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Suggestions for observing Uposatha on this coming Christmas
I've been very good about observing the Uposatha days this year, this year it falls on Christmas (US calendar). Any thoughts on observing while spending time with friends and family who are non Buddhist, or should I just just stay to myself?

You should be able to observe it without much difficulty. Everyone's family and friends are different, but at the same time there are many similarities. You should pause to reflect on how you will observe it, and consider reactions you might receive in advance so you can prepare kind responses (to keep everyone comfortable).
For most of the precepts observed on Uposatha, this shouldn't be a problem. Your friends and family likely won't be upset with you for not killing or stealing, for instance. :-)
Precepts five through eight could be a little tougher, depending on the people around you. But they're probably already used to you not drinking, so the fifth precept shouldn't be an issue.
The sixth precept might raise some eyebrows, especially if you're attending a party or family gathering where it might seem odd that you not share a meal with everyone. But you can explain it however you wish, from "I'm already full!" (if you really are; don't break the fourth precept!) to sharing your observance of Uposatha and what it means to you. You should do what feels right, and what makes you comfortable.
I hope you enjoy both your Christmas and Uposatha!


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Do parents' karma affect their children?
In Hinduism, it is generally said that children too have a share of their parent's sins & good deeds.
So, according to Buddhism, does the karma of a parent (in a direct or indirect way) affect their children?

Karma of one person is not shared or inherited. Say a parent has a bad Karma to suffer. This might some times instrumented by means of a child getting sick. This does not mean the Karma has being pass to the child. Say the child leaves the household then perhaps this may manifested through another calamity even maybe another loved one getting sick.

Karma is Fabrications. The volition creates fabrication giving, pleasant, neutral, painful experiences in the future. This is Karma. This cannot be transferred or inherited or stolen. When this gives results there should be a medium for it to manifest. Generally though the people and the environment around us. The working of Karma is complex. There could be a case some one dear might die so we experience sadness. In such a case it is not the Karma of the person who died inherited our bad Karma. If there are X & Y who are dear, if there is a chance X may go and in case the opportunity does not present itself for X and Y is there then Y maybe the person to die. This is not X or Y's karma but our own which manifests itself to give pain. If say the opportunity of you get hurt though X & Y does not present itself as the environment and situation did not arise, it does not mean the Karma will also follow X & Y but it will follow you and will give results at a later time if it is potent and the opportunity present itself. In this case if is Z how is close and dear to us and the karma is that for a loved one to depart it might be Z who takes the fall.
Also it is not wise to be around people doing or having bad Karma, or situating where bad Karma is in effect. E.g. if you see a rioting or fighting crowd get your self out of there and if you have the slightest part Karma to get beaten up this might be the best opportunity for it to manifest itself. Also if you do not have such Karma getting being at the wrong place at the wrong time, may mean you can get hurt.

Does "karma" mean "intentional action"? Is "parent decides to punish the child" an example of intentional action by the parent, i.e. an example of the parent's karma? And doesn't that parent's decision then affect the child?

Parents action can be the child's Karma and if done with a bad / good intention their future Karma. See above addendum.

It is true that, having been persistently exposed to a person or a group, one can 'take in' new karmic formations that would not have previously occurred through the absence of those people or groups. That is one way karma is able to propagate, through the experience of form in the full range of its densities: from extremely dense to extremely fine. Thus, it is the integration of the whole that initiates karmic impetus. That is why we mentally move away from sense desires, to halt this impetus.

According to Buddhism, there are five orders or processes (Niyama Dharma) which operate in the physical and mental realms.
They are:
Utu Niyama - physical inorganic order, e.g. seasonal phenomena of winds and rains. The unerring order of seasons, characteristic seasonal changes and events, causes of winds and rains, nature of heat, etc., all belong to this group.
Bija Niyama - order of germs and seeds (physical organic order), e.g. rice produced from rice-seed, sugary taste from sugar-cane or honey, peculiar characteristics of certain fruits, etc. The scientific theory of cells and genes and the physical similarity of twins may be ascribed to this order.
Karma Niyama - order of act and result, e.g., desirable and undesirable acts produce corresponding good and bad results. As surely as water seeks its own level so does Karma, given opportunity, produce its inevitable result, not in the form of a reward or punishment but as an innate sequence. This sequence of deed and effect is as natural and necessary as the way of the sun and the moon.
Dhamma Niyama - order of the norm, e.g., the natural phenomena occurring at the advent of a Bodhisattva in his last birth. Gravitation and other similar laws of nature. The natural reason for being good and so forth, may be included in this group.
Citta Niyama - order or mind or psychic law, e.g., processes of consciousness, arising and perishing of consciousness, constituents of consciousness, power of mind, etc., including telepathy, telaesthesia, retro-cognition, premonition, clairvoyance, clairaudience, thought-reading and such other psychic phenomena which are inexplicable to modern science.
The Buddha says:

"I declare, O Bhikkhus, that volition is Karma. Having willed one acts by body, speech, and thought." (Anguttara Nikaya)

Every volitional action of individuals, save those of Buddhas and Arahants, is called Karma. The exception made in their case is because they are delivered from both good and evil; they have eradicated ignorance and craving, the roots of Karma.
According to the Niyama Dharmas, the 2nd which is "Bija Niyama" does indicate a determinant force which is inherited by the parents. But in my opinion, it is not a hypothetical idea that what our parents do right here right now or in the far away past, affects us today in the present! No it does not.
It is more about what we inherit - by that I mean our genetical inheritance. And that is predetermined by our own Karma : which is the 3rd Niyama Dharma - "Karma Niyama".
Our actions bear results. And they are partly what we inherit in a next existence.
So the answer goes as such All that we experience begins with thought. Our words and deeds spring from thought. If we speak or act with evil thoughts, unpleasant circumstances and experiences inevitably result. So have pure thoughts, and the results will be pure! Nothing to worry about our parents' deeds!

You are right : )

I'm thankful my answer brought some meaning. :)

No. One's own karma affects oneself. A parent's bad karma does not affect his or her children's experience of the effects of karma.
From AN 3.36:

“Then King Yama says: ‘Through heedlessness, good man, you failed to
do good by body, speech, or mind. Surely, they will treat you in a way
that fits your heedlessness. That bad kamma of yours was not done by
your mother or father, nor by your brother or sister, nor by your
friends and companions, nor by your relatives and family members, nor
by the deities, nor by ascetics and brahmins. Rather, you were the one
who did that bad kamma, and you yourself will have to experience its
result.’

It is true that, having been persistently exposed to a person or a group, one can 'take in' new karmic formations that would not have previously occurred through the absence of those people or groups. That is one way karma is able to propagate, through the experience of form in the full range of its densities: from extremely dense to extremely fine.

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Problems with the abdominal area while practicing Vipassana
I have been practising Vipassana for 5 months since going on a 10 day course.
In answering someone's question on increased salivation during a 10 day Vipassana course, the respondent stated that the abdomen was the anchor that stopped us from flying away.
 I was very interested in that because when I meditate I sometimes feel there is a huge stone in my stomach region that won't let me go. Occasionally if I struggle really hard I feel I can break the link to that weight and then I seem to pop out into a huge very blissful area. This occurs only rarely as it is very difficult to do. To do it, I feel I have had to give up on everything and 'throw myself off a cliff'
I feel there is a lot of fear in this stomach area and a tightness like a fist. I always find it very difficult to feel sensations in this area when practicing the Vipassana.
Can anyone help explain further about the abdomen being an anchor to stopping one from flying away and perhaps answer it in relation to the experiences I mention above.
Thank you for your time.

These are not problems, this is a good sign. This means you are making progress :)
Contrary to the popular assumption, our mind is not supported solely by the brain. Significant parts of mind (mind is not really discrete so perhaps I should not say "parts") operates on the basis of the rest of the body. Specifically, lower layers of what's known as "subconscious mind", "emotional mind" and "intuitive mind" are in fact informational aspects of the bodily processes. Then there are currents of mind (here's a better word!) that are not confined to our body at all and are more connected with "external" processes - but that's a separate story. The point is: mind, emotions, intuition, mood, and body - are all connected in what's known as psychosomatic continuum. When you start meditating, your "conscious" layers come in contact with "subconscious" layers - and to you this looks like you suddenly discover feelings and broodings that you had no idea existed.
Specifically, some of our experiences and memories - especially powerful, traumatic and/or repetitive - are "stored" as tensions or blockages of certain muscles of the body. The most significant ones are the muscles of pelvis, abdomen, diaphragm, chest, shoulders, throat, and the muscles of face and scalp. Abdomen is where memories of danger (~fears/insecurities) are usually stored or rather the emotional components thereof.
So when you do a watching-the-bodily-sensations type of meditation long enough, eventually you open up and gain access to these somatic memories. If you keep going on in a gentle but persistent manner, you may be able to "go inside" and "dissolve" and sometimes even recollect the actual traumatic events they came from. (This second part is more like a free gift. Focusing on the recollection too much may slow down the whole process. What matters is going through the somatic/emotional bubble and opening up.) There are kilotons of energy locked up in those bubbles - and opening some of them may completely change your character and therefore the course of your life. Just be sure to proceed very very gently. Navigating these things require a lot of sensitivity. There is no danger in forcing it, it's just that being too eager makes them less likely to trust you and let you in. ("Them" being the blockages). It took you 5 months to get here, it may take you another 5 months or 5 years or 10 years to go through - needless to say it is well worth it.
A couple of auxiliary techniques I recommend:

try to sit in a way that makes it easy to open and relax the whole area: from diaphragm to upper abdomen to lower abdomen. Start from the top or the area that you feel is the most alive and meditate on it until it starts moving and opening up. Then slowly make your way down. Keep relaxing the muscles and letting it go as you learn to trust yourself.
on the days when you don't meditate, try to slightly tap the abdomen (like the King Kong) while making an effort to not defend it by tensing. Keep doing this very gently until you can open it up. This is really cheating and the "proper" way to do it is through Vipassana alone, but in my practice it can help speed up the process. Just don't tap so hard as to insensitize the area - overdoing the tapping may temporarily remove the physical blockage without releasing the emotional energy.
in my experience, it helps to meditate in a very cozy atmosphere, e.g. with lots of sunshine etc. - whatever makes you feel happy, secure, and comfortable will help opening up. Sometimes you have to cultivate the positive feeling by indulging in and repeatedly enjoying whatever cues that make the ambiance look stereotypically good to you. The patterns of shadows on the wall, the rays of light, the chirps of birds - whatever works for you. Your main focus should still be on the breathing and abdomen, but let's say 20% of your attention can periodically scan the "happy cues". As with everything, don't overdo this mechanically. It's a subtle thing that requires sensitivity to what makes you happy. This is not the core technique anyway, you can achieve success with just the watching meditation alone, but it does help a bit.

This is really all there is to it ;) - just keep going and hopefully you can open your blocks and enter your subconscious through them.
There are layers beneath layers of blockages. You may open one layer only to discover another one... and another one... and another one. It does feel scary to open those - like exposing your naked soul to the world - so I understand why you're saying you feel like you need to jump off the cliff.
Finally, all of this is very individual and subjective - so your experience may not match mine, but since we are all humans we should hopefully be similar enough.

Past fabrications give bodily sensation. (More particularly Rootless Body Consciousness.) If you entertain the experiences more new fabrications are created which will result in positive or negative experiences in the future.
The sensation and experiences can be bizarre from person to person.
What needs to be done is to look at the impermanence of the experience, if possible at the level of as passing away of phenomena, with no attachment to it.

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Can someone explain "Noble Eightfold Path" in depth?
This is the common answer:
Right view,
Right intention,
Right speech,
Right action,
Right livelihood,
Right effort,
Right mindfulness,
Right concentration,
But what is e.g. the Right view?
How do i know my efforts are correct?
Can someone explain these 8 in day to day practice?

maybe you should ask 8 separate questions? I'm afraid this answer may get rather long...

Since the 8 fold path is basically buddhism, you're looking for an answer that encapsulates the whole thing. I'd start here or here and then ask specific questions to clarify.

Check out Gunaratana's Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness.  It's a nice, practical introduction to the eightfold path.

The whole of the Noble Path can be summarized as the action, speech, effort, intent etc. coming from the two kinds of thoughts as explained in MN 19:

Bhikkhus, before my enlightenment, while I was still only an unenlightened Bodhisatta, it occurred to me: ‘Suppose that I divide my thoughts into two classes [-- useful and harmful].
...
As I abided thus, diligent, ardent, and resolute, a thought of [the harmful kind] arose in me. I understood thus: ‘This thought [of the harmful kind] has arisen in me. This leads to my own affliction, to others’ affliction, and to the affliction of both; it obstructs wisdom, causes difficulties, and leads away from Nibbāna.’
...
As I abided thus, diligent, ardent, and resolute, a thought of [the useful kind] arose in me. I understood thus: ‘This thought of [the useful kind] has arisen in me. This does not lead to my own affliction, or to others’ affliction, or to the affliction of both; it aids wisdom, does not cause difficulties, and leads to Nibbāna.

Briefly, my personal opinions / commentary.
Arya marga. Here, "arya" ("noble") stands for "advanced person" and "marga" ("path") stands for "training method". Together it means "The advanced person's training method".
Each of the eight points starts with the word "samma" (Sankst. "samyak") - "right", which in this case means "high-quality", "adequate", "effective", "useful" - in bringing about the good results.

The right view (or useful philosophy) stands for one's perspective on life in general.
The central point of the right view is that our life can get better (away from afflictions & difficulties and towards wisdom & peace) or worse (away from wisdom & peace and towards afflictions & difficulties) -- depending on the choices we make. The subsequent points build up on this basic idea.

The right intention (or useful attitude) stands for one's attitude as one goes about life.
Right intention is trying to improve things, not to harm or make things worse. It is a deeply constructive attitude, not a destructive attitude.

The right speech (or useful speech) stands for one's skill in interacting with others.
Basically, it is speech of a wise person who knows what to say, how to say, and when to say it in order to achieve well-being for oneself and others.

The right action (or useful behavior) stands for one's self-control in acting strategically and not impulsively.
As with the rest of the points, the idea of right action is to not do anything (stupid) that will have an adverse effect, but to act skilfully in order to maximize the net benefit, esp. long term. The useful behavior is characterized by sobriety, discipline, moderation, and making wise choices about what one is getting into and with what kind of people one is connecting one's destiny. The useful behavior comes from the thought like "what kind of long term result will I get if I do this?"

The right livelihood (or useful lifestyle) stands for the circumstances and environment one chooses or agrees to live in.
Useful lifestyle is a lifestyle more or less supportive of the useful thoughts and useful actions towards a good result -- not a lifestyle that forces one to go in a completely opposite direction.

The right effort (or useful effort) stands for self-improvement.
Specifically, it means the ongoing effort to stop and get rid of the pathological habits/impulses/hangups, and to develop the "right" (useful) skills.

The right mindfulness (or useful frame-of-reference) stands for watching for the two kinds of thoughts as one goes around the day.
The idea is to not let oneself be carried away by the pathological currents, but to go around one's day while staying within the perspective of arya marga.

The right concentration (or useful mood) stands for one's ability to control one's attention and therefore one's perspective and mood.
The point of right concentration is to stop being the slave of information and to become the master of mind.

In short, in our day to day practice we must have a good sense of direction -- which way is feeding our ego and weaknesses, and which way is being an "arya" (advanced person). Your know your efforts are correct if you become less frustrated and more successful with whatever you do.
Because Sat-Dharma is "good in the beginning, good in the middle and good in the end", the Noble Path works on all levels:

On the mundane level it helps one achieve success and better quality of life through developing self-control and discernment for constructive strategic action.
On the personal level, it guides one towards overcoming neuroses, attaining the mastery over one's emotions, and achieving a stable & happy state of mind.
On the social level, its emphasis on overcoming the harmful impulses, developing self-control, and the focus on constructive positive action - encourages cooperation, harmony, and seeking a compromise for the greater good.
On the intellectual level, it encourages intellectual agility, open-mindedness, and anti-dogmatism as necessary conditions for skillful response.
On the level of the spiritual quest, it provides a working framework and a practical way of gauging one's progress for abandoning obstacles on the way to Enlightenment - from overcoming coarse emotions, to dismantling the ego, to uprooting the preconceptions, to realizing the nature of mind, to attaining prajna-paramita.

Can you clarify 'slave of information'?

According to my teachers, it means you allow the information to drive you. One simple example is random information we get exposed to throughout the day. As it enters your system it makes you think certain thoughts that may lead to certain impulses, behavior, results etc. Instead, to be the master of mind means to decide what information to pay attention to and how to interpret it - you play the active role in controlling what you focus on, how you assemble that into a coherent picture of the world, what that picture looks like, and how it affects your condition.


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Saving for the future
Is it okay to save money, asset for the future financial security for a person with family following the Buddhist Path? There is always this dilemma in making financial decisions based on the Path and security for future. How to go about it?

Why would saving or securing one's future be not in line with the path?

how much should one accumulate wealth? if from saving , I invest in share market, and make windfall gain and again reinvest. Wouldn't this cycle create craving which in turn cause suffering!

The wise endowed with virtue shine forth like a burning fire,
  gathering wealth as bees do honey and heaping it up like an ant hill.
  Once wealth is accumulated, family and household life may follow.
By dividing wealth into four parts, true friendships are bound; One
  part should be enjoyed; Two parts invested in business; And the fourth
  set aside against future misfortunes." - Singalovada Sutta

This kind of dilemmas can occur when you confuse lay life with monk's life.

The Dighajanu Sutta discusses how to maintain one's livelihood in tune:

"And what does it mean to maintain one's livelihood in tune? There is
  the case where a lay person, knowing the income and outflow of his
  wealth, maintains a livelihood in tune, neither a spendthrift nor a
  penny-pincher, [thinking], 'Thus will my income exceed my outflow, and
  my outflow will not exceed my income.' Just as when a weigher or his
  apprentice, when holding the scales, knows, 'It has tipped down so
  much or has tipped up so much,' in the same way, the lay person,
  knowing the income and outflow of his wealth, maintains a livelihood
  in tune, neither a spendthrift nor a penny-pincher, [thinking], 'Thus
  will my income exceed my outflow, and my outflow will not exceed my
  income.'
"These are the four drains on one's store of wealth: debauchery in
  sex; debauchery in drink; debauchery in gambling; and evil friendship,
  evil companionship, evil camaraderie. Just as if there were a great
  reservoir with four inlets and four drains, and a man were to close
  the inlets and open the drains, and the sky were not to pour down
  proper showers, the depletion of that great reservoir could be
  expected, not its increase.

There is nothing wrong with saving money to support your family.
The premise about money and particularly capitalism that conflicts most with buddhism is that money tends to be gained from the suffering of others. For the most part, the economy is made from need - which implies suffering.
Think of what is needed to build a skyscraper. The metal for the core of the structure comes from mines, the wood from trees and possibly the labour from people who would rather do something else over slaving away so they can 'live'.
If each of these things was pulled apart further the mine and the wood took habitats away from species, not to mention the trees are sentient to a degree as well...
We are all learning and all have to minimise the suffering imposed on ourselves so that we don't cause suffering for others. Making money is a necessity for most cultures and in order keep kicking we have to adjust to the society we live in.
If your ideals lean towards limiting the impact of suffering on others, thinking sustainable is the same thing.
Cultivate in harmony


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Is it dangerous to focus on ticks from childhood during meditation?
At the panditarama vipassana retreat they ask us to focus and observe on the object that pops up our attention, such as a pain or thought.
I started having ticks that I had on my childhood, such as closing and opening my right eye intermittently very fast. The tick does not stop if I observe it, and it does stop if I focus on something else, such as the rise and falling of the abdomen.
Is it dangerous to continue focusing on the tick? Will it then appear in my life when not practicing meditation?

Acknowledge the tick only a few times as it appears, but then acknowledge what else appears, your mind reacts to it somehow -- fear, anxiety, memories, analyses etc. And go back to the anchor (step or breath). This way the tick will lead you to the stuff underneath; if you stay focused on the tick, you are practicing concentration and will miss that reaction. Mindfulness consists in both the ability to acknowledge what is there right now (not what was there two seconds ago) and also the ability to let it go quickly (back to the anchor).
It is normal that things don't disappear when you acknowledge them. Do you expect to start levitating when you acknowledge sitting?
It is likewise normal that childhood stuff appears in meditation (be it really from childhood, or only believed to be, that does not matter), and such symptoms might get worse temporarily; acknowledge worries about it (you seem to be worried about it being dangerous) and keep practicing, that's the way to clear it out, and the truth will show itself.
Usually (no guarantee; speaking of my experience) these things disappear as meditation wears off in daily life (e.g. feelings of craziness, extraordinary/painful sensitivity, physical symptoms etc).
Good luck!
(P.S.: since you are in Panditarama, won't the teachers give you an instruction when you ask them?)

"It is normal that things don't disappear when you acknowledge them". We are told that when we feel pain, to focus on it for a while until it usually disappears.

Yes, it is normal. What you are seeing here, is that reality is uncontrollable and ungovernable. Reality is not amenable to ones will. Things do not go away, just because we want them to and things don't stay just because we want them to. That is the nature of reality and what you have seen is an insight into reality. Well done. Keep practicing and you will eventually be free from this conditioned existence.

Yah, those damn ticks have bothered me too! Around the time I broke through some of my old baggage I had continuous eye ticks for almost a year.
My advice is to not pay attention to ticks themselves, but to the "energy" behind the ticks. Not all of your attention, maybe 10%.
Something is going on in there, some old tangle -- and you can't force it, just feed it with some attention energy and hopefully it will untangle over time.
Ultimately this is a good thing - don't worry, just some old crap coming up. If you keep going there maybe more coming :)

What do you mean by "the energy behind it"? How to do that?

There's no further explanation. Just do it! :))


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When is it time to meditate and when is it time to act?
As a Mahayana follower I keep growing my wish to help all beings. To accomplish this, I have developed the wish to become a Buddha. As I meditate and follow the teachings, I really wish to help all beings to be free from suffering and want them to be happy, and I really can feel by my own experience that I can make them happy by practicing.
Although sometimes I also have the feeling I should help in other ways. Like giving them food or even doing some volunteer work to help them to be free from suffering, at least for a short period of time.
When is the time to meditate, and when is the time to help others (and of course by doing this wanting them to be free from suffering)?

I think there is a certain tendency in the west to take the Bodhisattva vow as mandate for humanitarian action.  The reams of material that have been written on socially engaged Buddhism are pretty exemplary of that.  I personally don't think there is anything wrong with working to make someone suffer a little less.  I also think that proponents of this kind of engaged Buddhism are on some pretty solid theological ground.  Helping others is an essential part of anyone's practice.  It's no accident that the first paramita (in all traditions!) is generosity.
I think I need to qualify this though.  No matter how much effort you exert, you aren't going to end suffering in the world.  No government plan, social service, or movement can accomplish that.  It's impossible.  To even think along those lines is completely contrary to Buddhist teaching.  The only surefire means we have of ending suffering is through our own liberation.  It is imperative that we don't lose sight of that.  So many people get caught up in outward directed effort that they lose touch with their individual practice.  One wonders how truly useful they can be as Buddha-beings when their best weapons in the fight against suffering - their loving-kindness, compassion, patience, and generosity - aren't sharpened by daily practice!
It's always time to help others and if you practice Buddhism sincerely, you will always be doing exactly that.  The hours that you sit benefit all sentient beings in ways just as powerful as any hour you spend working at a soup kitchen.  If you feel called to do something more tangible than just sitting, that's fine.  It's even recommended lest you begin to develop an indulgent attachment to the bliss of concentration.  Just don't let outward efforts distract you from your own liberation.

I really appreciated your answer.
Many Thanks :)

I'd like to add Buddha's quote from the Diamond Sutra to your answer:
"Subhuti, if a person collected treasures as high as 3,000 of the highest mountains, and gave them all to others, their merit would be less than what would accrue to another person who simply observed and studied this Sutra and, out of kindness, explained it to others. The latter person would accumulate hundreds of times the merit, hundreds of thousands of millions of times the merit. There is no conceivable comparison."

The greatest charity is the gift of the dharma!

In my opinion...  in Buddhism this kind of worry is called "udacca-kukucca" :) -- "Am I not doing enough of what I should be doing? I am doing this but shouldn't I be doing that instead?"
Instead, the perfect mind in Buddhism is A) free of the conflict between "this" vs. "that" and B) makes the best use of any situation.
So if real situation presents itself when someone needs help, and you see how you can help - go ahead and help. But if there is no situation and no clear idea, then it's just worry. Especially when you are meditating - all kinds of thoughts can come up, but your goal is to keep going.
So it's not about prescriptive guidance: "you should spend 50% of your time helping others" - but rather about doing your best as you're letting your life unfold.
Of course we have all these grand ideas about the great business we want to open, or the great way we could help people, or other visions of great success - but they are only projections of thought into the future. This projection creates a mismatch between "here" and "there". From this mismatch comes dukkha, the feeling of wrongness.
Instead, for any success you will have achieved, there must be a pathway from where you are now, to there, with the first step being within reach. Therefore the only way to get there is to work with what you have right here and now. So do your best with what life gives you at every given moment, acting with most compassion, most openness, most wisdom, most sincerity etc. - and you will get to the best possible place you could have gotten to - and on the way there you will have many chances to really help someone - and it will be real and within your powers - and not some abstract idea that generates dukkha :)


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For what reason did the Dali Lama's traditional daily schedule have washing before meditation?
I often hear that meditation is best at the first part of the day, and it is usually recommended to meditate before eating. Yet it seems odd to me that for the Dali Lama, washing would come first and meditation would come second.
The only explanation I can come up with is that the washing would allow for enough time to pass so that the early morning 'dreamy' state of mind would wear off?
(I am not sure if the Dali Lama still follows his traditional schedule, I am talking about the Dali Lama of centuries past)

Interesting question! I can't find anything in the way of an answer, but it might be because there really isn't kind of specific story or explanation behind this. It might just come down to a simple matter of personal preference.

HH the Dalai Lama's Routine Day page says, "When His Holiness is at home in Dharamsala, he wakes up at 3 am. After his morning shower, His Holiness begins the day with prayers, meditations and prostrations until 5 am."

THANK YOU ChrisW. I remembered the fact from a class, but didn't get my cite on.

Washing is a symbolic cleansing. One finds it in the Tibetan precepts ceremony. The modern Dalai Lama washes his hands before reading too.


text:
What are the differences between the mind and consciousness?
I have some understanding regarding consciousness as related to the six senses, but I'm less clear on the mind itself?

is this a duplicate of http://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/1435/43 ?


text:
What is attachment as per Buddhism?
Is attachment some kind of love? Parental love, a smile that comes when we get a glance of a toddler, when we spent money on good for our beloved one's then that time what is it?
As per my perception i wish to ignore all of this, attachment. But i am actually unaware of the factual attachment. Am i wishing good? I am open for good, for change as i am aspired to become a good or maintain a fair balance between good and bad in myself to lead a good way of living. Literally i have came to know that i need a fair personal practical advise.

I love a girl. I am not married to her. But we are (i am) attached to each other against our will premature living, unknowingly. I know that, she is aware without being a buddhist. But she always co

This question may be a duplicate of (i.e. might already have answers in) Is it possible to have a romantic relationship without attachment?

I am not at all about being romantic. That was just an example.

i consider love as an attachment too, what then !

we have attachment towards our sense of personality, of self, we are attached to our views & opinions, we are attached to our material form as being mine, me, myself, we are attached to the hair, nails,teeth, skin, bones, etc. we are attached to  what is impermanent and changing, and from this attachment comes suffering. We are attached to our body which is going to age and die and rot and thus we are attached to suffering.

@UrsulRosu Please post that sort of reply as an answer instead of as a comment.

Teacher S.L. gave the following examples of attachments: attachment to basic pleasures, attachment to possessions, attachment to "good looks", attachment to comfort, attachment to stability of life, attachment to predictability, attachment to plans, attachment to knowing "exactly how" before you do anything, attachment to skills and abilities, attachment to being right, attachment to intellect, attachment to accumulating knowledge, attachment to the idea of success, attachment to what others think about you, attachment to committed relationships, attachment to fairness, attachment to high moral standards, attachment to spirituality, attachment to doing everything right, attachment to how it is "supposed to be", attachment to a theory, attachment to Dharma, attachment to Enlightenment.
Another teacher explained these as simply attaching way too much importance to ideas...
Teacher I.L. further explained these as preconceptions - overgeneralizations of our past experience that we identify with. We are so convinced that these are justified that we consider them part of who we are, of our values - which we assume to be absolutely correct because they are based on our limited experience.
Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche further explained these as appropriating some familiar ground or territory, from which we then engage in dualistic relationship with the rest of the world. From his explanations, these attachments are the constituents of the ego. Feeding them is feeding the ego and therefore feeding Samsara.

I am intrigued by the examples by Teacher S.L since all of them in all their variations are attachments. If they are indeed all attachments, when are these not attachments?

Good question. They are attachments when they are all-important to you, when you or others going against them generates a ton of emotion in you. They are not attachments when you overcome them in practice, actually abandon them, cut through them - and then re-adopt with sobriety and disenchantment.

According to the Wikipedia article Twelve Nidānas, the Pali word for Attachment is Upādāna (and that Wikpedia section has an unreferenced description of it).
That also links to a whole Wikipedia article on the subject, Upādāna, which says,

Upādāna and taṇhā are seen as the two primary causes of suffering. The cessation of clinging leads to Nirvana.

That statement in that article does have a lot of references.

However, I note that the Third Noble Truth in the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta says "desire" and not "attachment". This commentary says,

Furthermore, bhikkhus, this is the dukkha·nirodha ariya·sacca: the complete virāga, nirodha, abandoning, forsaking, emancipation and freedom from that very taṇhā.

... where Taṇhā means thirst or desire.

Clearly, though, desire and attachment are related.
The Upadana Sutta starts with,

Dwelling at Savatthi. There the Blessed One said to the monks:

"In one who keeps focusing on the allure of clingable phenomena (or: phenomena that offer sustenance = the five aggregates), craving develops. From craving as a requisite condition comes clinging/sustenance.

I think that those two quoted sentences are saying:

If you focus on what's alluring about something that you are or can become attached to, then you'll desire that thing
If you desire something then you become attached to (cling to) it

In summary I think that if desire is like thirst then attachment is the object of that desire. For example you might think,

I am thirsty therefore I would like some water

... in which case you have attached to water as the object of your desire.
Similarly if you desire a person, then the desire is desire and the person (or more specifically your idea or 'reification' of that person) is the object of your desire and thus the focus of your attachment.

I suspect that attachment is also related to ego or sense of self, if you become attached to something then you identify with it, you think, "I desire this, I am the person who feels desire for this", etc.
I say that because the Upadana Sutta above said that the "clingable phenomena" are the five aggregates; and the Anatta-lakkhana Sutta also talks about the five aggregates including the famous saying,

Any [of each of the five aggregates] must, with right understanding how it is, be regarded thus: 'This is not mine, this is not I, this is not my self

Wikipedia's Manifestations of clinging says,

To distinguish craving from clinging, Buddhaghosa uses the following metaphor:[14]

"Craving is the aspiring to an object that one has not yet reached, like a thief's stretching out his hand in the dark; clinging is the grasping of an object that one has reached, like the thief's grasping his objective.... [T]hey are the roots of the suffering due to seeking and guarding."

Although I may be wrong (perhaps I have misunderstood what 'attachment means), but I might not quite agree with that metaphor: because I think it's possible to be attached even to an object that you don't or cannot grasp.
For example if you were to think, "If only I had that person, or, if only I had that thing, then I'd be happy", then I think that's not only generalized desire (for an object) but also specific attachment (to a specific object): even when and even though you don't or cannot have/grasp/own/reach that object.
Presumably though you can be said to "have it" in the sense that "you have the idea of it".

Love and attachment are two different things. Love is no separation between beings, two beings or all beings. Love is selfless, not selfish. Attachment can be selfish.
Love can be difficult to untangle from from attachment and understand what is what. Attachment, for example, is when a mother who won't let her child leave when it's time for them to leave because mother is clinging. To complicate matters, the child could be clinging as well, perhaps to the idea of being an adult and the mother maybe knows better or perhaps there both clinging in some unwholesome way. It takes wisdom.
If one with good concentration &  moral intentions constantly contemplates one's own karma(actions) then one will slowly understand for certain what is wholesome and what isn't a wholesome action to perform.
Morality and concentration that supports contemplation of one's moment to moment experiences as they really are(with a practice like Vipassana), is how one can cultivate wisdom(like knowing the difference between attachment and love). Wisdom is what frees us from our suffering :)

Suppose a person truly love another person, always wish only the best for that person, provide the best advise(as per the requirement of circumstances and perception based thoughts), and do not expect anything at back, not even that person's well being in front of oneself. All these can be included in the term, action 'as per me. My question 'Is it love which is without attachment? If yes then 'is it a service?

Well "love" is just a word after all. Our egos are like these loud distracting suits that cloth us loved ones in subtle selfish separation from the lovers. When the suit comes off then there is just love,... love and compassion from a selfless viewpoint.

Attachment is craving for sensation either in the form of direct sensual experience or a future situation or existance in which you can experience or be united with desirable sensations. Our mental reaction to either external stimuli or comparison of some mental models against what we sensed produce sensation. It is pleasant sensation that you are attached or crave for. The fact that we have friend is no attachment at all unless, where have some Perceived relationship in a metal outlook we create about the world and we react to the sensation this bring about. Each metal state resulting from the contact our our 6 faculties create sensation. We perceive these sedations as favourable, unfavourable or neutral and react accordingly with craving, aversion, or ignorance.
Letting go is giving up your Perception of sensual experiences as favourable, unfavourable and developing equanimity towards any sensation always realising they arise and passes away.
Love is a kind of attachment when you perceive some one in relation to you (myself, my friend, my wife, my child, etc.).
See:

Pahāna Sutta,
Vedana From Devotion to Direct Experience by S. N. Goenka

Also quotes from meditation teachers who have similar line of explanation:

A sensation appears, and liking or disliking begins. This fleeting moment, if we are unaware of it, is repeated and intensified into craving and aversion, becoming a strong emotion that eventually overpowers the conscious mind. We become caught up in the emotion, and all our better judgment is swept aside. The result is that we find ourselves engaged in unwholesome speech and action, harming ourselves and others. We create misery for ourselves, suffering now and in the future, because of one moment of blind reaction.
But if we are aware at the point where the process of reaction begins–that is, if we are aware of the sensation–we can choose not to allow any reaction to occur or to intensify… in those moments the mind is free. Perhaps at first these may be only a few moments in a meditation period, and the rest of the time the mind remains submerged in the old habit of reaction to sensations, the old round of craving, aversion, and misery. But with repeated practice those few brief moments will become seconds, will become minutes, until finally the old habit of reaction is broken, and the mind remains continuously at peace. This is how suffering can be stopped.

Source: Art of Living by S.N. Goenka

Once we understand the secrets of the kaya, we turn to the secrets of the vedana. The vedana have the highest power
  and influence over human beings, over all living things. My words will surprise you, nonetheless, the entire world -
  animals, humans, and all living beings – depends on the vedana. They all are under the power of the feelings. This
  sounds funny and unbelievable, so examine it for yourselves. It is a fact that we - our entire species – are being forced
  by the vedana to do their bidding. When there are sukha-vedana (pleasant feelings) we try to get more of those feelings.
  The pleasant feelings always pull the mind in a certain direction and condition certain kinds of activity. Dukkha-vedana
  (unpleasant, disagreeable feelings) affect the mind and influence life in the opposite direction, but still lead to all kinds
  of habitual responses. The mind struggles with them and turns them into problems that cause dukkha. The feelings have
  great power over what we do. The whole world is under the command of these vedana, although there may be other
  factors involved as well. For example, while tanha (craving) can control the mind, craving itself is first conditioned by
  feeling. Thus, the vedana have the strongest and most powerful influence over our entire mind. We ought to understand
  the secrets of vedana. (25)
I will say something at which you can laugh if you wish, "If we can master the vedana we will be able to master the
  world." We will be able to control the world, when we can control the feelings as we require. Then we could supervise
  the world as it so badly needs. Now, nobody is interested in controlling the vedana, so the world has gotten out of
  proper control. Have you seen all the crises and problems that arise constantly? The wars, the famines, the corruption,
  the pollution, all these things, are activities originating in our failure to control the feelings from the start. If we would
  control the feelings, then we could control the world. This is something you need to consider. (26)
If we speak in line with the Lord Buddha's words, we say that the causes of everything in the world are centered on the
  vedana. The myriad activities happen in the world because our feeling of the vedana forces us to desire, and then act out
  those desires. Even such beliefs as reincarnation and rebirth are conditioned by the vedana. If we believe, we travel
  around in the samsaric cycle, the cycles of birth and death, of heaven and hell. Everything originates in feeling. To
  control the vedana is to control the origin, the source, the birth place of all things. This is how necessary it is to
  understand these feelings correctly and comprehensively. Then, we will be able to control them and their secrets will
  not deceive us into doing anything foolish ever again. (27)
There are three main points to realize regarding the vedana. First, understand the vedana themselves, the things that
  cause feeling in the mind, that the mind feels. Second, know how the vedana condition the citta, the mind-heart. They
  stir up thoughts, memories, words, and actions. Know this concocting of the mind. Third, discover that we can control
  the mind by controlling the vedana, in the same way that the flesh-body is controlled by the regulation of the breath.
  Then we win be able to master the mind by correctly mastering the feelings which condition it. These three things make
  up the secrets of the vedana.

Understand the feelings themselves.
Know the things that condition the feelings.
Then, know how to control those things that condition the feelings, which is the same as controlling the
  feelings themselves.
  These are the three important things to understand about vedana. (28)

Since the first and second stages of practice both follow the same principle, it is helpful to compare the two. In the stage
  regarding the body, we find out what it is that conditions the flesh-body, and then we study that thing. We study that
  body-conditioner until we know it in great detail. We study how that thing conditions the body. Then, by regulating that
  thing, we can control the body. This is our way to make the body more calm and peaceful. As for the mind, its
  conditioner is the feelings. By controlling the vedana so that they do not condition or stir up the mind, or so that they
  condition the mind in a desirable way, we are able to calm the mind. This how the first stage regarding the kaya and the
  second stage regarding the vedana follow the same basic principle and are parallel in their method of practice.

Source: ANAPANASATI - MINDFULNESS WITH BREATHING Unveiling the Secrets of Life: a Manual for Serious Beginners by BUDDHADASA BHIKKHU


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What are the results of doing meththa meditation?
What are the results of doing meththa meditation?
can someone point out some reference from "suttas" (A translation of a sutta)?

There are many good returns of Meththa to a practitioner.If you look at "Meththanisansa sutta" Lord Buddha had spoken of all of those in one teaching.Here's the english translation of Meththanisansa sutta

Meththanisansa sutta
I heard this way.....
Once when Lord Buddha was residing in Jethavana Monastery of noble anepidu Lord Buddha started a conversation saying fortune ate monks, The monks replied saying "yes,Fortunate one".Lord Buddha then went on to teach this.
Fortunate monks, one should expect 11 returns from a "Meththa Samadhi" which has been
Frequently practiced
Practiced like a vehicle/ship
That has been a basic goal of the mind
Which has been started well
And which has been established well in the mind.
What are these 11 returns?

Sleeping without discomfort
waking up without discomfort
Not seeing sinister dreams
Others become friendly
Non-human beings become friendly
Receives protection from "Devas"
Becomes free from any harm that comes from fire,wepons or poison
Reaches "Samadhi" Faster
Face/Appearance becomes pleasant
Die with proper consciousness
If this person fail to reach the goals of the path he/she will have the next life among Brahmas

One should expect these 11 returns from a "Meththa Samadhi" which has been
Frequently practiced
Practiced like a vehicle/ship
That has been a basic goal of the mind
Which has been started well
And which has been established well in the mind.
Lord Buddha taught this and the "Sangha**" accepted it happily.
May the power of truth in these words bring comfort to all

Explanation of marked words above.
*Meththa Samadhi** -*
Samadhi is a state of mind in which the chaotic state of the mind has been stopped by a meditation. Mettha samadhi is reaching it with Meththa meditation
*Non-human beings** -*
Non-Human beings are Brahmas,Devas,Animals,Asuras and beings in lower realms
*Die with proper consciousness** -*
This means when the person dies he/she will not be dying with fear,anger,hate,greed or any other corrupting state of mind.The person will die with the knowledge of death and will be conscious enough to revisit the learning of dhamma
*Brahmas** -*
*Brahmas are at the peak of life.They are even above the "Devas" and they are actually the highest that any normal being can reach without the help of dhamma.Birth in this realm happens only to beings with "Samadhi".They hold the highest life expectancy of all beings (Unfortunately our number system will not have a number to match it).
*Sangha** -*
The holy monks.

A translation from Access to Insight: Metta (Mettanisamsa) Sutta (AN 11.16)

Wonderful answer and the canonical resource for such an inquiry!

Thanks @ChrisW  for mentioning the International name of the sutta.What i mentioned was our local name.


text:
Are there any unique or special versions of meththa meditation?
I have heard Lord Buddha has taught a special version of meththa for certain kind of creatures.
Can someone point reference to such a teaching in suttas?

Yes there has been an incident when a snake bite happened Lord Buddha taught monks how to seek protection.I will find  the sutta and post it.

The sutta Chris W had mentioned above has a chanting of its own in theravada tradition.It is called "Bandha Piritha". Here's the full translation of it.

Bandha Piritha - Extending Meththa towards the casts of snake kings.
I heard this way....
Once Lord Buddha was residing in the Jethavana Monastery of noble Anepidu. A monk died because of a snake bite.A lot of monks came to Lord Buddha, they worshiped Lord Buddha and sat down.They asked about the monk who died because of the snake bite.
Lord Buddha answered.
Fortunate monks,That monks did not extended his "Meththa" toward the casts of the snake kings.If he did he would't have been bit by a snake.
What are those four casts of snake kings?
One is called "Virupaksha"
One is called "Erapatha"
One is called "Jabyapuththa"
One is called "Kanha Gothamaka"
That monks did not extended his "Meththa" toward these casts of the snake kings.If he did he would't have been bit by a snake.
Fortunate monks, I approve extending Meththa towards these Royal casts of snakes.That will be a security and a protection for you.Also it will be a Meththa chant for you.
Lord Buddha said this afterwards,

May my Meththa be with "Virupaksha" snake cast
May my Meththa be with "Erapatha" snake cast
May my Meththa be with "Jabyapuththa" snake cast
May my Meththa be with "Kanha Gothamaka" snake cast
May my Meththa be with beings without legs.
May my Meththa be with beings with legs.
May my Meththa be with four legged beings.
May my Meththa be with beings with many legs.
May beings without legs cause me no harm.
May beings with legs cause me no harm.
May four legged beings cause me no harm.
May beings with many legs cause me no harm.

May no evil come to all,
Living beings and to all beings who have been born
May all find comfort.
Lord Buddha is with values above measuring
Dhamma is with values above measuring
Sangha is with values above measuring
Because of polluting "Klehsa" these beings like Snakes,Scorpions,Spiders,Insects and Insects are with measurable values.
I have done protection,I have chanted.
May all beings go away from me.
I worship Lord Buddha,I worship seven Lord Buddhas of this era.
May the power of truth in these words bring comfort to all!

End of translation.

There's the Ahina Sutta: By a Snake, which includes (I won't quote it all),

I have good will for footless beings,
      good will for two-footed beings,
      good will for four-footed beings,
      good will for many-footed beings.

It's previously mentioned in this answer, which quotes a note that says, "This is one of the few protective charms mentioned in the Pali canon and specifically allowed by the Buddha for monks to use".


text:
The terror tragedy in France in Buddhist light
How can the horrible and tragic events in France be seen from a Buddhist perspective? Can the global situation with fanatical terrorism be analyzed in terms of the Buddhist theory of human mind? Can we as the global society do anything to heal the divide?
I'm sorry I'm posting this 100% opinion-based question. Normally, questions about current events are considered off-topic and would be closed. But I feel that we as Buddhists and as humans can't be silent, can't ignore this tragedy and pretend that nothing happened. Please share your thoughts and opinions.
My deepest condolences to everyone affected by the tragedy. My best thoughts are with you.

I saw the "breaking news" on BBC news web site last night.
Today they are still using the heavy black border around the headline which they reserve for grave calamity.

The sight (and formatting) of this headline is shocking to see, full-screen: it turns my stomach somehow.
There is nothing else in the news headlines, at the moment, it occupies every news slot:

I remember the TV news reporting the 9/11 attacks in New York. Two or three weeks later the TV was still replaying or showing the same photos of the infamous footage, and I switched off the TV news and I haven't watched American TV since then.
The subsequent invasion of Iraq by the Coalition of the willing (not to mention the invasion of Afghanistan) seems to me related to that kind of propaganda.

With respect and assuming you want to know the world news, I invite you to contrast the 130 dead in Paris with the number (hundreds of thousands) of people killed and homeless in (for example) Syria.
My specific suggestions are:

Be aware that something like this (i.e. people being shot) happens often in the world, presumably daily, although not where you are and not reported in the news you usually consume
Beware that news is emotionally sensational, with dramatic introductory music (even if if it's only a drum-beat), a hurried/worried/concerned tone of voice from the people reading the news, etc. ... and beware that those emotions, and/or what you call "memes", may be infectious.
Beware of the reaction to respond to violence with violence, fear, anger, revenge, e.g. go to war "to prevent further war" or something like that ... that might not be a good idea! The Dhammapada suggests that,

Hatred is never appeased by hatred in this world. By non-hatred alone is hatred appeased. This is a law eternal.
There are those who do not realize that one day we all must die. But those who do realize this settle their quarrels.

We (most people) are probably not directly affected by these events (but we may be affected by news of the events). Isn't this partly a matter of "guarding the sense doors" which Buddhists have a habit of doing already?
If it does affect you personally (if you are at the scene of a shooting) historically one of the ways in which Pacifists serve in war-time is as "stretcher-bearers".

The French have a word "affoler" which literally/etymologically means "to make crazy". Here are some definitions of it from the 'net:

(transitive) to madden, drive crazy (under the effects of a strong emotion)
(transitive) to terrify, frighten, scare
(intransitive) to run like crazy, leg it
(reflexive) to go crazy, go bonkers

Or from Larousse,

To provoke great anxiety
To provoke emotional disorder

Avoiding this kind of "folly" within yourself might be a good beginning.

Number 9 was about an earthquake off of Japan. Ironically, this earthquake didn't cause any deaths, but people on the twittersphere assumed it had.

From a Buddhist perspective, it is breaking of the first precept at large scale.
The root cause can be any of the 3 roots of evil.
ex: greed can be the root cause, if these terrorists are simply mercenaries hired by a rich country to serve a political purpose. Hatred can be the root cause, if this is done as revenge against France for getting involved in conflicts elsewhere. Delusion can be the root cause, if it is done due to a religious belief.
As Buddhists, we can practice the four divine abodes.
Metta & Karuna

towards those who are injured. Wish them to recover soon. Send aid if possible. Do good deeds and transfer merits to the dead.
towards the terrorists as they have committed a lot of bad Karma which they would have to suffer for in the future.

Muditha towards those who were able to escape the attack.
Uppekkha towards all as they are the owners of their deeds which lead them to happiness or suffering.
You can also use the shock factor to realize how dangerous Samsara is and how fragile life is. That'll help you loosen the bonds of lay life.

Can we as the global society do anything to heal the divide?

Teach and practice the Dhamma and encourage others to practice as well, just like how the Ariya-sangha would do.

I feel beyond horrible about the tragedy. I don't even think that I can articulate how I really feel—it's a complex medley of negativity, swirling with many different emotional elements. Yet the first thought that enters my mind, when considering it from a Buddhist perspective, is simply: There is suffering.
I, too, wonder what could be accomplished in terms of healing. I worry that "healing" may not even be possible; that the patterns of behavior across recorded history show us that there is an inevitability to perpetual conflict, hatred, and killing. It feels easy to succumb to a feeling of helplessness, but at such times it's even more important to stick to the path. Right Resolve is key.
Maybe there is no complete healing. Maybe the most we can ever hope for is simply managing through the day-to-day: to do the best we can to follow the path to end suffering; to model the views and behaviors that form the path; to live it daily and in so doing remain a source of inspiration and peace within a world that's always in need of love and kindness in the face of hatred and death.
There is suffering. Simple words that can apply equally to a small scratch or a mass killing. But in the end, all we can ever really do is follow the path.

Samsara is the tragedy. If everything happens is determinable by Karma or other deterministic set of laws then there is no motivation and perhaps the chance to leave Samsara. In this case it can be combination of Karama & randomness and wrong view and motivation at play. Such events can be inspiration to strengthen your practice so that such calamity does not befall you in Samsara.

The Buddhist world view is informed by the miracle of compassion and loving kindness as much as the wisdom of impermanence.
Just as a farmer cannot hope to achieve much by working hard the day before a harvest, a Buddhist cannot produce greater compassion or understanding on days of tragedy if she does not practice it in the midst of the petty suffering of daily life.
The best antidote to suffering is to first recognise our suffering and be fully present in this moment for it. The suffering is real, even if only at the level of our feelings and emotions, so we must embrace it fully. We must not try to forget it, or blind ourselves to it.
If possible we must also try to embrace the attackers and try to understand the deep suffering the attackers must have felt for several months or years to set out on this course of violence. They were not capable of turning their suffering into love, but if we can manage that, we have performed a great miracle.
May we hope that today's victims do not become tomorrow's attackers, and send metta to all, so that the miracle of love and compassion maybe born.
I am reminded of a poem by Thich Nhat Hanh, "Please call me by my true names"

If anything, the umpteenth event of this kind shows once more that the praxis is the sole source of knowledge, especially when compared to the reading of books of any doctrine, explicitly religious or not, reading which does nothing but develop faith, instead of removing doubts as with the praxis.
Perhaps the republics institutionalizing the liberal democracies could render mandatory the vipassana-samatha mediations in their mandatory school programs, such as they do in few of their prisons or for their cancerous, even though the buddhist morality --- that is to say the dhamma put into praxis --- which is required to get any result remains in strong contrast to the morality of the Human rights whereon lie the doctrine that is the initial classical liberalism and its various contemporary refinements.
The lack of praxis is the sole effect of the faith in a rationalism supporting a doctrine (religious or not), sometimes more or less blend in some bastardization of empiricism, in order to acquire knowledge, whereas the traditional quest of the rationalist, especially the one who qualifies himself as secular, since this is all that he has, to link the productions of the mind, which are the abstractions, to the « states of the world » remains sterile, thus far.
And the desire for western academic to find a political philosophy in the dhamma --- that is to say to construct and then having faith in such political structure in sanctifying it, à la Human Rights --- shows how deeply misguided he is through another tragedy of the occidental rationalism claiming to be a occidental humanist and seeking some salvation through some concrete objectivity via a universalism, since, let's face it, he more or less understands  that his Human rights are nothing but universal in a performative manner...
The problem of the occidental humanism is the explicit lack of praxis of the human rights, either a personal praxis or even a social one, since there are very few rituals in any liberal doctrine; and the faith in its imposition on the children in formatting them through the national education demonstrates solely his despair. This education could a good strategy, but given that they still need the justice and the police today,  it fails de facto.
Naturally, the rationalism not being bound to the occidental humanist, the same lack of praxis is detrimental in any other doctrine putting an emphasis solely on the reading of their conventional texts.
It is always the same problem, irrespective of the doctrine, religious or not : how can the few proponents of such doctrine manage to get dozens of millions of people, who were birthed by parents precisely not following the doctrine, into adopting a doctrine which is not theirs spontaneously ?
There is no answer to these besides a mixed of proselytism and imposition, more or less explicit. And The dhamma does not show a proselyte face. So what can the buddhists do ?
Once entered in the stream, the followers of the dhamma knows that the human conventions will not save anybody. These conventions in the West take the form, today, of legal laws and scientific laws. This loss of faith in politics, in views consolidates his doubts on a structure to manage people inside a nation (assuming that he has faith, beforehand, in the relevance of the concept of nation).
As usual, the sole display of a doctrine is through the action of its followers. Concerning the dhamma, the buddhists must accept that the majority of the people will not follow the dhamma, that a minority will be explicitly against it, that a minority will show a few fruits of the dhamma without even following it.
The buddhists must show how good buddhist they are; in one word, how good they are in being equanimous and benevolent, towards themselves and others, at any time and any place...


text:
Can consciousness exist externally?
Sometimes I feel that my consciousness is separate from my body. How can this be explained in Buddhism? What is this state ? Can consciousness exist externally without physical body?

Ultimately one must ask where consciousness is rooted, and what (if any) is its "locality"  I don't think it's the intent of an enlightened being to merely discourse about what consciousness is, but rather to provide the path and the techniques to realize such understanding for oneself.

Can you elaborate with references of where consciousness is rooted?

To add to my question, is my consciousness same as yours? Is it possible?

Well we must distinguish some terms -- consciousness is usually what we say when we mean "awareness" ... in a lot of Buddhist literature and scripture consciousness is usually reserved for the sense-consciousnesses which would be like hearing sound or seeing forms, without intellectual filtration, directly experienced.  Here is a resource for your in-depth inquiry friend, http://www.khandrorinpoche.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/JKR-Introduction-to-the-Heart-Sutra.pdf

@sova When what you're posting helps to answer the question, please prefer to post it as an answer instead of as a comment (reference). Comments are mostly meant to be only for asking questions about the question, e.g. if the question is unclear.

Possibly related question: http://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/5665/do-buddhists-see-reality-as-consensual-or-individual

Can consciousness exist externally without physical body?

In The Immaterial World this is possible. There might be times you fee so in meditation. Maybe when you enter Infinite Conciousness Absorption but even without this there maybe instances you may fee so.

What is this state ?

You been born in an Immaterial World.

How can this be explained in Buddhism?

You have generally have Nama & Rupa. In Immaterial World you just have Nama but not Rupa.

Sometimes I feel that my consciousness is separate from my body.

This is not possible as I would believe you to be human hence having Nama and Rupa, in which case conciousness cannot exit without a physical body. This is the case in any other plane of existance other than The Immaterial Worlds.

Aren't these planes of existence inside us?

Yes. You can experience some of the Bliss in these plans here and now through deep meditation but you are still here hence you have a body. There maybe times you might "feel"  that your consciousness is expanding, but this just a feeling. Even when you have not properly got Infinite Conciousness Jhana there might be times you might feel your conciousness expand. You still have your body even when you are in Infinite consciousness Jhana.

Can consciousness exist externally without physical body?

Mind can exist without the physical body, i.e. Nama can exist without Rupa. Mind is not dependent on a physical body, whereas the physical body is fully dependent on Mind and cannot exist without it. The physical body cannot do anything before an intention arises in the Mind.
Some beings in other realms are "mind-only". They have no physical body and therefore no locality, hence they cannot be located in space. Since they have no physical body and therefore no ear-faculty, they are not able to hear Dhamma teachings.
These beings can be found in the Immaterial Realm (Arupa Loka).

What is this state?

One can gain access to the Immaterial Realm, e.g. through the Four Formless Jhanas.

How can this be explained in Buddhism?

The 31 Planes of Existence teaches about the different realms of existence and how to gain access to them.
The Abhidhamma teaches about Nama-Rupa.
The practice of Samatha Meditation will grant a being access to the Jhanas and thereby the different realms.
The practice of Vipassana Meditation will grant a being access to insights into how reality functions, e.g. the 3 marks of existence, how the Mind works, how the Mind-Body-Complex works, thereby beginning the process of purification of Mind by destroying the root defilements.
The degree of purity of Mind corresponds to which realms a being can access/be reborn in.

To add to my question, is my consciousness same as yours? Is it possible?

Yes, Consciousness is the same. Consciousness is not a thing, its a "knowing". One of the reasons this is not understandable intellectually, is because we use conventional language to talk about phenomena that cannot be reduced to conventional reality.
The Buddha once said that it is okay to use conventional language but do not be fooled thereby.
Consciousness is the basic awareness of an object and nothing more. It only exists as a taker of objects. One will understand this when practicing Vipassana meditation. One will clearly see how there cannot be conscious experience without consciousness is present.
Let me give you can example from daily life, which you might have experienced. You are reading a good book or watching a movie and then someone calls your name. You are absorped in the book or movie and therefore do not hear the person trying to get in contact with you. How is that? The sound from the other person is still there, yes?
That is because consciousness is not at the ear-sensebase at that moment. Consciousness is at the eye-sensebase. That is why you did not register the sound from the other person. The sound is still there but you are not aware of it, because consciousness did not take that object, at that particular time.
One can only be aware of one object at a time. Mind can only arise to one object at a time. It might feel like one is aware of multiple objects at a time, but that is because Mind is shifting very rapidly and mindfulness is not strong enough to register that.

Can you please elaborate as to what you meant by "Sometimes I feel that my consciousness is separate from my body."
In the Dhamma 6 types of consciousness are mentioned, the eye consciousness, ear, taste, smell, body, and mind. Thus, substituting 'eye consciousness' to your statement above, would mean that you are able to see your body from the outside, i.e. you were able to look at your body as if looking at someone else's body.
Therefore if you can help elaborate your state, then your following questions of 'How can this be explained in Buddhism? What is this state ?' could be better addressed.
May you be well and happy.

It is like this - I know a thought is rising, then it gets hold of my attention, I know that it is going to act in certain way  , which is going to produce karma, subconsciously getting registered, even before i get to decide, the action was already carried out by my body senses. Before I used to act based on what i thought was right, I used to get angry when things didn't go my way. After reading books on Buddhism, Now I watch my thoughts rise and fall. It amuses me to see how my senses are conditioned and what I am feeding it with. I could separate consciousness from body senses.

from what you describe, you are being mindful of the mind and mind objects (i.e. thoughts, feelings). This is good. However, I am not clear when you say 'I could separate consciousness from body senses.'

I don't how to explain. I just know there is something beyond my sense.


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What is the name in Pāli and Sanskrit for the ‘body scanning’ meditation technique?
I would like to research this method in historical texts, but any search on google for ‘body scan’ only returns results related to the modern vipassana movement.

Is is there in the MahaSatiPatthana Sutta ?

So far as I know... A particular "scanning " technique is not from the suttas (all of which only ask for witnessing rise and passing away of sensations amongst the other three)... But from the Burmese school..definately UBa Khin.

By historical text, my interest is not limited to sutras but also any commentary, termas, or other references—just anything that isn't related to the modern vipassana movement. Thanks.

That's exactly what my apprehension is : Are we sure this term is not coined by the modern vipassana movement.Why don't you email the SN Goenka website.

I'm not familiar with the technique.  Are you referring to the scanning of the body as per the Mahasatipattha Sutta?  The section on Kayanupassana includes mindfulness of breathing, mindfulness of the postures, contemplation of impurities (i.e. the organs, bone, skin, teeth, bodily fluids, etc.), and some others.

While I think the technique is most commonly experienced by attendees of Goenka’s 10-day vipassana retreats I have also heard it from other Theravada teachers. This article includes a description of it in the Goenka style, but therein it is generically called “vipassanā meditation”. The practice is obviously applied as part of the four applications of mindfulness (Satipatthana Sutta)—to the body, observing tactile sensations without mental projections—which is core vipassana, but the “scanning” modality, is it modern?

SNGoenka is very particular about the scanning part which has to be done consciously...Whereas Mahasatpatthana sutta only asks the monk to be aware of the sensations.

Kayagata-sati Sutta.  Buddha was explicit that breathing is part of the body, so anapanasati is a sub-set of body scanning.

kaya = body, kayagata = relating to body

Spelled kāya according to the PTS dictionary

i'm on a roll ( :-) )(my observation) ; anapanasati is a sub-set of kayagata-sati.  kayagata-sati is a sub-set of four satipatthana.  four satipatthana is a part of magga 8.  magga 8 is part of four noble thruths.

@dean alkas I guess it ends with the Four Nobel Truths.

@ Uilium , i think 4 noble truths is part of dhamma (nature)  .. almost certain.   again, my observation.  not sure if dhamma is part of anything else tho.

"Kayanupassana" comming under "Chathu Satipatthana". You can find detailed discription in "Maha Satipatthana Sutta"
Also refer and search for "Anapanasati Meditation".
Refer:http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.118.than.html

Which part of Maha Satipatthana Sutta are you referring to?

To the part that explains about "Kayanupassana"

I searched for "Kayanupassana" in the translation you linked to and didn't find anything. Could you tell me how to find it in the document?

Please refer to "Body" section. http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.22.0.than.html#body


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How can Nama-rupa of Dependent Arising be same as Five Aggregates?
It is generally told that the 4th entry in the chain of Dependent Origination, namely Nama-rupa is nothing but the Five Aggregates (Nama being the sum of Vedana, Sanna, Sankhara and Vinnana). But three of the Aggregates separately appear in the chain of Dependent Origination : Sankhara (2nd entry), Vinnana (3rd entry) and Vedana (7th entry). So there occur three repetitions if Nama-rupa is identical with Five Aggregates. How can this be explained?

After posting this question, I found this related question in an answer to which someone mentioned that Sue Hamilton has given an alternative interpretation of Nama-rupa in her book Identity and Experience. It sounds very interesting to me. So I am now reading the relevant chapter from that book.

Nama does not include vinnana. See MN9 Right View: Feeling (vedana), perception (sanna), volition (cetana), contact (phassa), and attention (manasikāra) — these are called mentality (nama)

See explanation in a similar thread at: http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?t=25614#p368620

Due to past fabrication resulting from past experiences is instruments in creating the current conciousness. As conciousness cannot exist without a body this creates current body with each of the relevant sense faculties associated with the different consciousness.
The faculties in the current body which come in contact with external objects. The conciousness experiences and identifies the external objects based on the sensation of the touch these and our perception reacts with like, dislike and neutral metal action.
These current reaction creates more fabrication which keeps the above cycle going in the future. The reaction is that of our perception classifying sensations into pleasing, unpleasant and neutral sensations of which we want more or less.
The 5 Aggregates is the same as Nama Rupa. Different parts of the aggregates appear in different places in DO to illustrate the above cycle base on which aggregate is in active in the relevant part of the process. DO is not always depicted in the 12 link form; for further details see Dependent Arising by Piya Tan.

DN15 is aprophyca. It fails the Buddhist Great Standards (Mahapadesa) and therefore should be dismissed as being the words of the Buddha. The Pali scriptures state consciousness is only the six sensory consciousness (eg. MN 148). They state consciousness is only cognition (eg. MN 43). The idea of 'relinking consciousness' was obviously created after the Buddha, by religious clerics.

Sankhara in the five aggregates can include neutral mental formations as well. But Sankhara as in
Avijja paccaya Sankhara refers specifically to Karma.
Vinnana in the five aggregates can be any of the 6 types of consciousnesses. Eye consciousness, ear consciousness, nose consciousness etc. depending on the sense that is active. But Vinnana as in Sankhara Paccaya Vinnana is just the Patisandhi Citta. Only the mind consciousness is present at that point.
Vedana as in Passa paccaya Vedana can be Vedana caused at any of the 6 sense doors. But before the sense doors are created, Nama-rupa is just the embryo accompanied by a stream of Bhavanga cittas with the birth Karma as the object. The vedana there is caused by the birth Karma instead of contact at the 6 senses.  More info here.
In fact, all entries in Paticcasamuppada belong to the five aggregates or the nama-rupa. But Paticcasamuppada uses specific instances to explain the process of causes and effects that leads to suffering. So it doesn't qualify as repetition.

Hi, if vinnana as in "sankhara paccaya vinnana" is just patisandhi citta, what is the consciousness in this sentence of DN15: “If the consciousness of a young boy or girl were to be cut off, would mentality-materiality grow up, develop, and reach maturity?”

It's the Bhavanga stream starting from the Patisandhi citta. They are all identical.

Namarupa is defined in the scriptures. Nama is feeling, perception, intention, internal contact & attention. Rupa is the physical body composed of earth, wind, fire & water elements.
Dependent origination is not 'Creationism' explaining how human life comes into physical existence.
Dependent origination explains how ignorance conditions the five aggregates to generate psychological suffering.
Therefore, the five aggregates will repeatedly be mentioned in the 12 conditions as the conditioning of suffering moves from subtle to gross.
Ignorance conditions internal feelings, perceptions, thoughts & bodily drives (sankhara) which condition the consciousness & namarupa to purse outer sense objects, which then condition grosser feeling, craving, attachment, ego-becoming, self-identity ('jati') and the aging-&-death of the self-identity, which results in suffering (sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief & despair).
Kind regards