu Sanskrit verse. In fact, the next word "citta" in Pali and "manas" in Sanskrit mean almost the same thing. This leads me to think that this verse was adapted from Hinduism.

As far as I know there are no prayers for Forgiveness: we should know about good and bad, we should try to do good and avoid the bad.
Instead of, "If I have harmed anyone in any way either knowingly or unknowingly", it would be better to apologise and remember your fault and don't do it again, and try to follow 5 rules.


text:
Can Buddha be insulted by disrespect?
I found a video about Leshan Giant Buddha and was watching it with my family. In that video some workers were cleaning the statue's head while walking on it (it is a giant statue) - and my family members were surprised that people walked on Buddha's head, because to them that looked disrespectful. I replied that it's not a real problem, because Buddha does not have attachment to respect and would not feel insulted. Was I wrong or is this correct? The Buddha would never cling to such concepts like respect and feel insulted, right?

He's dead so I can't really see how he could be insulted

Canonically after he became enlightened he refused to participate in insults -- here is a good sutta about that, and about anger too. Also, canonically, whether the Buddha is alive or dead is unanswerable -- e.g. the body dies yet the body is not the Buddha. People often associate the Buddha with the Dhamma, saying that the Dhamma is the Buddha's Dhamma-body.

@ChrisW I thought it was an unanswerable question because such questions made no sense. The Buddha said that there was no Tathagata, because that name was just an useful conventional label. The Buddha (a being) is therefore just a conventional figure of speech, and we cannot said that it is alive or dead.

@BrianDíazFlores In this sutta someone makes an assertion and the Buddha denies having declared that because the thought that the Buddha exists and/or doesn't exist after death would only occur to someone who is fond of the "aggregates" and doesn't see their cessation; ditto "becoming", etc. In this sutta the reason for asserting is assuming aggregates to be the self. I like this one.

@ChrisW Thanks for those suttas! I was thinking of https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn44/sn44.001.than.html and https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn23/sn23.002.than.html . (Sorry for those long links, but I don't know how to create an hyperlink in SE).

We have giant Buddha statues in Sri Lanka too. But nobody walks on the head to clean them. There are respectful ways to do it if you are smart enough.
I have heard this ridiculous argument many times - "The Buddha wouldn't get upset. Therefore it is ok." The Buddha didn't get upset even when Devadata tried to drop a rock on him. The Buddha didn't get upset when Cinca Manavika falsely accused him  of making her pregnant. That doesn't mean such actions are not wrong and not bad Karma.
The Buddha will never get upset whatever you do. That is not the point. The point is if your actions are disrespectful, it is bad Karma for you. It's important to keep in mind that being disrespectful does not require the other person to become upset.

How is it disrespectful if were talking about cleaning a statue? What if the intentions are pure? What if walking over the head is the easiest and fastest way to keep that part clean? Is it not attachment to form if we keep such levels of emotional attachment to a symbol, whatever that symbol represents?

@BrianDíazFlores Thanks for attention , Our intention is not to insult but cleaning.  So I also asked if he hadn't cling to such feelings.

@BrianDíazFlores So he didn't got insulted even when he was alive, so what about after death. Are you saying that?

@Swapnil Hi! I'm pretty sure your intention is not to insult or disrespect the Buddha. Also, we're not talking about the Buddha, but about a statue. If you see my reply to ChrisW's comment, you'll see that even when the Buddha was alive the concept "Buddha" was just a conventional one (as someone said, "there is not enlightened people, only enlightened behavior"). So, it does not follow that we could talk about the Buddha's destiny after death, because it doesn't make sense. But, to be clear, I don't think someone could be angry after death ("when death is, I am not; when I am, death is not").

@BrianDíazFlores Thanks now I got exactly what you mean by death. Thanks a lot.

@Swapnil Just in case, that last quote I wrote in parenthesis is not from the suttas, but from a greek philosopher called Epicurus. The teachings taken from the suttas tell us the there's nothing to be called as "I", "me" or "mine"; there is a body and there are mental processes, but nothing as a fixed essence or permanent core to be equated to a true identity. That, in synthesis, is the principle of Anattā (not-self). So, the quote from Epicurus is not completely compatible with Buddhism. Kind regards!

@BrianDíazFlores Thank you for all information and efforts.

'Easy' and 'fast' are not goals to achieve when doing something respectfully and with care.

@SankhaKulathantille Neither you can assume that if you do something on the "easy way" you are being disrespectful. The quid of the matter is somewhere else: can we talk about respect when talking about actions directed to objects? Or should we talk about respect for the feelings of the people who are attached to those symbolic objects? Kind regards!

@BrianDíazFlores I wasnt arguing that doing something the easy way is disrespectful. I was saying that 'Easy' is not a goal to achieve, when there is a need to carry out a task respectfully. Your comments seem to suggest that it is ok to compromise respect for the sake of ease.

@SankhaKulathantille Not at all! Respect should be given when due. But I don't believe in respect to inanimate objects. I think 'respect' is an attitude born from empathy towards other's feelings and conditions, but here we're talking about a statue. For me, it does not matter if it's a Buddha figure. And even if you feel you should respect an inanimate object, I don't think standing over it's head should be taken as disrespect. The Buddha taught us about cutting attachment to form, and try to apply that in this case. Kind regards!

@BrianDíazFlores The statue is meant to represent the Buddha. Respect has nothing to do with attachment. You seem to believe that respect requires attachment. If what you are saying is true, you wouldn't hesitate to use a toilet paper with your mother's face and name printed on it since it's just ink and not your mother. Or you wouldn't have a problem with someone advertising a brothel with your wife's picture since the picture is just an inanimate object :)

The answer comes in the Akkosa Sutta below. Even if someone insults him or speaks to him in a hurtful manner, he doesn't accept it i.e. react to it. And so it goes back to the originator.
However in the case of the Giant Buddha Statue, perhaps they have no choice but to walk on its head in order to clean it. The Buddha statue is not the Buddha himself. It's only a symbolic representation.

I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying
  near Rajagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrels' Sanctuary. Then the
  brahman Akkosaka Bharadvaja heard that a brahman of the Bharadvaja
  clan had gone forth from the home life into homelessness in the
  presence of the Blessed One. Angered & displeased, he went to the
  Blessed One and, on arrival, insulted & cursed him with rude, harsh
  words.
When this was said, the Blessed One said to him: "What do you think,
  brahman: Do friends & colleagues, relatives & kinsmen come to you as
  guests?"
"Yes, Master Gotama, sometimes friends & colleagues, relatives &
  kinsmen come to me as guests."
"And what do you think: Do you serve them with staple & non-staple
  foods & delicacies?"
"Yes, sometimes I serve them with staple & non-staple foods &
  delicacies."
"And if they don't accept them, to whom do those foods belong?"
"If they don't accept them, Master Gotama, those foods are all mine."
"In the same way, brahman, that with which you have insulted me, who
  is not insulting; that with which you have taunted me, who is not
  taunting; that with which you have berated me, who is not berating:
  that I don't accept from you. It's all yours, brahman. It's all yours.
"Whoever returns insult to one who is insulting, returns taunts to one
  who is taunting, returns a berating to one who is berating, is said to
  be eating together, sharing company, with that person. But I am
  neither eating together nor sharing your company, brahman. It's all
  yours. It's all yours."

Agree with what you said. They are only statues and not attached to Buddha. Actually, his teaching is about having the wisdom to understand this idea. No one can insult you as long as you have the ability to stay calm and not getting attached to the feeling of insult. Same with Buddha...

This is not disrespecting Buddha. As people who have quoted above in their replies are Buddhist teachings by Buddha himself.
It is the intention that matters.


text:
Question on Divisive Speech
Buddha said the following are unskillful verbal action :

He engages in divisive speech. What he has heard here he tells there to break those people apart from these people here. What he has heard there he tells here to break these people apart from those people there. Thus breaking apart those who are united and stirring up strife between those who have broken apart, he loves factionalism, delights in factionalism, enjoys factionalism, speaks things that create factionalism. He engages in abusive speech. He speaks words that are harsh, cutting, bitter to others, abusive of others, provoking anger and destroying concentration. He engages in idle chatter. He speaks out of season, speaks what isn’t factual, what isn’t in accordance with the goal, the Dhamma, & the Vinaya, words that are not worth treasuring.

I have a question about this. When someone has wronged us or others, it is very helpful psychologically to speak about it to someone to "let off" steam. For example : if going through a divorce a woman speaks about why she is getting divorced and the wrongs her husband has done her to her best friend. This helps her work through it and offload some steam. Does this sort of comfort seeking with someone qualify  as " unskillful verbal action"

Perhaps, according to Buddhism and modern psychology, it isn't helpful to "speak about it to someone to let off steam".
If you are in some abusive relationship, then doing something about it (something other that what you have been doing previously) may be healthy; and so, talking enough to understand what's happening, and to make new plans, may be healthy; but "letting off steam" doesn't sound right.
To pick just one example from Google, here's a quote from Psychology Today: You Can't Punch Your Way Out of Anger --
You can’t let off steam with violence.
Posted Sep 24, 2009
As for Buddhism I think there's an obvious quote at the start of the Dhammapada:

"He abused me, he ill-treated me, he got the better of me, he stole my belongings;"... the enmity of those harbouring such thoughts cannot be appeased.

"He abused me, he ill-treated me, he got the better of me, he stole my belongings;"... the enmity of those not harbouring such thoughts can be appeased.

What's "skillful" might depend on how you talk about it and who with; but I at least want to challenge the premise that it "lets off steam" and that that's helpful. Instead of letting off steam it might keep the fire (of anger etc.) burning ... "fanning the flames" if you want a metaphor.


text:
How can one apply the skills developed through Vipassana meditation to overcome FMO/PMO (fantasy, porn, masturbation, orgasm) addiction?
As far as I understand, Vipassana meditation trains attention and equanimity. Both sound as great skills to have in order to battle addictions. However, after having attended a 10-day Vipassana course, I still don't fully understand how this technique can be applied to overcome a strong addiction to *FMO and **PMO. I mean, the technique, as teached in the 10-day course, pretty much trains you to be equanimously aware of your breath and the physical sensations in your body through continuous body scans. However, I'm left clueless about how that technique can be somehow generalized and applied in the concrete case of facing strong, compulsive cravings of PMO/FMO. In fact, the 10-day retreat forced me to go in such an abrupt, extreme cold-turkey abstinence that the cravings started to build up and during the middle and end of the course I was multiple times overpowered by the urge to fantasize, during the breaks and even during the meditation sessions. Thinking in hindsight, the urges to fantasize became stronger because in those days I experienced a lot of frustration due to reasons which had nothing to do with sex. I experienced back pain and also annoying breathing problems due to nasal congestion, and I guess that made me lose motivation and made me vulnerable to the urges to fantasize. I want to make clear though that I didn't masturbate nor watched porn during the whole retreat, because it was pretty much impossible due to the inexistent privacy (I was surrounded by people all the time, and the bathrooms were not very private either), and of course I didn't have access to any electronic device. So I didn't break the shila, unless you consider sexual fantasies as shila breaking.
After I came back from the retreat, I was immediately and magnetically drawn back to PMO/FMO, overpowered by the urges built up by my last day's constant sexual fantasies. On the bright side, though, this retreat was an excellent opportunity to learn more about myself and showed me how impressively strong my addiction to FMO/PMO is. In fact, even in a retreat environment and deprived of privacy and access to internet, I am still very vulnerable to sexual fantasies.
So, I would be very grateful of any practical advices on how to apply Vipassana to overcome PMO/FMO addiction. Has any body faced this addiction and successfully managed to break free from it by applying Vipassana? Is Vipassana meditation enough to overcome the addiction or should I resort to other meditation techniques, or other life style changes for that matter? Any practical tips/suggestions/help will be deeply appreciated.
*FMO = Fantasizing, Masturbation and Orgasm
**PMO = Pornography, Masturbation and Orgasm
I borrowed these handy accronyms from the NoFap community.

This may be a duplicate of one or more previous topics. In particular you may find this answer relevant.

Also, see Is there a story or a mentioning about masturbation in the Buddhist teachings?

As you keep practicing vipassana correctly,  you will discover more and more subtle habits and addictions.
There are supportive practices for lessening sensual craving too such as  breaking the body up into pieces and contemplating them like hair, muscle, skin, blood, urine, feces, marrow,cartilage, bone, sweat, saliva, bile, snot. Viewing a decomposing body will lessen sensual craving and make you more aware of death too. It's very important to be aware of death.

Do you know the formal name of that "decomposing body" meditation? Do you know of any guided meditations like that available on Youtube or any site for that matter? And how often or for how long should I practice that meditation to see results? Should I practice Vipassana and "decomposing body" meditations at the same time?

Patikulamanasikara Reflection of Foulness https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patikulamanasikara

You can develop those contemplations according to commentaries like Vsm, it has a huge section; alternatively you can keep it simple. As long as you are directing the mind to the theme, thinking and or imagining it will work fairly swiftly. It might be strange when you start having new ideas and perspectives in the beginning. Practice as you see fit but countering bad tendencies and gladdening the mind before withdrawing and staying mindful is a good way to do it https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kZxstsAvjhj9Svc47RUKRIyKQMuHMD4adIvr_7pp2uI/edit?usp=drivesdk


text:
How can Buddhism help me to get rid of a suffering due to a disease?
I came to know about Buddhism very late in my life. It is the time for me to relearn the fundamentals of life. But I struggle with everyday activity. I lack energy.  In fact I have a diabetes. My past Karma has been bad enough to get me a disease.
My question is: How can Buddhism help me get rid of this disease? If I fix my Karma then will the suffering due to the disease will disappear ? If yes, how can I repent and to whom ?

I don't know your situation and haven't suffered anything like it, so any advice I have may mean nothing to you, but I will say these things:

Karma is the fruit of past action. Don't concern yourself with what's past, and focus on the actions you do in the present. The Buddha said that speculating about the workings of karma is a waste of time, because it is too complex, and (at best) only fully-enlightened beings can see the full chain of causes and effects that led us to where we are now, or where we will go in the future. Kindness and mindfulness in the present moment are our tools to create good karma. Taking care of your health is a part of kindness and mindfulness, because it is important to be kind and forgiving to yourself. If you condemn or harm yourself, you are condemning and harming a future being, so be kind to yourself.
Practicing the Dharma and ending suffering are long-term projects. You may not be able to cure the disease. But every moment of kindness and mindfulness erases a moment of future suffering. Repent to yourself first. If, as you do this, you're moved to repent or ask forgiveness from someone else, then do that, but don't put more pressure on yourself than the disease is already putting on you. Be kind to yourself.
Look at the body in a moment-by-moment way and watch the way energy and pain and sensation change in every single millisecond. Watch how feelings that you think last for minutes, days, or hours are actually fluctuating in every moment. Sometimes there are eruptions of pleasant in the middle of a painful feeling. Different parts of the body are feeling different sensations and energies at different moments. Karma doesn't just act on your life, but also on every single moment within your life- the truth is, you die and are reborn many times a second. Observe the bodily sensations as much as you can.
You will be low on energy, and so practice will be difficult. Forgive yourself for not being a great practitioner, and only do the best you are able to. Look into the mind and see if you can find that little part of your mind that's always fully alert, always watching itself, even when you feel that you're tired and your attention is weak. Use that part of your mind to watch the rest of your body and mind and know that none of it is "you" or "yours".
Disease and physical health are partly the result of karma, but also partly the result of the nature of being human in a world made of matter. To be born human is to be born with a body subject to disease and death. So don't blame yourself for what's part of your nature as a human being. To be born human also means being born to hear the Dharma and to be free to act kindly and mindfully in ways that will improve your future. The fact that your karma led to a human birth means that your past included more positive karmic influences than negative ones. So be kind to yourself.

May you be well.

Can you please provide the source to "The Buddha said that speculating about the workings of karma is a waste of time, because it is too complex,"?

For one, the Acintita Sutta describes the workings of karma as bringing  "madness & vexation to anyone who conjectured about them" https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.077.than.html

Isn't it so, that all bad which comes, which we experience, was triggert once just and only by our past actions, by our habits, by what we think, do and are. If we think unhealthy, we attract - which wants to show us whats wrong.
So everthing around us always wants to show us something. The same with diseases.
If we resolve what triggert that disease, there is no reason for that disease.
Refering to your sentence "... result of the nature of being human in a world made of matter". There is no other reason for all that which happens but we. What do you think?

Let me add on to rob_mtl's good answer.
Firstly, diabetes type 2 is a disease that seems to be reversible and curable by changing one's diet to have less carbohydrates and to be replaced with more fats and proteins. Please see this YouTube TED talk. Interestingly, the Buddha gave similar advice to King Pasenadi of Kosala 2500 years ago, in the Donapaka Sutta, at least with regard to reducing carbohydrate intake. Sometimes, Buddhist teachings can be very down-to-earth and practical.
A similar question to your's, was asked by householder Nakulapita to the Buddha in the Nakulapita Sutta:

I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was living among the
  Bhaggas at Crocodile Haunt in the Bhesakala Grove at the Deer Park.
  Then the householder Nakulapita went to the Blessed One and on
  arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting
  there he said to the Blessed One, "Lord, I am a feeble old man, aged,
  advanced in years, having come to the last stage of life. I am
  afflicted in body & ailing with every moment. And it is only rarely
  that I get to see the Blessed One & the monks who nourish the heart.
  May the Blessed One teach me, may the Blessed One instruct me, for my
  long-term benefit & happiness."
"So it is, householder. So it is. The body is afflicted, weak, &
  encumbered. For who, looking after this body, would claim even a
  moment of true health, except through sheer foolishness? So you should
  train yourself: 'Even though I may be afflicted in body, my mind will
  be unafflicted.' That is how you should train yourself."

Later, householder Nakulapita got more detailed advice from Ven. Sariputta the Arahant, elaborating the Buddha's advice:

Ven. Sariputta said: "Now, how is one afflicted in body & afflicted in
  mind?
"There is the case where an uninstructed, run-of-the-mill person — who
  has no regard for noble ones, is not well-versed or disciplined in
  their Dhamma; who has no regard for men of integrity, is not
  well-versed or disciplined in their Dhamma — assumes form (the body)
  to be the self, or the self as possessing form, or form as in the
  self, or the self as in form. He is seized with the idea that 'I am
  form' or 'Form is mine.' As he is seized with these ideas, his form
  changes & alters, and he falls into sorrow, lamentation, pain,
  distress, & despair over its change & alteration.
"He assumes feeling to be the self, or the self as possessing feeling,
  or feeling as in the self, or the self as in feeling. He is seized
  with the idea that 'I am feeling' or 'Feeling is mine.' As he is
  seized with these ideas, his feeling changes & alters, and he falls
  into sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair over its change &
  alteration.
"He assumes perception to be the self, or the self as possessing
  perception, or perception as in the self, or the self as in
  perception. He is seized with the idea that 'I am perception' or
  'Perception is mine.' As he is seized with these ideas, his perception
  changes & alters, and he falls into sorrow, lamentation, pain,
  distress, & despair over its change & alteration.
"He assumes (mental) fabrications to be the self, or the self as
  possessing fabrications, or fabrications as in the self, or the self
  as in fabrications. He is seized with the idea that 'I am
  fabrications' or 'Fabrications are mine.' As he is seized with these
  ideas, his fabrications change & alter, and he falls into sorrow,
  lamentation, pain, distress, & despair over their change & alteration.
"He assumes consciousness to be the self, or the self as possessing
  consciousness, or consciousness as in the self, or the self as in
  consciousness. He is seized with the idea that 'I am consciousness' or
  'Consciousness is mine.' As he is seized with these ideas, his
  consciousness changes & alters, and he falls into sorrow, lamentation,
  pain, distress, & despair over its change & alteration.
"This, householder, is how one is afflicted in body and afflicted in
  mind.
"And how is one afflicted in body but unafflicted in mind? There is
  the case where a well-instructed disciple of the noble ones — who has
  regard for noble ones, is well-versed & disciplined in their Dhamma;
  who has regard for men of integrity, is well-versed & disciplined in
  their Dhamma — does not assume form to be the self, or the self as
  possessing form, or form as in the self, or the self as in form. He is
  not seized with the idea that 'I am form' or 'Form is mine.' As he is
  not seized with these ideas, his form changes & alters, but he does
  not fall into sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, or despair over its
  change & alteration.
"He does not assume feeling to be the self...
"He does not assume perception to be the self...
"He does not assume fabrications to be the self...
"He does not assume consciousness to be the self, or the self as
  possessing consciousness, or consciousness as in the self, or the self
  as in consciousness. He is not seized with the idea that 'I am
  consciousness' or 'Consciousness is mine.' As he is not seized with
  these ideas, his consciousness changes & alters, but he does not fall
  into sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, or despair over its change &
  alteration.
"This, householder, is how one is afflicted in body but unafflicted in
  mind."

Another interesting parable is that of the salt crystal. From the Lonaphala Sutta:

"Suppose that a man were to drop a salt crystal into a small amount of
  water in a cup. What do you think? Would the water in the cup become
  salty because of the salt crystal, and unfit to drink?"
"Yes, lord. Why is that? There being only a small amount of water in
  the cup, it would become salty because of the salt crystal, and unfit
  to drink."
"Now suppose that a man were to drop a salt crystal into the River
  Ganges. What do you think? Would the water in the River Ganges become
  salty because of the salt crystal, and unfit to drink?"
"No, lord. Why is that? There being a great mass of water in the River
  Ganges, it would not become salty because of the salt crystal or unfit
  to drink."
"In the same way, there is the case where a trifling evil deed done by
  one individual [the first] takes him to hell; and there is the case
  where the very same sort of trifling deed done by the other individual
  is experienced in the here & now, and for the most part barely appears
  for a moment.
'Now, a trifling evil act done by what sort of individual takes him to
  hell? There is the case where a certain individual is undeveloped in
  the body, undeveloped in virtue, undeveloped in mind [i.e.,
  painful feelings can invade the mind and stay there], undeveloped in
  discernment: restricted, small-hearted, dwelling with suffering.   A
  trifling evil act done by this sort of individual takes him to hell.
'Now, a trifling evil act done by what sort of individual is
  experienced in the here & now, and for the most part barely appears
  for a moment? There is the case where a certain individual is
  developed in the body, developed in virtue, developed in mind
  [i.e., painful feelings cannot invade the mind and stay there],
  developed in discernment: unrestricted, large-hearted, dwelling with
  the immeasurable. A trifling evil act done by this sort of individual
  is experienced in the here & now, and for the most part barely appears
  for a moment.

For a detailed discussion, please read "Kamma and the Ending of Kamma", by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.

Two great answers ... One clarification though : 'I am form' , ' Form is mine' are wrong views but is the following view correct : 'I am not form' , ' Form is not mine ' ?

@DheerajVerma No. You shouldn't associate or dissociate the self with anything. All conditioned things are simply impermanent and suffering.

I thought to answer and hope you will find some useful trough my answer. I also have same conditions similar to yours. I would mention some characteristics about you and you can respond if I am wrong. you are thinking so fast and continuously about metaphysics like your life after death and so on....you possess some IQ more than average person. So my friend above will lead you more stressful conditions as thinking need more and more energy. I am not aware about your family conditions but be little relaxed,gentle,save some energy and maintain harmony with nature. Your intensive curiosity will make you sick. My suggestion to you is maintain your health well and leave the stress and avoid over-thinking. Don't cross your capacity without practice. Get help from others. If you have opportunity to practice "Zen" might help you. To your question "can Buddhism help to overcome physical pain?" Yes master the fundamentals of Buddhism and stick to basics. reach the path step by step. you can't skip the steps mean you waste energy and you will lack of it. Keep away thinking of your past karma aside.you can't do anything about it. Focus on present and control over thinking,get proper medicine, get gentle approach to life, stay healthy. Never forget "Health is the great noble gain in life (Arogyama parama laba) as Budda mentioned. This is the most practical solution for our lives. hope this will help you .Thanks and Metta!

I take medicines for diabetes. I think Anatta is the cure...The body will decay but I will have to keep my mindfulness. I am neither form nor apart from form.

Can you explain what do you understand or grasp as Anatta? how can it be a cure? E.g If I show you a blossomed flower you and what do you see as anatta about flower?

Anatta means no self. There is no worldly experience which can explain Anatta. I have not experienced Anatta because I associate myself with curiosity. Unless I learn to disassociate from all cravings how can I claim to have understood and realised Anatta? My rough guess is that when you show me the flower, my reaction should be same as seeing a dead corpse.

Anatta is the cure because if I understand my body is already dead and I am not the body then how can any bodily disease affect me. The only difficulty is to understand how to cure the psychological ailment. I feel insecure.

@DheerajVerma Does it help to consider that the (psychological) ailment isn't "yours", no more than the body is, nor any feeling of insecurity (nor curiosity, nor mindfulness)? I think that Hinduism has a doctrine that there's something, some remainder, perhaps a Self, identified with Brahman -- whereas, conversely, the Buddhist Anatta doctrine emphasises that the skandhas (including "mental formations") are "not me" and "not mine".

I understand that. It helps to know that feeling of security and insecurity are the cause of suffering. It gives me the reason to have a compassionate heart. A compassionate heart can not be psychologically sick.

I feel that you grasp "anatta"(impermanence) wrong as Dharma. - My rough guess is that when you show me the flower, my reaction should be same as seeing a dead corpse- you are in negative thinking pattern. Anatta not only destruction, decay,dead,sick and have a quality of generation, becoming, born,heel. E.g when I see blossomed flower i see the beauty of  it due to impermanence of  bud and that is the positive aspect of Anatta. you are unbalanced due to negative thinking of anatta. you can't be optimistic or pessimistic when you understand anatta and have to realistic. Do you agree with me?

I would mention small poem to you which I had written long ago. A blossomed flower show us impermanence of flower bud, A monument show us the impermanence of hard rock, A strong youngster realize us impermanence of new born baby,A colossal  tree remind us the impermanence of small seed, So nature show us impermanence in different way.

This is a broad question. Maybe I can sketch some points, which haven't already been mentioned.

Some doctrine says that everyone is subject to illness and death and so on ... and some people e.g. here find that doctrine helpful or sanity-restoring.
Sometimes suffering might come from comparing yourself to others -- "why am I ill and he is not?" -- so the Brahmaviharas are recommended:

These four attitudes are said to be excellent or sublime because they are the right or ideal way of conduct towards living beings (sattesu samma patipatti). They provide, in fact, the answer to all situations arising from social contact. They are the great removers of tension, the great peace-makers in social conflict, and the great healers of wounds suffered in the struggle of existence. They level social barriers, build harmonious communities, awaken slumbering magnanimity long forgotten, revive joy and hope long abandoned, and promote human brotherhood against the forces of egotism.

To answer to your question, about Kamma, there's the Cula-kammavibhanga Sutta for example. It says that it's good kamma to avoid killing; to be compassionate for the welfare of all living beings; to not be angry, ill-disposed, or resentful; to not be envious; to be generous; to not be haughty; and to learn and practice what's wholesome.
The Dhammapada suggests that a good time (knowing Dhamma) is better than a long life -- Sahassavagga: The Thousands
I think it's stressful to expect of yourself what you're unable. I think that Buddhism has several ways to help with that, for example:

Saying that you're not responsible for others (see also "equanimity")
Saying there's some alternative to being a "house-holder"
Specifying some limits to a house-holder's responsibilities
Warning against attachment to what's impermanent

Diabetes and Depression are often together. Buddhism might at least help to treat depression.

Note that Buddhism isn't the only cure; for example the current Dalai Lama's long life might also be attributed to his medical care, careful diet, regular exercise etc.

It is a misunderstanding that Buddhism can cure sickness, or end pain. Sickness , Physical pain and suffering are realities of life. Being enlightened will not end that. Even after full enlightenment your body will still be fragile and subjected to forces of nature. Even Buddha got sick and was in pain.
However there is an incorrect expectation in mind, that I shall not get sick, I shall not be in pain, which is not in sync with reality and cause you to always battle with reality. This create additional mental stress/pain on top of your physical suffering. Through Buddhism, you free your self from this mentally created suffering.


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Stephen Batchelor's current meditation practice
I recently saw a remark that implied that Stephen Batchelor no longer meditates or at least not very regularly.
If true, this seems important. Batchelor is prominent, even central, in the contemporary, so-called Secular Buddhism movement. He has a long history of different phases of belief and practice, from Tibetan, to Zen, to a form of agnostic/secular "Buddhism" that he has almost come to define on his own.
Can anyone supply a pointer to that assertion or related material? I did not capture it at the time.

i always thought more of a scholar than anything

Found it! (Admins -- should I delete this now superfluous question?)
https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/cross-check/does-buddhism-give-us-answers-or-questions/

Batchelor said [in 2003] he no longer meditated every day. "I am a meditation
  teacher who doesn’t meditate any more," he said, smiling sheepishly.
  Although he once found meditation "extraordinarily valuable," over
  time it came to seem like "a kind of evasion, really. It was a cutting
  off from experience, rather than a full-blooded engagement with all of
  its ambiguities and messiness." He tried to cultivate his existential
  awareness through writing now more than through meditation. "I write
  and think and struggle with questions. That’s my practice.

I think it's cool, let's keep this.

Studying and thinking distances one from actual fundamental, nonconceptual experiential reality. What cuts one off from experience is not meditating on one's own experience as it happens moment by moment.  It's not very complicated.

Yes, I know Stephen Batchelor , we both practiced zen in Rochester, N.Y. He always appeared as a very intelligent person, to me.
I think that one must understand the goal of Buddhist practice, to be able to judge whether or not one should indulge in any particular practice.
Some schools of Buddhism do not "meditate" per se . For example , some Ten-dai schools in Japan, and the Jodoshinshu school in America and Japan. Let's look at the six paramitas , dhyana being the 5th perfection. Wisdom follows that , as the sixth. If one looks closely Dhyana needs the support of the first four Paramitas ,and the connection with the sixth, Prajna. The basic term is Bhavana for cultivation. This term includes many aspects of Buddhist cultivation. Why would one ever use one daily behavior to judge if someone was a good Buddhist or not.
Please refer to you own personal Guru , or Zen master, to see what is good for you.
finally, the main goal is awakening, so if you have the prerequisites to awaken , go on. Let's not judge others as to their outer appearances. so , my main point is if we are developing the correct concentration, we can dispense with the daily activities, which are more outer, than inner. My answer is , if one has a good practice of keeping the precepts, and not indulging excessively , in Greed, hatred and stupidity, with the mindfulness and concentration conducive to absorption in the correct awareness. Carry On. Sarvamangalam

I share your caution about being judgmental. In fact, I tried really hard to word my question and answer to avoid exactly that, especially by using mostly Batchelor's own words in the answer. If I failed, please point to specifics. Thanks.

I cannot quite agree on his reasoning. Meditation is best done while being secluded, however, it does not mean that one escapes from the world. When we meditate we "become" more and more our aim of meditation (bhavana). If one practises friendliness then one becomes slowly and gradually more friendlier. If one does not cultivate in seclusion the past cultivations will atrophy and then it's more or less random in which direction one is cultivating. I find his direction quite unsatisfying but to each their own. He twisted dhamma as he liked and is subject to western materialism which is undoubtedly also with its drawbacks


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If i use visualization mediation will the nimatta still appear?
I'm having trouble truly understanding nimattas. I use visualization for my jhana mediation. It's what focus my mind best and allowed me to almost enter jhana. But if i do visualize, will the nimatta still appear? How would i recognise it? And once it appear do i move off my object to it?
Also i read this passage explaining what a nimtta means in the modern day. I wish to know does this do a great job explaining it.

Now certainly it is true that if you become VERY concentrated you might see an image that looks like "a star or a cluster of gems" or "chariot wheel or the moon's disk," etc. And it is also true that you can with sufficient concentration absorb into that experience so deeply that you no longer hear sounds, or are aware of your body, or are even aware of the passage of time. This is not what is described in the suttas; however, this is indeed what the later commentaries mean when they use the word "nimitta."

great question,you mean samadhi?What is your object of meditation

Sorry it took forever to respond i deleted the app. But my object is a visual representation of love. Seem odd but it works

where do keep this object?

What do you mean? Like the location i focus on?

yes, outside you,in a chakra where?

Well i focus on a story i guess you can say. So I'm guessing my focus is in the center of my head

are you trying to recollection of past lives?

No, just calm myself down and enter Jhana

okay but for that you need an object of meditation,not just a story.meditation means focus=>absorbing I will try to explain it in my answer

Okay. And i know its not conventional but it works. It capture my mind instantly and focus me. I've read many books on jhana and the experience they explain i feel.

I think you should not do this:read a book then try to replicate the feeling.Dont be attached to the feeling,also can you explain do i move off my object to it

I don't seek the experience, i just focus in my object and they come over time. What i mean is i read to fully enter jhana once you start experiencing a pleasant sensation you move off your object to that sensations which over time will bring rapture and full first jhana

Yes. Breath is also such object of meditation. There are many different objects of visualisation for Shamatha practise. For instance, I have seen many Tibetan Buddhists (here, Karma Kagyu Karmapa) advising to choose object similar to practise of tonglen instead of focusing on breath (in mindfulness of breath).
The important part is that you have to abandon and let go of it it to experience nimitta.
From Ajahn Brahm's - "Stepping towards Enlightement":

As your unbroken mindfulness watches the breath calming down, joy
  (step five) and happiness (step six) naturally arise like the golden
  light of dawn on an eastern horizon.
(...)
The breath at these fifth and sixth steps appears
  so tranquil and beautiful—more attractive than a garden in springtime
  or a sunset in the summer—that you wonder if you will ever want to
  look at anything else. As the breath becomes ever more beautiful, as
  the joy and happiness grow in quiet strength, your breath may seem to
  completely disappear. This seventh step does not happen when you want
  it to but when there is enough calm.
(...)
Just as the Cheshire Cat [Alice in Wonderland] disappeared and left only its grin, so the
  meditator’s body and breath disappear, leaving only the beautiful.
  For Alice, it was the most curious thing she ever saw. For the meditator  it is also strange, to clearly experience a free-floating beauty with
  nothing to embody it, not even a breath.
(...)
Two common obstacles occur after this
  seventh step: exhilaration and fear. In exhilaration, the mind becomes
  excited: “Wow, this is it!” If the mind thinks like this, then the
  jhana is unlikely to happen. This “wow!” response needs to be subdued
  in the eighth step of anapanasati in favor of absolute passivity. You
  can leave all the wows until after emerging from the jhana, where they
  properly belong. The more likely obstacle, though, is fear.

Only after overcoming the eight phase, nimitta arises.

the question is regarding nimittas, following of visualisation . A little effort to answer you,aroused  after  thought giving based on understanding of buddhist teachings after simple teachings of goenka guruji and book by william hart "The art of living-vipassana as taught by goenka". teachings of buddha as per my understanding is very simple. not developing new sankharas and eradicating accumulated sankharas since many lives  and thus attaining shunyata i.e no volitions left (nibbana). to attain this simply observations of bodily sensations arised upon the contact of the sensory bases,remaining neutral i.e not to avert the unpleasant and not to crave for the pleasant ones , and thus slowly weakening the habit of mind of reacting(aversion or craving) and finally totally liberated from the habit/conditioning of reacting of mind.  now in your case the visualisation . who will visualise? the answer is mind and the mind is solely responsible for the suffering. it is master in deceiving and keeping the self engrossed in innumerous nimittas . Afterall how it will allow to eradicate its habit/conditioning which will be its death. buddha has stubbornly discouraged being distracted/engrossed by the so called nimittas,visions,some ecstasic  feeling .   I  have not tried the visualisation bcs from the very beginning i had mis or right conception that , if at all it is matter of visualisation then why not to visualise that nibbana is attained. alas it would have been so simple. hope little bit light upon your question . to add one thing , in indian language the meaning of nimitta means excuse. in english "catalyst" but advantageous in reverse way i.e instead of boosting the chemical reaction the nimitta here retards it . hoping and wishing to you for getting still more right understanding of buddha's teachings and starting the journey.


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What and why is "perception of the dimension of nothingness"?
This is a paragraph of Cula-sunnata sutta;

(Nothingness)
"Further, Ananda, the monk — not attending to the perception of the dimension of the infinitude of space, not attending to the perception of the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness — attends to the singleness based on the perception of the dimension of nothingness. His mind takes pleasure, finds satisfaction, settles, & indulges in its perception of the dimension of nothingness.
"He discerns that 'Whatever disturbances that would exist based on the perception of the dimension of the infinitude of space are not present. Whatever disturbances that would exist based on the perception of the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness are not present. There is only this modicum of disturbance: the singleness based on the perception of the dimension of nothingness.' He discerns that 'This mode of perception is empty of the perception of the dimension of the infinitude of space. This mode of perception is empty of the perception of the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness. There is only this non-emptiness: the singleness based on the perception of the dimension of nothingness.' Thus he regards it as empty of whatever is not there. Whatever remains, he discerns as present: 'There is this.' And so this, his entry into emptiness, accords with actuality, is undistorted in meaning, & pure.

This sutta is little confused to me. What is the purpose of this sutta?
What is the meaning of, "His mind takes pleasure, finds satisfaction, settles, & indulges in its perception of the dimension of nothingness"?
Can some one explain this sutta in simplified way?

In simplified way. This sutta explains "dwelling in emptiness" which is the same thing as "release" or "liberation" or "nirvana".
It explains it by example, step by step, going from gross liberation to subtle liberation, to absolute liberation. Liberation from what? From mental disturbances.
All liberations except the final are not real liberations. They still have disturbances. But they can be useful to understand the real liberation. In fact all these examples are not supposed to be real exercises. They are only meant to be metaphors to help the Buddha explain and the student to understand the real liberation.
So first Buddha says, imagine that you are in the middle of jungle. What disturbances does this liberate you from? It liberates you from all noise, conflict and issues that come from the contact with people.
But jungle still has its imperfections, like trees and rivers and mountains. So now let's imagine that your are standing in the middle of the flat earth, stretching in all directions. This liberates your mind from disturbances caused by the jungle.
It is important to understand that this is a metaphor. Buddha is not saying we should go to the jungle or to imagine that we are in the jungle or to imagine that we are standing in the middle of the flat earth. Buddha is talking about dukkha and about asavas. He is talking about inner conflict and inner disturbances. Buddha is saying, just like we go from the city to the jungle, to liberate ourselves from the noise, we should first implement the five precepts, to liberate ourselves from the gross disturbances.
As he goes on like this, Buddha step by step comes up with more and more subtle mindstates that have less and less disturbances. Meaning, as we progress in our practice, we get rid of smaller and smaller conflicts, neuroses, intoxications, and obsessions. All dukkha without exception is caused by an inner conflict between "is" and "should". As we go along, we keep noticing and removing even the most refined and subtle attachments, getting rid of even the smallest traces of dukkha, until we enter complete suchness.
Buddha illustrates this step-by-step refinement using the Four Formless Absorptions. Floating in the middle of empty infinite space is more refined than standing in the middle of flat earth without jungle. The image of infinite mind is even more refined than infinite space. The image of nothingness is more refined than that of infinite mind. And the image of neither-perception-nor-perception is even more refined. This does not mean we should actually practice these mindstates! They are here only to illustrate the progression.
The point is, we are looking for a perfect mindstate, and as we're achieving more and more refined mindstates with less disturbances, less conflict, and less dukkha - we realize they still have some dukkha left in them, so we keep going. And so we get to "theme-less concentration". This is known as Diamond Samadhi in Zen, meaning it is the type of clarity or wakefulness that does not depend on any theme or object. Because if we concentrate on any theme, our concentration is limited. Instead, with theme-less concentration we are open to everything that happens, we can look around without losing our clarity of mind, without attachment to any experience. Since we have no attachment, we have no disturbances in our mind. Since we have no disturbances, we have no dukkha.
And then, if we are to remain truthful with ourselves and logically consistent, we must realize that even these theme-less concentration is an artificial mindstate. We are still making effort to maintain it. Since we are still making effort, the state is not permanent. The moment we get distracted or disturbed we can still lose it. Even if we have perfect will power and concentration, the moment we get sick or wounded, we can lose this mindstate. Or we simply lose it when we fall asleep and wake up in a regular state.

Whatever is fabricated & mentally fashioned is inconstant & subject to cessation.

And so we reach the point of final release. We let go of any attempts to achieve the perfect mindstate. The moment we do that, we realize that our very intent to have the perfect mindstate was the last attachment that generated inner conflict that kept us in dukkha. When we let go of this final attachment we enter complete "suchness":

Whatever remains, he discerns as present: 'There is this.' And so this, his entry into emptiness, accords with actuality, is undistorted in meaning, pure — superior & unsurpassed.

This suchness manifests as complete acceptance of "the world" and spontaneity aka self-acceptance. It manifests as perfect unity or perfect love or perfect freedom. There is no sense of "I vs. world" anymore. No sense of self-control. But because of all the previous training, this lack of self-control does not lead to any negative behavior - because we no longer have any attachments that would manifest as Want, Hate or Confusion. So thanks to the previous training, we can be completely free and spontaneous, not relying on any effort, without running into any kinds of issues.
So you train and train and train, removing all external and internal obsessions, rejections, attachment, and sense of inner conflict, removing all dukkha - achieving more and more subtle and conflictless/dukkhaless mindstates - until you just let go of it all, let go of any effort and any notion of realization, let go of all worry -- and that is the final release.

Nicely explained! When you said, “with theme-less concentration we are open to everything that happens” does that mean, meditate without having a meditation object? Such as breath in anapana meditation?

No, that's not it. Breath is still an object. Themeless or signless concentration is to meditate without a focal point and without any interpretation whatsoever.