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Electric blood, electric breathe, electric ball and one beam
I have done meditation for 6 week now. My pulse has now become so electric even not when I am meditating, before i was Activated my pulse used to pulsating back and forward but now its more alive. When i make a triangle/pyramid with my hands, i can make one electric ball inside and if really focus it will become a beam of electricity that feels like Oneness. When i breathe i feel a cold layer of electricity on my skin, the breathing is controlling my electricity.
My feelings are growing everyday i feel like i am getting strong for each day
I have very little experience with this so if anybody know anything please talk to me.

What type of meditation are you practicing?

When i close my eyes i get these visions how to do it and i just follow that, and calibrate my pulse. I have never done any research on the subject i have no clue what kind i am doing. One tip i use high frequency vibrational sounds thats called binuary beats its free on youtube.

Maybe you can find some answers in this question.

You started meditating. If you're having strange experiences, you're doing it right. The "truth" is coming into view and your ego is dying. When your ego is loosing control, he will do everything to gain that control back. Thus, your ego is giving you pleasant experiences. Your ego wants you to crave for these experiences. He wants you to play with them until your death. If you play with the experiences, you'll never see what's behind your ego, thus you'll never gain control of it, never see the "truth" and no liberation from suffering will follow in this life.
If these experiences are interesting to you and you crave for more, then explore the experiences you described, don't fight them or search them, if they arise just play with them. Sooner or later you'll reach a point where there will be nothing new to explore in these experiences. Nothing new to play with. When you reach this point, start asking yourself "Why these experiences arise? What's behind these experiences? What's the cause?". Explore your mind and search for the cause. You'll find the "truth" and liberation from suffering will follow.
If you're willing to let go of these experiences now, then let go of them. If they arise, just relax, empty your mind, do nothing, and let them cease without trying or wanting anything. When you'll reach a point where you'll be able to just observe your mind, without reacting, without craving, clinging or aversion arising in your mind, these experiences will stop. Then, you'll be able to explore your mind further and you'll find the "truth" and liberation from suffering will follow.

okei sounds very reasonable thnx


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Repeated blissful experiences in meditation
When I first started meditating and after a while, I had a period where I experienced extremely wonderful sensations in my body.
It culminated one day when I was meditating, laying on my bed: I felt like my body has vanished, time stopped and extreme pleasure arose in my body. It was like I was floating in a substance full of pleasure to my mind. I didn't feel my body, it was like my body vanished, I had no thoughts, but was fully aware. I was in this state for 4 hours, and if it wasn't for somebody calling me, I would be even longer. When I emerged from this state it felt like 10 minutes passed. This experience was the most wonderful, joyful, pleasant experience I had ever experienced in my life.
The next time I went into meditation, I had "a kind off" similar experience as described above, but it was different: It was less "mentally powerful". I didn't search for it, nor wanted to have it - I just went into meditation as in my last meditation session when the pleasurable experience arose, but this time the experience had a lesser impact on my mind and body: it didn't give that much pleasure to my body and mind as the first time. It was like I got accustomed to it, and my body and mind were more calm, thus I never noticed that much pleasure and joy as the previous time.
At one moment in the meditation I made an attempt to search for the pleasure I experienced the first time, but I quickly noticed that it just makes my mind wander away from meditation and fills it with "want". So, I stopped "wanting" and just let it go.
The third time I went into meditation, the described experience subsided completely and only calmness, emptiness, no thoughts, neither pleasure nor non pleasure, remained.
I was not bothered forcing the described experience, because I knew that the experience came by not "wanting" it to came. I noticed that if I wanted it, the calmness, no thoughts, neither pleasure nor non pleasure, would subside and my mind would be permeated with "want". Thus, I abandoned "wanting" completely and just let it go and never ever tried to search for it.
I read about the 8 jhanas and during my meditation sessions I experienced "infinite space", "infinite consciousness", "emptiness", "neither perception nor non perception". I noticed this pattern: when the experience arose for the first time, it was the most powerful experience ever. It was like eating the most delicious cake for the first time in my life! The second time, it was less powerful. And so on, until it subsided and the experience "just was". Nonetheless, these experiences were never that much powerful as the first experience I described at the beginning of this question. Is this normal?
Now when I meditate, my mind is calm, one pointed, with no thoughts arising, and neither pleasure nor non pleasure. I can clearly see how and why everything is arising and ceasing in my mind. But I choose not to observe that anymore, I just let go of everything and the arising and ceasing in my mind stops. Everything stops, but I'm fully aware, and the experience is not that powerful as the experiences I described, when they arose for the first time. The experience that I have now during meditation "neither is nor it isn't". I could turn my meditation in an experience that "is", but i choose not to, because then "I'm not". It's hard to explain. From a Buddhist perspective, is this ceasing and letting go of extremely blissful experiences during meditation normal? Or does meditation lead to more and more powerful experiences?
Since that first time, when the described pleasurable experiences arose, they were never again as powerful as the first time they arose. It's like they subsided and only the core remained. From a Buddhist perspective, is this normal? Or should the described experiences always arise and be as powerful as the first time they arise?

http://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/10168/2442

From the theravada perspective, you ought to master each jhana. That is, you should have reasonable control of it, enter when you make a resolution to enter, keep it stable and leave when you make a resolution to leave. So you should be able to replicate it. If you identify important factors that are weak, these are factors that need further development. Weak jhana factors mean one does not fully understand their conditions, what obstructs them, how to cultivate them, control and keep them stable.
This is roughly the full jhana/samadhi meditation curriculum, though it can be argued that full mastering of jhanas are optional when pursuing the goal, in favor of mindfulness/sati meditation.
I believe Pa Auk Sayadaw considers a student to have mastered a jhana if he or she is able to enter at will and stay for 3 hours in it (period that testify the meditator skills in stabilizing jhana). This is also what he recommends before moving to the next jhana, which can be impossible to access without a minimum control of the previous jhana (e.g. as the factors to be abandoned might be too strong and unfamiliar to be properly controlled)

Would you happen to know if it's possible to read these instructions from Pa Auk Sayadaw somewhere?

If i recall correctly, this is in the book "Practicing the Jhanas" which documents two pa auk students developing jhanas (sorry for the lack of references, i'm on vacation)

I found it. It's called Practicing the Jhanas: Traditional Concentration Meditation as Presented by the Venerable Pa Auk Sayadaw.

And here it is in iBook format for ipad, iphones etc: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/practicing-the-jhanas/id448411868?mt=11

Experiences are just experiences. As my Zen master said, they are dreams, hallucinations. They come and go, leaving behind only vague memories. The best experiences... the worst experiences... - what value do they have?
Some experiences may give us perspective on where we are by showing us where we could be.
Some experiences are byproducts of our incremental development, which is slow and gradual, and in the grand scheme of things is way more important than the flashes of experiences.
Sounds like you had great experiences in meditation, now where does it leave us?
What matters more in Buddhism is, how do you deal with what comes next. Do you have a way of dealing with life at large, a framework that would work well in all circumstances? Such framework is called Dharma and until you've had a direct experience of that, your meditation is just spacing out.
Meditation is not done for the sake of cool experiences. Meditation itself is "pleasant dwelling in the here and now", sure - but the main goal is direct realization of Sat-Dharma, the Universal Framework.
Are these experiences normal? Sure. You happen to have a mind that is capable of both introspection and analysis, congrats! I've looked at your other questions and answers, you have figured some stuff right. Now, what is your place in the world? Where are you going? Where should you be going? -- If your meditation does not help you answer these questions, how is it better than smoking pot? ;)

In your opinion then, is returning to the old samsaric life in a more mature state of being the goal of meditation? I have my doubts if one could do that without some disruption - perhaps a change of job, or maybe only volunteer work or a change in partner or friends can occur. A lot of the competition, and ambition of everyday life is too shocking and physically repulsive to anyone who's been meditating for a while, or perhaps it's just me. I'm also thinking of Zen monks like Ryokan Taigu who decided to live under bridges, and play with the kids in their games than mix with adults.

My doctor tells me Cancer survivors often rethink their lives after being treated; many of them grow less ambitious or materialistic. I think meditation should have that kind of effect, of hitting the brakes and making one reexamine life choices, and make new wholesome decisions. I think many use social acceptance as a gauge of how they are doing, which is less helpful. The saying is, it is not a sign of good health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society. Friends and family may sometimes not see anything good in meditation, even the Buddha had to face this challenge when he got home

The immediate goal is to "untangle the tangle". As was said in the verse, the tangle is both inside and outside. Once the tangle has been untangled, there is no returning to old samsaric life, but samsara no longer looks so repulsive. Obviously, in Mahayana our ultimate goal is to save all sentient beings -- but how can we do it if we hate their ways?

Absolutely, the lotus does not live for long if it hates the mud, and nirvana is not born out of a hatred of samsara. I completely agree.

Not everyone would agree with how you said it though. The Tibetan folks make a special point of cultivating disgust of samsara in their preliminary stages. Buddha himself taught disgust of samsara as antidote for sensory craving. So in one sense nirvana is born out of hatred of samsara ;) It is like samsara itself contains the seed of nirvana. But yeah, for the flower to bloom the dualistic thinking has to subside.

I was tired of the fakeness of ordinary life when I started on my quest for an alternative life, but somewhere along the way as I grew a little wiser I could see clearly there is no escape from samsara, enlightenment and samsara are one. Actually when this realization happened it was hard to sit down and meditate as usual, I had nothing to aspire for when I sat down. I took me a while to learn to just meditate; with no goal, no desire, no itch to scratch. I don't have a goal or plan in mind when I drink water, I just know when it is necessary, and I know when I'm full. Similarly.

Sounds great! Did you find your true nature?

It took me a while to accept that it is not only in the moments of great maturity, wisdom or profundity, that my true nature lies, though I'd like that wouldn't I, to see myself as perfection. That would be nice :-) I had to make peace with my quirks. It was easy to think perfection's possible when after a few months of no thoughts, & total concentration & mindfulness 24x7 it ended, and I had to make do with what felt like a downgrade from super deluxe consciousness. I knew it was wrong to chase after it, but I did for a while, and that's when the aforementioned realization came.

I'm not exactly sure I've given up wondering if perfection or improvement is indeed possible, obviously I fine tune my life all the time, like anyone, but  I accept what is. I had some nerve damage due to chemo; I was beginning chemo when the no thoughts started and it ended after 4 chemos, so maybe the drugs changed some brain wiring. Maybe. The material yet immaterial nature of enlightenment is very fascinating to me.

If by true nature you mean something like emptiness - yes, that realization happened when I least expected it. It's what started me towards looking for answers to explain what I'd seen, and to make sense of life again, and eventually I came across Buddhism.

I don't know, words don't make much sense, they are too inadequate to explain. Anyway, thanks for asking :)

I don't know how immediately useful realization of emptiness is in the samsaric world, because almost immediately I had no use for my high-money/high-stress career anymore (which is kind of hard to sell to other people in your life). On that front, a very practical realization certainly is to learn to make the mind harmless. To have roughly the same reaction to a horror filled dream and a sweet dream is pretty nice.

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How would an animal ever accumulate enough merit to warrant rebirth as a human?
i have only a basic knowledge of Buddhist thought but have hit a problem that i have not been able to locate an answer to. so any pointers would be appreciated...
everything i read suggests that to be born as a human being is very propitious as it allows the degree of reflection/mindfulness required to be able to understand the teachings and make progression towards enlightenment.
but if these fortunate circumstances are wasted and actions in your current life result in rebirth in a lower form, there seems no way that i can see to progress even to another human birth, let alone anything else, if progress is predicated on awareness/mindfulness/ability to understand the teachings etc
how would something such as, for example, a dog ever be able to accumulate enough merit to warrant rebirth as a human? i have a dog and all he wants is food and walks, he never seems that reflective.
seems like a game of snakes and ladders in which - other than when playing as a human - its going to be all snakes.
thanks for reading.

Welcome to the site. Is this question maybe already answered by How do animals attain enlightenment? or perhaps by Can We Teach Animals the Dhamma?

In the Jataka tales (Similar to Aseop's Fables ) there are many stories about the Buddha's various past lives. These are tales for children and normally come with a moral.
There are a ton of them, and they normally end with the animal the Buddha is reborn as helping out in someway that is aligned with the teachings.
You can see a few of them summarized quickly without the entire back plot of a fable here.
It is absolutely correct that in the Buddhist worldview a human rebirth is of great advantage. Animal existence is not what most of us would consider fun. As one teacher once reminded me, you might be a pet, or you might be reborn a deer in a forest of wolves. An animal life is mainly fear and instinct. The characteristic of their realm is that of Ignorance.
As you yourself pointed out, your dog (Who is lucky and has food, shelter, and someone looking out for them) is not often reflective.
Anger the characteristic of the hell realms is more damaging, and can lead to a large snake on the game of chutes and ladders.
Your dog though, in your ownership, is likely not accumulating massive amounts of negative karma.
I hope this helped to answer your question.

An important thing to mention regarding kamma and rebirth is that there are also past kamma that has not yet ripened and come to fruition. If the right conditions are present past kamma can come to fruition thereby resulting in a higher rebirth, e.g. as a human being.
It is like a seed. If one nurtures the seed with water, nutritious soil, sunlight and other conditions the seed might blossom and turn into a flower.
Kamma is fourfold and is divided into sections, i.e. "by way of function, order of ripening, time of ripening and place of ripening".
Kamma by time of ripening is further subdivided into 4 types according to the time of taking effect:

(i) Immediately effective (diμμhadhammavedan2ya) kamma is kamma which, if it is to ripen, must yield its results in the same existence in which it is performed; otherwise, if it does not meet the opportunity to ripen in the same existence, it becomes defunct. According to the Abhidhamma, of the seven javanas in a javana process, the first javana moment, being the weakest of all, generates immediately effective kamma.
(ii) Subsequently effective (upapajjavedan2ya) kamma is kamma which, if it is to ripen, must yield its results in the existence immediately fol- lowing that in which it is performed; otherwise it becomes defunct. This type of kamma is generated by the last javana moment in a javana proc- ess, which is the second weakest in the series.
(iii) Indefinitely effective (apar±pariyavedan2ya) kamma is kamma which can ripen at any time from the second future existence onwards, whenever it gains an opportunity to produce results. This kamma, gen- erated by the five intermediate javana moments of a cognitive process, never becomes defunct so long as the round of rebirths continues. No one, not even a Buddha or an Arahant, is exempt from experiencing the results of indefinitely effective kamma.
(iv) Defunct (ahosi) kamma: This term does not designate a special class of kamma, but applies to kamma that was due to ripen in either the present existence or the next existence but did not meet conditions con- ducive to its maturation. In the case of Arahants, all their accumulated kamma from the past which was due to ripen in future lives becomes defunct with their final passing away.
-- "Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma" by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi, p. 200-220.

As the effects of kamma is impermanent the dog would sooner or later be reborn in either lower, same or higher realms. Here the different types of kamma can come to fruition if the right conditions for them to ripen is met.

As @hellyale suggests in his answer, the Jataka is a good source for tales about the lives of animals, their actions and its consequences.
Usually an animal attains merit by selfless acts of devotion - whether it is a dog running into a fire to save a child, or a cow fighting off a much larger animal to protect its calves, or a tiger not killing for wanton pleasure and not deriving pleasure in torturing its victims, such acts lead to an accumulation of merits.
Another way, though less certain, is, if one of the progeny from a previous life does great merit as a human or deva and offers it to her ancestors, in whatever realm they may be.
Yet another way: In the story of Manduka (Sanskrit: frog) Devaputta (Sanskrit: son of devas) (Chronicle of the Buddhas, Page 1123) - a frog happens to die while listening to the Buddha's sermon, and attains the Tavatimsa Deva realm. The story says the animals can't understand the content of the speech of the Buddha, but the vibrations of love and peace and wisdom can certainly enter the animal. Just as a stray dog understands a boy intends harm even before he picks up a stone to throw at it, some animals are attracted to peaceful people, and the dharma without the need for any words.

seems like a game of snakes and ladders in which - other than when playing as a human - its going to be all snakes.

Not really, the deva realms are not ideal only for those who are unenlightened, since they can get lost in the luxuries and pleasures.
However, when an Anagami dies (s)he heads to the deva or bramha realms to continue practicing until arhatship because it is better for practice at that stage - without the mundane worry of finding food and shelter or falling sick. The luxuries of that world won't affect their practice at all, but will only aid them.

Excellent line of inquiry.
Just as you have proved, it takes a long time, sometimes thousands and millions of rebirths as a lower life forms to accumulate said merit.
On the other hand, demigods can ruin or greatly increase their stores of merit (because their power is that much higher). A demigod can sink direectly into the deepest states of hell. Some demigods die even if they miss one meal.
Human incarnation is in the middle and has all the advantages the lower and higher incarnations do not have.
Everything I have said here is in the suttas and all Buddhist texts agree.

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Looking for info on the Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw tradition
I have started practicing Vipassana meditation and seek information on the Mahasi Sayadaw tradition. Could anyone provide me with some sources for learning about and understanding this tradition? Thank you!

Ven. Yuttadhammo teaches from this tradition - https://www.youtube.com/user/yuttadhammo/featured

Check out this website which has free books by Mahasi Sayadaw. Here you will find books on the Mahasi meditation method and lots of other great stuff. Also take a look at the Resource Section. As someone else mentioned Ven. Yuttadhammo teaches the Mahasi-method and you can find an overview of his videos here. Check out the meditation-section. If you have any more questions regarding the Mahasi-tradition let me know.

I've converted this to a wiki,  so feel free to post various resources in individual answers.

If you are looking for reading material, here are some good resources:

http://www.sirimangalo.org/teachings
http://www.saraniya.com/page/ebooks/ebooks-mahasi-sayadaw.html
http://www.yellowrobe.com/books/mahasi-sayadaw/237-books-by-mahasi-sayadaw.html

If you are looking to follow a course, it depends on where you are or where you can travel to.
If you are in Canada, checkout the courses page at sirimangalo.org
If you come to Asia, there are many choices. Here are a few:

Sri Lanka
Myanmar
Thailand (besides Wat Chom Tong, where Ajahn Tong is the abbot, there is also Wat Ram Poeng and Doi Suthep - same tradition, all have instruction in English)

The Chom Tong tradition (linked in the answer above for Thailand already) also has a number of centers in Europe and around (incomplete list):

Dhammacari (Germany)
Tisarana (Czech Republic)
Newman Meditation Center (Israel)

There are also teachers not attached to a specific center, giving courses at various places (again, very incomplete list):

Martin Pack (UK, Austria, Thailand)


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Halo on the Buddha

Do the suttas make any mention of a halo around the Buddha's head, or was it a later addition through the cultural influence of other religions? I recall mentions of a golden aura around the Buddha visible from a distance that attracted his first followers to him.
Since the halo is a symbol common to most world religions (Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, Sikhism), is this a generally encountered spiritual attainment like the six higher knowledges? Are there records of any arhats getting a halo?

Some background that I was able to dig up:

Tibetan Buddhism uses haloes and aureoles of many types, drawing from both Indian and Chinese traditions, extensively in statues and Thangka paintings of Buddhist saints such as Milarepa and Padmasambhava and deities. Different coloured haloes have specific meanings: orange for monks, green for the Buddha and other more elevated beings
  [...]
  Theravada Buddhism and Jainism did not use the halo for many centuries, but later adopted it, though less thoroughly than other religious groups.
source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halo_(religious_iconography)

Halos seem to be an artistic symbol to depict light. There are not really halos on people except in paintings unless of course you can see auras. I do not see auras. Here is an explanation of the symbology of light and halos.
http://www.buddhamind.info/riteside/reverse/bbpage26.htm
the actual depiction of the Buddha happened long after cessation and nirvana. Here is more on that.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physical_characteristics_of_the_Buddha
To me a question that still tantalizes me, how can I experience the consciousness that Buddha experienced? I don't care about halos, or titles or attainments, I will forego all of those. Just give me that mind that was in Buddha. That is all I really want in this world or another. Just let me see with the illumined mind, the mind that has experienced cessation, the bodhisattva mind that will not cease suffering until all sentient beings experience release. That is enough for me.
Thank you for your question. Whether answer helped I am uncertain. But I know what is dearest in the center of my being.

I agree wholeheartedly with you, the pure mind that can do no wrong is the real treasure. It occurred to me that if Christian mystics and the Buddha alike can sport a halo it's likely an artistic ideal like his Greek makeover in the Gandharan era, but then I remembered that there are certain yogic techniques that are said to generate a white or golden glow around a person that is visible even on camera. It's pretty common in Thailand to see ridiculously Photoshopped auras around monks featured on billboards, so there's that too.

To grasp appearances is to bind one to an identity constructed from aspects of this world of appearances. To loose the grasp is to move ever closer to an identity based on Buddha consciousness. Thank you for your comment.

Interesting question. From my knowledge and research it seems that this is more of a history of art question than something specifically related to scriptural reference or spiritual attainment. No reference is made to Jesus having a halo in the Bible but the earliest depictions of him in art have the halo. So tracing this back we find some of the earliest depictions of the halo in the classical world.

Homer describes a more-than-natural light around the heads of heroes in battle, Depictions of Perseus in the act of slaying Medusa, with lines radiating from his head, appear on a white-ground toiletry box in the Louvre and on a slightly later red-figured vase in the style of Polygnotos, ca. 450-30 BC, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. - Wikipedia

... and this may go back further to ancient Egypt and the Sumerian cultures who worshiped Sun gods who had depictions of Sun disks around their heads. This in turn influenced early mystery schools in Greek and Roman culture such as Mithraism, where Mithras is often depicted with a halo.

In addition to classical sources, the sun disk found in Egyptian crowns may have been an early manifestation of a halo-like form. - History of the Halo in Art

So how does this relate to its depiction in Buddhism? You make reference to Buddha's Greek makeover and it seems some scholars assume this is the period when Hellenistic culture, spread through Alexander the Great's conquests, influenced, among other things, art in the East. This relates somewhat to this question.

There exists an aesthetic tradition of depicting the Buddha with a halo. One of the most compelling facts about the Buddhist tradition is its involvement in the Hellenistic world. Being born out of the Hindu religion in India, much like the Christian religion being born out of Judaism; the aesthetic tradition of the Buddhist religion is rich with symbolic language indicating that the Buddha is a spiritual heavenly being. This was not always the case. We can think of the Buddhist aesthetic tradition, similarly to its teachings, as being a very complex evolution of Hellenistic principles and cultural awareness. - Religion, Art and Myth-Making: The Halo as an
  Aesthetic Expression of Ultimate Reality

Circumstantial evidence seems to point to Western influence in the halo depictions in Mahayana Buddhist art.

Around the first century CE, the regions of present-day Afghanistan, Pakistan,
  and North India came under control of the Kushans…Exact dates are uncertain, but they ruled from the first to the third century CE. The beginning of the long
  reign of their most illustrious king, Kanishka, is variously dated from 78 to 143 CE. Kanishka‘s patronage supported the building of many stupas and Buddhist
  monasteries…Buddhism during this period underwent a profound evolution that
  resulted in the form known as Mahayana, or Great Vehicle. This vital new
  movement, which was to sweep most of northern India and eastern Asia,
  probably inspired the first depictions of the Buddha himself in art (Stokstad 322, 323). - Art History a View of the World (Marilyn Stokstad)

It happened on the fourth week after Enlightenment.

In the fourth week, he created a beautiful jewelled chamber and
  sitting inside it meditated on what was later known as the "Detailed
  Teaching" (Abhidhamma). His mind and body were so purified that six
  coloured rays came out of his body — blue, yellow, red, white, orange
  and a mixture of these five. Today these six colours make up the
  Buddhist flag. Each colour represented one noble quality of the
  Buddha: yellow for holiness, white for purity, blue for confidence,
  red for wisdom and orange for desirelessness. The mixed colour
  represented all these noble qualities.

When the Buddha was preaching the Abhidhamma in the Tusita heaven, light rays emanated from him as he started preaching the Pattana ("The Book of Relations").
Dhammapada Verse 68: The Story of Sumana, the Florist

A florist, named Sumana, had to supply King Bimbisara of Rajagaha with
  jasmine flowers every morning. One day, as he was going to the king's
  palace he saw the Buddha , with a halo of light-rays radiating from
  him, coming into town for alms-food accompanied by many Bhikkhus.
  Seeing the Buddha in his resplendent glory, the florist Sumana felt a
  strong desire to offer his flowers to the Buddha .

Also, whenever the Buddha smiled, a white ray of light would emanate from his teeth. This is caused by a special citta called the "Hasitoppada citta" which only Arahants have.
The story of Mattakundali

On that morning, the Buddha arising early from his Maha Karuna Samapatti Nana saw Mattakundali lying on the verandah. So when entering Savatthi for alms-food with his disciples,
  the Buddha stood near the door of the Brahmin Adinnapubbaka. The
  Buddha sent forth a ray of light to the interior of the house. The
  youth saw the Buddha; and as he was very weak he could only profess
  his faith in mentally. But that was enough. When he passed away with
  his heart in devotion to the Buddha, he was reborn in the Tavatimsa
  celestial world.

I've also heard about the story of venerable Moggallana getting lost in space, trying to look for the end of the universe. Then the Buddha said to have sent a beam of light to guide him back to earth. I couldn't find an online resource for the story.

This doesn't mean that the lord Buddha always appeared with a halo. It would seem that he appeared that way whenever it would cause Sadda in a person and bring them towards the Dhamma.

The colors of the Buddhist flag are taken from the Aura of the Buddha.

Thank you - that is a very nice and comprehensive answer.

I was meditating on the bed and I'm trying to get comfort. Meanwhile, I was in trance, state of mind. I don't know how I did that. It appears to be. I was half asleep and half awake. I was able to see lord medicine buddha from my point of view perception. It was a blink of an eye. I noticed his halo aura gold/yellow ring behind his head. ( I believe there is no genders) I did my research, typical halo aura is suppose to be a bless but I wasn't sure about protection him self without power. I tried asking my local temple monks. They don't seem to know about halo aura  with deep information but they do know what it look like. They only said only higher power of lord buddha had a halo aura.

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Are there different experiences of equanimity?
Specifically, is there a difference between equanimity as a corruption of insight and the insight stage "equanimity in regards to formations"?

Yes, briefly, one arises from a false belief that the work is done, and the other arises from the knowledge that the work is done. In terms of experience the latter equanimity is much deeper, and more profound. Perhaps you already knew this much, so could you elaborate your reasons for asking this? Is it from a practice perspective? Or, from a textual theory perspective?

On an ultimate level, equanimity is simply a feeling associated with a mind state; it is the quality of the mind state itself, independent of the equanimity, that determines the ethical nature of the state.
For example, lobha (greed) can arise with either a pleasant or a neutral feeling, both of which are unwholesome of course. Purely delusional mind states (moha-mūla-citta) arise only with equanimity - there are two of these, worry and doubt, and they are both unwholesome.
On the other hand, beautiful (sobhana) mind states also can arise with either pleasant or neutral feelings, and they are purely wholesome.
In the middle, there are the six sense resultant consciousnesses that are always accompanied by a neutral feeling (except physical, which can be associated with painful or pleasant feeling, IIRC). None of these are wholesome or unwholesome.
As to your specific question, equanimity as a defilement of insight is not necessarily qualitatively different from equanimity at the 11th stage, since the defilements of insight are none of them "bad". It is only the clinging to the states as the path to enlightenment that causes the true path to be neglected, hence "sullying" one's insight. Ostensibly, the equanimity itself is a positive sign of progress, but it is not the path - the four satipatthana are.
That being said, the equanimity that arises prior to the eleventh stage of knowledge, even if based on insight (it is often based rather on tranquility), is immature and unstable, whereas at the 11th stage it is lasting and firm, unshakable, and universal. It is the culmination, or maturation, of any insight-based equanimity that may have arisen previously.
As to equanimity in general, the Visuddhimagga (IV.84) lists ten types of equanimity, some of which are of the same quality:

six-factored equanimity - equanimity of an enlightened arahant
equanimity as a divine abiding - as a specific samatha meditation practice
equanimity as an enlightenment factor - having to do with relinquishment of desire
equanimity of energy - neither lax nor overexerted energy
equanimity about formations - 11th stage of knowledge, having overcome hindrances, regarding all formations as impermanent, suffering, and non-self
equanimity as a feeling - refers to the basic quality of neutrality common to many mind states
equanimity about insight - investigating states with objective intent
equanimity as specific neutrality - the balance of mental qualities as neither deficient or excessive
equanimity of jhāna - through being absorbed in an object to the point of abandoning pleasure and displeasure
equanimity of purification - describes the purification of the mind of partiality through various means.

Most of these just refer to different ways in which the concept of equanimity is used in the suttas and abhidhamma; in ultimate reality, as stated, most are called equanimity simply due to their shared quality of being associated with a neutral feeling. The difference is rather in their other specific qualities like wholesome or unwholesome roots, and the cause that brought about the equanimity - insight, tranquility, delusion, etc. More specifically, numbers 1-3 and 8-10 are all qualitatively the same as each other, as are 4 and 6 with each other. 5 and 7 are unique.


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Did the Buddha work with teachers from other spiritual traditions?
Within the Pali canon the Buddha often vigorously debates with Brahmin priests. However in the Buddha's time there were a lot of other spiritual traditions too. Did the Buddha have more cordial relationships with teachers of other faiths too? Are there examples of him working together with spiritual teachers of other traditions? I'm specifically asking about his teaching after he became enlightened. I know he studied with several teachers before that point.

If by working, you mean pointing out where they are wrong, he certainly did that with the Jains and Brahmins. He also helped a Brahmin understand his teachings by explaining it in Brahminical terms. However, he doesn't seem to have thought other philosophers of the time had the right idea of reality, so it is unlikely he had common ground. http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.101.than.html

Actually Lord Buddha was never a proactive debater. Lord Buddha only did so when someone came to him and started debating. And Lord Buddha preached only to debate on the Four Noble Truths. Because debate on something else is a waste of time. In Kalama Sutta and in some other Sutras Lord Buddha emphasized questioning and common sense etc. But debating and questioning are two different phenomena.

Jatila brothers who had thousand disciples had some relationship with Lord Buddha. But they had evil intentions inside. But Lord Buddha knew their evil intentions. But they soon realized Lord Buddha was superior. Jatila brothers along with their thousand disciples became arhats after listening to Aditta Pariyaya Sutta. You can read the story here. I am unable to recall some other instances where other teachers had good relationships with Lord Buddha, but there must have been.

maybe someone can help me find the reference faster.  I remember one sutta, Buddha told someone that a religious leader died and born in deva realm and then further explained that, one with different faith could possibly be born in heavenly realm after death as long as that faith didn't promote; harming/killing other beings, stealing, sexual misconduct, or lying/deceiving others.  ( for some reason, he didn't include consuming intoxicants in this sutta).

Actually if I am not mistaken, five precepts are precepts, the complete akusal or unwholesome acts include a list of ten. Use of intoxicants and suicide are not included in the list. But if someone's last thought before death is an unwholesome act done by the mind, unless he had made any other very powerful karma like getting jnana, he will get the rebirth in one of the four hells. But unwholesome acts by mind are not covered by the five precepts. And only lying is covered speech wise. I am sure one should avoid all ten unwholesome acts, if such is Janaka karma, then rebirth is in a hell.


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What is the difference between Shikantaza and Zazen?
What is the difference between Shikantaza and Zazen? I used to think that Zazen was synonymous with just sitting but I'm starting to doubt that. Is it Shikantaza that is synonymous with just sitting practice? It would help me if someone could define them and bring out the relationship between the two and the relationship between them both and just sitting practice. Thank you.

Shikantaza is a kind of Zazen. Any Zen meditation is called Zazen, including breath meditation, koan meditation, observing-the-thoughts meditation, and just-sitting-meditation (shikantaza).
To quote my buddhist friend J. from Japan:

In shikantaza you don't focus on anything, just sit, until there is no observer, you really do nothing besides sitting there without reason, focus, observing, eventually you become thoughtless, and eventually unbecome you. No more than the wall, or better, everything and nothing.

Also see my answer about relationship between different kinds of Zazen.


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How to ordain and become a monk?
I want to devote my life to Buddhist way of meditation, I want to know more of Buddha teaching but my main interest is for go day and night actual meditation practices. I accidentally come across Sri S. N. Goyenka Vipassana retreats and attended one 10 day retreat at Dhamma Sota-New Delhi, after that from one year i'm practicing Vipassana meditation 2-4 hours daily at home. Now i'm very clear i want to devote my life for this.Its be very helpful if anyone can guide me into this.

Best of luck!!!

Hi! I took the liberty to edit the title to formulate it as a question.

I think i'm not very good in actually asking a good question, there may be something left which needed to be answered so feel free to edit so that it can help me or anyone seeking this type of information as there is no information available on this topic.

One piece of advise would be for you to visit a select few monasteries in one or more traditions and spend a month or two at each place meditating and mixing with the monks. Pick the one you feel comfortable with, and ask the abbot there on the process for ordaining. It is often a common desire that comes about when in meditation to ordain, however it is wise to not be in a hurry, but to observe that emotion, and deconstruct it just like one examines any problematic emotion in life. May you succeed.

Hope this book will give you an understanding of the procedure inside, but I think above comment is the answer to the question you asked. http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/ordination.pdf . However my hope is, may you succeed!

Hope this video, "Ask A Monk: How To Ordain As A Monk" by Yuttadhammo Bhikkhu would help you! And hope you will achieve what you want!

already gone through this. Its did't give much details of how actually you become and more deep things.

I think the best thing is going to a monastery and discuss with the priests about your intention. I am not sure whether there are regional variations, however in Sri Lanka, some Monasteries have low acceptance rates and you will have to spend some months in the monastery getting used to the environment before getting ordained. Here is how a German became ordained in Sri Lanka(http://www.sundaytimes.lk/140105/news/from-mayor-in-germany-to-monk-in-mihintale-78876.html), but it is not detailed enough. I think the best thing is meeting a priest from a monastery you like.

Hi. It would be nice if you could summarize or extend your answer with the most important parts of the video.

Find a place where they can welcome you, stay a few months, practice. Ordaining is not for lifetime for Buddhists, and you may change your mind after a few days/weeks/months/years, that's quite unpredictable, even though you may feel now you will stay a monk forever. No need to know that in advance.
I can recommend the temple in Chom Tong, they have an international section (you don't have to speak Thai to train there) and do hardcore practice, which sounds like something you want. You can stay there both as a lay person or ordain if you want.

Thanks for your answer @eudoxos. Can you please give more details about temple in chom tong temple any link website etc? Yes you are right, this may be just a initial attraction and one more thing got in my mind that you can stay in busy city, work, do all things normal people do and follow most of the eight fold path. you don't need to wear a robe and be in jungle for that.

There are e-mails to Thanat Chindaporn (head of the international section) in http://www.northernvipassana.org/about.html . Or call them, there is a phone number at http://www.dhammathai.org/e/meditation/page28.php (which otherwise contains also outdated information). For the start go for the basic/foundational course (3 weeks) and possibly stay longer for retreats. You will see where it takes you. They are quite big and flexible and if you practice, they let you stay there. It is the same temple where @yuttadhammo trained AFAIK. Good luck!

The links on this page may be useful (since it is a Vipassana Tradition in Sri Lanka): Nā Uyana Aranya -- Theeravada Buddhist Forest Monastery
Information for visitors

These are two prominent places in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka offers 1 year residence visa easily if you have a recommendation from a monastery.

Mitirigala Nissarana Vanaya

Teacher- Ven. Udairiyagama Dhammajiva Maha Thero (U Dhammajiva
Sayadaw), Excellent knowledge in Dhamma, Pali, Burmese and English, Specialty in Mindfulness and emphasizes the value of mindfulness
Meditation Technique - Satipatthana meditation, Burmese Mahasi/Panditarama Technique (Vipassana) and Sri
Lankan Nanarama Method (Vipassana with Samatha)
Retreats - 3 days, 7 days, 10 days, 20 days and extensive periods are
allowed for serious practitioners and for the meditators who are
expecting the ordaination
Location - Mitirigala,Kirindivela, Sri Lanka
More Information - nissarana.lk (Official Website)

Sanghopasthana Suva Sevana

Teacher- Ven. Katukurunde Nyanananda Maha Thero (Bhikkhu Nanananda)
[A famous book author and a meditation master], Excellent knowledge in Dhamma, Pali and English, Advises not to be in a hurry but to practice Samatha also for aiding Vipassana, Slowly-Mindfully-Carefully. Appreciates dedication for practicing.
Meditation Technique - Both Samatha and Vipassana, Metta Meditation
and probably Sri Lankan Nanarama Method (Vipassana with Samatha)
Retreats - Any time is possible with prior notice. No allocated dates. special consideration for dedicated meditators and  dedicated practitioners who are expecting the ordaination.
Location - Kirillawala Watta, Dammulla, Karandana, Sri Lanka
More Information - http://www.seeingthroughthenet.net (Official
Website)

Additionally there are more meditation centers which are famous in different aspects. NaUyana Aranya in Melsiripura (Burmese Pa-auk system), Kanduboda M.C. (Burmese Mahasi System), Goenka centers in Kandy, Anuradhapura and Kosgama (Burmese Sayagi U Ba Kin system)


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Dispelling anger
When anger swells up and rears its head I wish to be rid of it quickly.
For a moment of anger is said to burn a mountain of merit.
In my personal practice I have gotten quite adapt at controlling my negative emotions and dealing with them appropriately. Patience is something I used to not know at all.
Now I know patience well, and am able to keep my cool when things go sour.
Lately though, even though I keep my cool, I can feel anger inside myself. It is not controlling my actions, but it is present, and I can feel it in my pulse, and in my body temperature when I breathe.
I'd like to know if there are any practices related to this sort of anger. One that is not outwardly visible, but is present nonetheless.

What is your practice?

Do a lot of Vipassana practice (based on all 4 foundations, not just e.g. body, since you want to deal with mind objects like anger directly), it wil bring stuff up, you will acknowledge it every time it arises, and slowly slowly you will be relieved. It just takes time and is mostly rather unpleasant. OTOH, vipassana is not designed to change anything, rather to learn not to react and embrace; so you will likely still have impulses to be angry, but will learn to not follow them.

In a meditative context "anger" is one of The Five Hindrances which are obstacles to meditative progress. Anger belongs to the 2nd hindrance, i.e. Ill-will (hatred, anger, dislike, hostility, resentment etc.).
There are antidotes for these hindrances, i.e. ways to deal with them so that one can dispel of them and continue on with the practice.
In the "Majjhima Nikaya Verse 20: Vitakkasanthana Sutta: The Removal of Distracting Thoughts" the Buddha gave 5 methods for dealing with the hindrances.
I will mention the 5 methods first and then there is a quote from the Majjhima Nikaya where you can read them more in-depth.
To make this easier to understand I want to give an idea of where in the Dhamma we are located right now. Take a look at the illustration. You might have to zoom in to see it.

The five methods are as follows:

The first method deals with the hindrance face-to-face. Let's take the example of anger. Anger cannot be dispelled by using anger as a remedy. We must use it's opposite, i.e. non-anger. Here the meditation on loving-kindness (metta-bhavana) is the tool we want to use. Repeated practice of metta-meditation will clean out anger and traces of anger in the mind.

Here one uses reflection/contemplation on the hindrance. One tries to view the hindrance as being dangerous and ignoble until there arises revulsion in one. This will drive the hindrance away.

Here one uses the tactic of diversion to dispel the hindrance. Some hindrances just keep coming back in one's meditation practice. One shifts the attention away from the hindrance and onto another object. One keeps doing that until the hindrance subsides.

Here one uses the opposite approach from method number 3. Instead of turning away from the hindrance one turns towards it. One confronts the object and thoroughly investigate it's features and it's source. This will drive it out in the open where it looses it's power.

The last method should only be used as a last resort. Here one uses suppresion. One restrains the hindrance using the power of the will. One pins the hindrance to the ground with force.

The Buddha says in the sutta that if one learns how to use and apply these five remedies then one will no longer be the subject of the mind. One will become it's master.

The Blessed One said this:
"Bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu is pursuing the higher mind, from time to time he should give attention to five signs. What are the five?
(i) "Here, bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu is giving attention to some sign, and owing to that sign there arise in him evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delusion, then he should give attention to some other sign connected with what is wholesome. When he gives attention to some other sign connected with what is wholesome, then arty evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delusion are abandoned in him and subside. With the aban- doning of them his mind becomes steadied internally, quieted, brought to singleness, and concentrated. Just as a skilled carpen- ter or his apprentice might knock out, remove, and extract a coarse peg by means of a fine one, so too...when a bhikkhu gives attention to some other sign connected with what is wholesome...his mind becomes steadied internally, quieted, brought to singleness, and concentrated.
(ii) "If, while he is giving attention to some other sign con- nected with what is wholesome, there still arise in him evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delusion, then he should examine the danger in those thoughts thus: 'These thoughts are unwholesome, they are rep- rehensible, they result in suffering. When he examines the danger in those thoughts, then any evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delusion are aban- doned in him and subside. With the abandoning of them his mind becomes steadied internally, quieted, brought to singleness, and concentrated. Just as a man or a woman, young, youthful, and fond of ornaments, would be horrified, humiliated, and dis- gusted if the carcass of a snake or a dog or a human being were hung around his or her neck, so too...when a bhikkhu examines the danger in those thoughts.. .his mind becomes stead- ied internally, quieted, brought to singleness, and concentrated.
(iii) "If, while he is examining the danger in those thoughts, there still arise in him evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delusion, then he should try to forget those thoughts and should not give attention to them. When he tries to forget those thoughts and does not give atten- tion to them, then any evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delusion are abandoned in him and subside. With the abandoning of them his mind becomes steadied internally, quieted, brought to singleness, and concen- trated. Just as a man with good eyes who did not want to see forms that had come within range of sight would either shut his eyes or look away, so too...when a bhikkhu tries to forget those thoughts and does not give attention to them...his mind becomes steadied internally, quieted, brought to singleness, and concentrated.
(iv) "If, while he is trying to forget those thoughts and is not giving attention to them, there still arise in him evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delusion, then he should give attention to stilling the thought-formation of those thoughts. When he gives attention to stilling the thought- formation of those thoughts, then any evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delusion are abandoned in him and subside. With the abandoning of them his mind becomes steadied internally, quieted, brought to sin- gleness, and concentrated. Just as a man walking fast might con- sider: 'Why am I walking fast? What if I walk slowly?' and he would walk slowly; then he might consider: 'Why am I walking slowly? What if I stand?' and he would stand; then he might consider: 'Why am I standing? What if I sit?' and he would sit; then he might consider: 'Why am I sitting? What if I lie down?' and he would lie down. By doing so he would substitute for each grosser posture one that was subtler. So too...when a bhikkhu gives attention to stilling the thought-formation of those thoughts...his mind becomes steadied internally, quieted, brought to singleness, and concentrated.
(v) "If, while he is giving attention to stilling the thought- formation of those thoughts, there still arise in him evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delusion, then, with his teeth clenched and his tongue pressed against the roof of his mouth, he should beat down, constrain, and crush mind with mind. When, with his teeth clenched and his tongue pressed against the roof of his mouth, he beats down, constrains, and crushes mind with mind, then any evil unwholesome thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delusion are abandoned in him and subside. With the abandoning of them his mind becomes steadied inter- nally, quieted, brought to singleness, and concentrated. }ust as a strong man might seize a weaker man by the head or shoulders and beat him down, constrain him, and crush him, so too...when, with his teeth clenched and his tongue pressed against the roof of his mouth, a bhikkhu beats down, constrains, and crushes mind with mind.. .his mind becomes steadied inter- nally, quieted, brought to singleness, and concentrated.
"Bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu is giving attention to some sign, and owing to that sign there arise in him evil unwhole- some thoughts connected with desire, with hate, and with delu- sion, then when he gives attention to some other sign connected with what is wholesome, any such evil unwholesome thoughts are abandoned in him and subside, and with the abandoning of them his mind becomes steadied internally, quieted, brought to singleness, and concentrated. When he examines the danger in those thoughts...When he tries to forget those thoughts and does not give attention to them...When he gives attention to stilling the thought-formation of those thoughts...When, with his teeth clenched and his tongue pressed against the roof of his mouth, he beats down, constrains, and crushes mind with mind, any such evil unwholesome thoughts are abandoned in him...and his mind becomes steadied internally, quieted, brought to singleness, and concentrated. This bhikkhu is then called a master of the courses of thought. He will think what- ever thought he wishes to think and he will not think any thought that he does not wish to think. He has severed craving, flung off the fetters, and with the complete penetration of con- ceit he has made an end of suffering.
-- The Middle Length Discourses in the Majjhima Nikaya, MN: 20, Bodhi Translation

Here are some sutta references that deal with subduing ill will and offer techniques for doing so.

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.162.than.html
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.080.than.html
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.161.than.html
http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/mahasati10.htm
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel026.html#ill

Ajahn Brahm also suggests these instructions in Mindfulness, Bliss, and Beyond:

Forgive yourself or the other completely.
Hindrances occur in the space between the awareness and the object of awareness; put lovingkindness or peace in the space between the knower and what is known.

Do not wish to be rid of your anger quickly, your anger is a very good teacher. In the same way that you might observe pain that arises in your legs when in sitting meditation, equanimously, when anger arises, know that it has arisen, know "this is anger", but do not be moved by it, let it arise and flow, feel its effects, and also observe it passing away.
As you are now seeing, so long as you are averse to anger, anger will arise, as the very nature of anger IS aversion. You must be compassionate and patient with your anger. There is nothing wrong with it at all, the only issue with it is that which arises in your mind that says "No, I don't accept this experience, it is not suitable".
You did not mention what your practice is, but to help in this matter, you may try Vipassana, which will allow you to easily recognize these states arising and deal with them equanimously. And also, you may try taking up Metta meditation, perhaps for a few minutes after Vipassana, to help develop good will and compassion alongside your insight.

The others have covered it above. I like Ryan's answer because it would be much like my own.
I was struck by the comment on 'controlling' anger. Most of the practices that I have studied deal with acknowledging emotions and letting them go, releasing them. this is of course after they have come into being.
Not to get all western and freud about it, but controlling or suppressing an emotion holds it in place. This is different from what Sri Lanka was talking about as suppressing thoughts in their formation..
On the cushion is the best place to feel the emotions as they come up and practice letting them go...
======
A student inquired, “Master, if I am eating, what should I do?” Master Li replied, “Eat”. The student continued, “And if I am walking?” Master Li answered “Walk”. The student persisted, “And if I am drowning?” Master Li answered, “Drown!”

http://www.bodhicitta.net/BODHISATTVAVOWS.htm specifically the section "Downfalls Related to Patience"


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Suggestions for when practice has plateaued
Over the past few months I've been experiencing a lot of personal issues and as a result, my practice seems to not only have plateaued but also digressed. Sitting for an hour has become incredibly difficult physically and mentally. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to to return to the beginner's mind, or how to rid the mind of distractions?

See Working with cycles in meditation for a related question that you may find useful

There could be several reasons why your practice has plateaued. Without more background it is difficult to help. Here are a few common ones.
1. Ethical Transgression
If we have broken the sila (moral precepts) in the course of our personal issues, that's a very effective dampener on the practice. Apologising or making amends, and letting go of guilt are the appropriate remedies.
2. Accepting plateaus as normal
Going for an intensive retreat, preferably with a good teacher might help, but to be honest, plateaus are a part and parcel of anyone's meditation.
As long as our faith and perseverance aren't fading, we can't wish for super deluxe concentration all the time.
Every athlete has periods when they are not in form, every meditator has periods when their mind isn't seemingly responding to their commands, but it is still evolving. This isn't regression, this is impermanence.
3. Clinging to life situations
Learning to let go of challenging life situations is a skill to be constantly developed. Like a flower dies without water, our practice of letting go dies without watering it. If we are bothered very much by a life situation and retreat to meditation as a safe zone, it can help initially, but later meditation can become difficult until the life situation is handled or fully accepted.
4. Fading faith and perseverance
Doubts about the effectiveness of the dharma, questions about one's own practice, questions about one's method or teacher can all lead to lacklustre concentration.

What do you mean your practice has plateaued?! Are you perfect? Don't you have day-to-day challenges?
Practice is not just meditation. Your "personal issues" are practice too. See if you can trace your personal issues to improvement opportunities. Take responsibility. Stalk your ego patterns. Reconcile with "enemies". Break through your fears, stereotypes, projections. Life is an endless source of practice opportunities, day after day after day. If you are serious about this, you'll never get bored!
Yes, sometimes we plateau when we solve one set of problems, and wallow around for a while until we can grasp the pattern in our behavior / situations that then can be traced the next set of problems. As Buddho said, this is perfectly normal - as long as you are aware that you are in between jobs.
Take a rest, open your eyes and look around. The pathways to next levels are hiding among the obvious, long used to, unquestioned pains.

Well said Andrei!

I think you are operating under a false premise here.  Your practice hasn't plateaued.  It's doing exactly what it's supposed to be doing.  Sitting isn't about ascending to the heavens or blissing out.  Reaching jhana is great, but it's not why we sit.
The goal of Buddhist meditation isn't to replace our troubles with some blissed out alternative.  It doesn't seek to eliminate problems but rather fundamentally alter our relationship to them.  Sitting well isn't just about obtaining deep, unobstructed concentration.  It's more about being deeply intimate with our minds.  In developing that kind of intimacy, very often you are going to have to confront things that will be uncomfortable. In fact, that's pretty much the very definition of intimacy - staying with something even when it's causing you pain and discomfort.  I would go so far as to say that the sits where you are fully absorbed and tranquil don't do nearly as much for your practice as do the sits where your mind is scattered, legs hurt, and you are harboring deep doubt.  Becoming intimate with those states is far more productive than diving into a well of bliss.
Difficulties are the compost of practice.  They are the mud where the lotus sends down it's roots.  And if you are looking for some advice - the best solution for bad sitting is more sitting.  ;-)  Good luck!

Thanks everyone for your comments, they really forced me to refocus and reexamine my efforts.

It seems you have arrived at a phase of the progression of insight that is characterised by an acute and intense perception of suffering. There is no other way out of that other than understanding the workings of suffering itself. To do that, when you meditate, contemplate how body, sensaions, mind states and thoughts arise due to causes. After sharpening the mind for a while with samatha meditation, contemplate how every one of these experiences has a cause.
For example, while observing your experience, you think of pizza and realise that the cause of that thought was hunger. You go back to your experience. You feel pain in the knee and realise the cause is sitting crosslegged. Go back to experiencing. You smell a pleasant flower smell coming through the window and realise that the smell arises due to contact between the substance in the smell with the nerves in your nose. Go back. You think of someone you miss and realise that your suffering is caused by attachment to that person. Go back. Etc. etc.
Contemplating in this way you'll realise two things: one is that suffering always arises due to causes, namely attachment and aversion to your experiences. Two is that your "self", your "I", is a false idea that arises in the deluded mind of a conditioned and sentient process constituted by your 5 aggregates. Mantain this perception of how everything works and you will break through a lot of suffering.
The first result is that you'll be more equanimous and let the intense perception of suffering behind, because you understood the causes of suffering. The second maturation of this practice will be that you'll break through a cycle of suffering.
Practicing metta meditation helps a lot. Never forget to practice it towards yourself because that's what aleviates your suffering during this phase.

I just gave an answer to another question dealing with the hindrances, i.e. the obstacles for meditative progress. Maybe you can find something useful in it.
In brief it deals with the five hindrances and how to overcome them in order to progress in ones practice.


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Suggestions for Buddhist themed crafts and activities for children
I organise an afternoon where we invite parents and children to out my local Buddhist centre. I put on some craft type activity for the children and then we do a mini reflection and a story. The adults eat cake. Previously I have been shamelessly inspired (i.e. pinched) the ideas for crafts from the local Methodist church (my wife used to go to their family afternoon). But I would really like some crafts and/or activity that are themed around Buddhist practice and or texts and stories.
The children are between 1 and about 7 years old but some older ones did attend last time and it was particularly challenging to think of something for them. I think they got bored. I don't mind spending money on materials - I do that anyway in the spirit of contribution to the centre.
Many thanks for any all ideas

I know this is a list question so I have converted to a wiki. I really appreciate peoples responses as it is a genuine need for me so I hope it can stay open. See how it goes.

I vote for keeping this post open. These activities are healthy and might inspire others to practice Buddhism.

Build stupas (models). Copy sutras (as an exercise in calligraphy or in copying exotic scripts like Chinese or siddham). Both of these are recommended practices in Mahayana & scale down to what a kid could do.

And Torma (food sculptures) ref https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torma

*You may be able to build an ongoing lesson about the key Buddhist concept of impermanence and ongoing change using various aspects of growing things. From planting seeds indoors in the winter, (or bulbs outdoors in the fall), to caring for the plants, replanting them outdoors once it's warm, watching them grow, seeing them die, knowing they'll grow back next season (if they are perennial or if you save some seeds); tying in rebirth with the lesson. If outdoor space is not available, some indoor pots of herbs might offer the same concept.
*Even if the monks' alms round is not a part of your tradition, it can be explained as part of the culture and practice at the time of the Buddha and a simple cooking or baking lesson (Bodhi leaf shaped cookies? ;-)) could allow the children to be generous and share with one another with a simplified children's alms round.
*The very famous images of the Buddha's footprints could be made in clay or something similar.
*If you can find some tree branches which have fallen and can be cut to size to look like tree trunks, you may be able to make Bhodi trees with leaves cut from green paper and attached to the "tree trunks" with pipe cleaners.
*You can adapt Valentine's Day to be "Metta Day" with blue hearts symbolizing loving-kindness, peace, and universal compassion and an explanation of what Metta means to a Buddhist and how to do a Metta prayer for loving-kindness.
*You could have the children bring in healthy snacks and do an eating meditation; eating very slowly and mindfully and noting the movements and sensations such as lifting hand, bringing food to mouth, feeling warmth or coldness of food, tasting food, chewing, swallowing, etc. This could be paired with a lesson about the interdependence of all things or cause and effect for plants (animals?) to grow and result in food for us. (If it were me, I'd stick to plants to keep it simple.)
*Venerable Yuttadhammo recently mentioned in a dhamma talk, a simile comparing our moments of sila, samadhi, and panna to beads. As we make more and more of those beads, the string that goes through them and holds them together is mindfulness. I think this could be turned into a lesson for children as they hear a story about each bead representing an act of kind behavior (sila), or a moment of being settled and peaceful (samadhi), or an instance of quietly observing the world around us to understand it better (panna), as they string beads for their own "mindfulness bracelet".
*Does your tradition use Buddhist prayer beads to keep count while chanting? String 27, 54, or 108 beads with a tassel (or larger bead) in the middle to make their own set.
*Paper lanterns are traditional for Buddha's birthday. Here's a couple of samples. http://familycrafts.about.com/od/chinesenewyears/ss/eplantern.htm and https://www.pinterest.com/pin/32299322300026496/
*You could make a paper Buddhist flag and talk about the meaning of the colors. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_flag
*Tibetan prayer flags are pretty to make and hang around the room and "are used to promote peace, compassion, strength, and wisdom". https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prayer_flag
*The imagery of our "Three Gems" or "Three Jewels" is beautiful. Maybe coloring cutouts of the Buddha, Dhamma (books maybe?), and Sangha for the kids to color in and paste over brightly colored diamond shaped construction paper?
added The traditional Peanut Butter Pinecones or other simple ideas to feed birds and squirrels in the winter can be tied in with lessons on the first Buddhist perfection of Dāna as well as compassion.
added The Story of the Non Returner who "sold" pots on the side of the road could be brought to life with a project of kids pottery making where the parents leave rice, beans, or lentils (i.e. food that can be donated to a charitable organization) as "payment" for one of the pots. If you think a lesson on non attachment might work here also, tell the children and parents the idea is to "buy" a pot that their own child didn't make. ;-)
For the older children:
*They may enjoy putting together some skits of the Jataka stories (referenced above by Sankha) for the younger ones to watch. (Some might be scary though.)
added *Using colored sand, Tibetan-style sand mandalas can be put together, maybe as a group project. Mandalas always have a deeper meaning. A good article here on one built to incite compassion for all living beings. When completed, mandalas are washed away into the ocean, or poured into a jar to be brought to a source of flowing water, as a reminder of the impermanence of all material things.
Good luck with your projects and in teaching the new generation about Buddhism. That is awesome. :)
Lastly, my crafty friends and relatives highly recommend Pinterest for sparking ideas in virtually any craft category.

Thank you so much Robin. These are amazing. This is going to keep the Leeds under 16 right livelihood dharma cooperative busy for months and months. I'll post an answer here with pictures when we do our next craft day to let everyone know what we are up to and maybe help other people with this kind of thing. Anyway thank you again.

You're welcome! Glad there was something useful. :)

@CrabBucket, someone passed along this link in our online meditation group and at a quick glance it looks like it has lots of ideas for Buddhist crafts for children. http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhism/ebooks.htm :)

Meditation for children is a good video series for kids. It's also available in DVD format.
There are some cartoons of the Jataka stories in youtube
There are about 550 Jataka stories available which you can read to kids. Here are some simple English translations.

You could buy some clay and craft a Dhamma wheel or a lotus flower with the kids.

I like the story, where the Buddha explains how different people get a different perception of the world because of their individual access (sensual/mind-structure/etc) of the "things". He took the example of an elephant where a group of blind people touch the elephant and shall describe the elephant by what they are sensing (and then extrapolating).
I think that would be a fun for the children - to get the eyes covered and then try to recognize some toy-animal by touching only a part. And then let the children compare what they found out...
One need not reduce this to the question of form; the teacher/constructor of that animal (or whatever) can put different material to different places (feather, leather,...) and so on.
Possibly one can construct analogies to perception of interaction of the people in one family or school: there will be some short scene be played by the teacher (and helpers) and the children can observe the same scene from different locations and/or different filters (no sound, only a keyhole to look at). The scene might be something from the view of the kids: papa gives a bit money to one child and not to another one. Some kinds can see the face of the papa (and the grief on it, because there is not enough money for all) and some cannot see the face of the papa but something else...(room for your phantasy). Then let the kids re-tell what they have seen and how they felt, and let them compare...
Just a spontaneous idea, for what it's worth...


text:
Are actions in computer games bad for karma?
What if I play a bad person in a computer game, cheating people. Or I play an assassin who kills people. Or my character in a game belongs to some evil cult. Or I roleplay a thief and steal. Or my character has an affair with a woman without being married.
How are all these actions in a virtual reality close to actions in a real world from a buddhist point of view? Yes, I do not do them for real, but I still make these choices using my free will. So is it the same if I did all this in real life from? Are they bad for my karma?

Like Grand Theft Auto? :)

You didn't specify if this is offline or online. If it's the latter, you'd also better specify if in that game you are supposed to behave like that, or if you would be actually be "harming" someone else (i.e. attacking someone in a war game is quite different from griefing in Minecraft, and even in both of those cases, it would heavily depend on the specific server).

I understand that griefing in online games is actually dealing bad things to a real person, not to a character.

Good meditation with lots of metta bhavana makes one very sensitive to violence. One who has enjoyed realistically violent war movies may no longer like even the fights in cartoons. One who has felt completely unaffected by the violence in a first person shooter game may even shudder at the non-obvious violence in a RPG like Civilization. Meditation will change the person in deep ways if it is proper.

Now this question and @Buddho's comment made me wonder whether there are any computer games that are "good" with respect to Karma (or Buddhism in general)

As Andrei Volkov aptly put it

Actually, when it comes to karma, "subtle" does not mean "weak". Some of our deepest hung-ups come from our subtlest preconceptions.

There are already plenty of answers on this question, but I felt the need to add my two cents, as my view on this is slightly different.
In Tibetan Buddhism there is an emphasis on purifying ones karma.
In a common mantra OM AH HUM is contained within it a load of symbolism and varied traditions.
The order in which to purify ones behaviors was in these 3 syllables.
OM - Body
AH - Speech
HUM - Mind
Within these 3 "bodies" as they referred to them, one must purify the actions of...
The body is considered the easiest of the 3 to control.
The speech the second easiest.
The mind of course, is the most difficult to master.
The kind of karma that video games would create, if any, would fall under HUM.
Except some fringe conditions of course, like if you swear at relatives when you miss a re-spawn point. That would fall under AH.
If you punch your dog because you got head shot in match of Call of Duty, then that would fall under an action of OM.
If those prior two examples resonate with you, you might want to take a step back to the basics.
If however they do not (I will just take your word for it) you might be concerned with the subtle aspects of mind.
In which I would argue that video games can be used as a tool, just like any other tool.
Roleplaying games allow you to see your mind act as if it would if you were in situations you cannot be in within real life. If you observe your mind while you play, in a way it could become a kind of meditation.
If for example there was a hypothetical video game called "Bodhisattva" or
"Monk" where one played those roles. Bodhisattva would essentially be the opposite of Call of Duty, think magical monks running around blocking bullets. (Keep in mind this is a hypothetical)
Would these games have benefit ?    Depends on who develops them.
But all this brings me to the point I want to make. A game like Bodhisattva is just simulation. You aren't saving lives, you are pretending to do so.
Same with Call of Duty. Doing and pretending are not equal.
In fact if playing GTA is the worst thing you have done in your life, your karma is quite nice in comparison.
So let's be reasonable, yes there is an influence that like any other art form, book, music, painting, etc will have. However Buddhism is about neither acceptance nor rejection. The dharmakaya as described by Chogyam Trungpa is what I refer to here.
The video game is empty of any inherent being. Our interaction with it is what we must watch. The video games influence on you might be null, it might be vast. You must be aware of what influence it has on you. The karma that you reap from those moments could be good or bad. Your reaction to it is what matters.
In conclusion I will more directly answer the 3 questions you asked:

How close are all these actions in a virtual reality  to actions in a real world from a Buddhist point of view?

Slightly reworded your question, but the answer is they are not close at all. Those scenarios would require action of body, speech, and mind. Doing them in real life would have much vaster karmic effect.

Yes, I do not do them for real, but I still make these choices using
  my free will. So is it the same if I did all this in real life from?

It is not the same.

Are they bad for my karma?

It really just depends. There are so many factors, the game, your thoughts while playing it, and the influence it has on you. If you are playing Professor Layton games, I'd say the answer is most certainly a no.
Call of Duty is more likely a yes. But it is still not necessarily so...
Bottom line / TL;DR : Analyze your life before your video games. Changes there are more likely to have karmic impact. But do not deceive your self, if video games are part of your life, you must include them in the analysis.

@SergZ. I'd like to get the rest of the stacks view on it as well.

There are two parts to karma: 1) external forces/energies you set in motion with your action and 2) latent tendencies and inclinations in your psyche - that later become your action and reaction, that then sets external forces in motion.
If you step away and look at it from a distance, there is really no hard line between "external" and "internal"; karma is a network of subtle potentialities.
Some of the potentialities are pretty subtle, yeah - like the ones involved in playing videogames - but they are still real. Very few of them translate 1:1 to analogous actions in real life though.
For example, mass-shooting in games is not even remotely the same karma as real murder, but you still separate "yourself" from "others", and you still desire good for one's own character at the expense of everyone else's. Amassing golden coins in game is not real, but you still go after "fruits", get frustrated when things you like a taken away and so on and so forth. Guess what kind of latent potentialities, however subtle, all this creates/reinforces?
Actually, when it comes to karma, "subtle" does not mean "weak". Some of our deepest hung-ups come from our subtlest preconceptions.
So I'd say in general the games you play may not create a lot of new karma, but they certainly reinforce your inner tendencies and preconceptions that keep you chained in samsara.

"Very few of them translate 1:1 to analogous actions in real life though." Wondering if you had examples of these few? Great job pointing out the subtle/weak distinction.

I meant statistically, not by type. Couple years ago there was a news of a guy murdering his father after a week of binge-playing an FPS, but these are few and far between.

It might be worth adding to this wonderful answer the idea that karma is accrued in proportion to the awareness one has of doing harm. A person who is in a state of delusion (a dreamer, child, or someone who has lost mental capabilities) may hardly be aware they are doing harm, and will create less negative karma than someone who should know better. Perhaps a gamer is acting in a state of delusion.

@QuinnComendant what you said is the opposite of Buddhist traditional position, which assigns greater demerit to action of an ignorant/deluded person. So Dalai Lama playing a violent videogame may create less negative consequences than an ignorant/confused teenager playing the same game.

Consider Alan Wallace’s answer in this talk (at 00:41:00) to the question, do we accumulate Karma when dreaming: “As the Dalai Lama said, the greater the clarity, the greater understanding, the greater intelligence, discernment, the more responsibility you have because, for better and worse, your actions have a more powerful impact, heavier karma, stronger karma.” Insofar as a video game is like a dream, weaker karma is generated, and perhaps least of all by the ignorant teen. Thubten Yeshe adds perspective in his reply to the same question.

Thubten Yeshe's response boils down to "it has the potency to lay down karmic seeds in the mental continuum especially when the intention is strong." - which is my main point above. I'm afraid Alan Wallace did not quote Dalai Lama very precisely, I think he's just saying with more clarity comes more power and hence more responsibility. I believe the traditional point is that a wise person proceeds carefully, and therefore can minimize effects of a mistake, while the fool misbehaves eagerly and full-steam - hence the different amount of negative karma.

Also on the topic please see the Salt Crystal Sutta http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.099.than.html

There weren't PC games in the Buddha's time, but there were stage shows and music, and he asked people to eschew them both.
One time an actor approached the Buddha and asked him if he would go to heaven with the devas because he made people happy and forget their worries The Buddha tried to dodge answering, but at the actor's insistence, he had to tell him that he'd probably go to hell or the animal realms. Talaputra Sutta. See also this question: (Will actors really go to hell?).
This seems pretty odd and incompatible with our age of ubiquitous entertainment and distraction - would the Buddha say the same of Facebook?
"So you're happy your selfie just got a 1000 likes eh? Consider this, You're going to hell!" :-)
I am sure the Buddha would have phrased it better, but this is pretty much the same thing.
Karma theory says one's dreams can also affect karma - if we harbor evil intentions towards someone in our dreams, that is enough to destroy accumulated merits.

This is a fundamental question about all entertainment - why must entertainment be eschewed?
First, the nature of boredom is that it arises out of a mind that isn't at ease with itself. The nature of thought at the moment a bored mind arises is to gravitate towards the outside world - towards sense pleasures.
Distracted thought gets reinforced with every application of distraction.
A hundred years ago people read 700 page books for entertainment, today people find twitter too verbose and send each other Vine videos.
If we make a habit of mindfulness, then the opposite is true, at every opportunity the mind will seek mindfulness.
Second, the nature of boredom is that it gets excited by violence rather than peace - it is an existential threat mechanism that is woken up and makes us come alive. Thus entertainment is the enemy of equanimity.
Third, entertainment reinforces duality, of the entertainer and the entertained. It makes us lapse into being controlled by external forces, rather than taking control of our mind.
It is thus a quality of mind to be safe guarded against.

I am still struggling with your explanation for "Why must entertainment be eschewed?" Is not any action we take, even mentally, technically a source of entertainment - even practicing mindfulness? (even though it is a much healthier choice)

Fundamentally we all fear knowing that there is no self, and no inherent existence, yet even if we cannot notice this explicitly, our unenlightened actions betray this knowledge. Entertainment is the distractive cure for fear masked as boredom. Even in mindfulness of breath, if one keeps at it for a long while without getting into the piti/sukha one can get bored, this is why some beginner meditators keep switching their object of attention. Thus one of the marks of insight is when fear grips the meditator after noticing nothing has a separate existence.

I think its the definition that causes me to struggle. "Entertainment is the distractive cure for fear masked as boredom" - I consider boredom and entertainment to be opposites, but that definition suggests otherwise. If one was doing nothing, yet was fine (not bored) - I would consider that as being entertained. If it is not one or the other, what is it when one is not bored, and not being entertained?

I made my own question, and asked these same questions there. I figured they would require more than the comments could allow.

@Buddo "So you're happy your selfie just got a 1000 likes eh? Consider this, You're going to hell!" :-)"
Great line. Very funny. The specific realm though would probably be the hungry ghost realm for the vainity of 1000 selfies, and it all depends on what the agent was thinking and intending at the time right? The hell realms are caused primarily by anger and violence.

The important thing to keep in mind is our own mind state. We try to purify ourselves of the three poisons of greed, hatred, and delusion. That's not really going to happen in a typical video game where our mind states can spike into intense feelings of:
greed - (I should have won that loot! I deserved it!)
hatred - (I can't stand that guy! He's such a jerk!)
delusion - (I should have been at the top of the chart, I am the best in this group, the meter must be broken.)
When we open ourselves up to knowingly experiencing these intensely unwholesome mind states while we are trying to purify ourselves of the same; it really doesn't make much sense. It's also not Right Effort which specifies "The effort to prevent future disadvantageous mental states from arising.."
Lastly, it's a waste of time. There is a colorful quote from the Buddha about putting out effort "as if your head was on fire". Here is the whole sutta, Sacitta Sutta: One's Own Mind. It's short and well worth reading to understand the priority of choosing how to direct your efforts.

this answer is a good case for celibacy - what are your thoughts on that ?

Yes.
The mind-state one is in is crucial, if not the most important thing.
A mind-state that is free from the Three Poisons and the Six Root Afflictions is good.
One that is practicing Three Poisons and afflictions, even in a virtual setting, will retain those seeds in his mind, attitude, and neurology.
Unless that is of course one is mindful and detached from such gaming in the first place and is doing it for exercise purposes (for example playing a puzzle game). It is hard to be detached for longer, more immersive video games.

Who downvoted this and why?

If one performs negative actions against another soul, like another video game player, then yes, there would be karmic consequences. If it's regular competition during the course of a game, like player versus player combat, you're all willing participants, so very likely there would be no adverse  consequences. But bad sportsmanship, bullying, mean spirited communications, etc. would be bad karma.
One should consider the effects on your consciousness of protraying villains. Actions performed in a game may have an effect on one's self. I'm not one of those people who condemns violent video games, but I believe engaging in villainous, murderous acts continually in a video game will inevitably form a samskara within the person.

Here is the thing about games and violence (I am a life long gamer too).
Violence causes a bad stream of thoughts like anger,vendetta,enmity.So if you are one of those people who slam the controller/keyboard on the table when you get killed or defeated i would not recommend games with violence to you.
I am quite sure you are referring to games like GTA, Sleeping Dogs, Castlevania etc.
So the one thing you need to realize is if you are not in it to get out of boring life. If you feel good when thing go down and burn or when that guy who killed you in Battlefield take a head shot from you.That is not healthy for the path.Not to mention games are very addictive.And that is not good because it creates a bond.
If you know what's evil don't do it,If you want to kill in a game go for it with mindfulness and you will see it is no longer exiting (Because what made it exiting was your ego getting fueled by anger).You can still play games without being evil.Choose a different genre.or play it knowing that it is just a game and keep your feelings checked at all times.

Please don't post links to http://mahamevnawa.lk/inenglish/ except in your profile. You can post links to specific pages or articles or resources within the mahamevnawa.lk site, if the page is relevant to the question and your answer.

Sorry i did not saw your countess advises (I was not on the site),i stopped it,Can i mention those links in the comments section? please advice me on this issue. thank you for your kindness. May triple gems bless you.

Consider it from the perspective of intention:
I once had a guru who explained it thusly...
Which intention will have the greatest effect on future actions?
Shooting a crossbow at a pumpkin sitting on a fencepost late at night, then realizing that it is actually a boy popping his head up over the fence..
Or shooting a crossbow at a boy's head popping up over a fencepost, then realizing it is only a pumpkin.
Different intentions, different end results. Christianity has a specific view of which is the sin (action) while buddhism considers more factors (right thought, right action, right intention etc)
You have to ask yourself honestly:
Does this thought or action, as it comes into being, lead to suffering. If it does, we should avoid doing it.

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

"So is it the same if I did all this in real life from a spiritual perspective?". I did not get that part of the question. There is no way of doing evil deeds from a spiritual perspective if I understood the question.
“Discard all that is  immoral, what should not be done
Take in what is moral by sorting out “san”
Do this by controlling one’s own thoughts (mind)
This is the doctrine of the Buddhas”
Clearing mind is a component of spirituality so "Discarding all that is immoral" is also a part of the teaching of all the Buddhas, no one can reach Nirvana while performing evil deeds.
I will give a detailed answer such that you can apply it in many other contexts too.
Please first go through the list of ten evil deeds.
There are five conditions that must be fulfilled to happen the evil deed of killing. All of these should be fulfilled.
1. Being should be living.(From this point itself you don't do killing karma on the virtual life.)
2. Knowing the being is living
3. Will to kill
4. Planning to kill
5. Living being dying due to the plan
And the being should not be self, therefore suicide does not effect killing karma. But depending on the situation and in most of the times suicide comes with delusion.
For the evil deed stealing all below should be fulfilled.
1. Owned by someone else
2. Knowing someone else's property
3. Desire to take away
4. Planning to take away
5. Taking away
Simply things on games are not owned by someone, owners are not real. So no evil deed happens.
The third part, affair with a woman without being married. Actually in Buddhism unlawful sensual/sexual misconduct is not synonymous with marriage and affiliated although they have some in common. Men are not supposed to have sexual relationships with these women. (However rape is sexual misconduct and the strength of the evil deed is often high)
1. She being nurtured by her parents or other close relations(from this point itself no harm because the virtual women have no real owners)
2. She being nurtured and protected by another man.
There is only one instance of men where women can get sexual misconduct. If the woman has a protector, she cannot seek for another protector.
For a person to fulfill these conditions to have done sexual misconduct evil deed.
1. Man or woman should belong to the groups mentioned above
2. Desire to have sensual pleasures with him/her
3. Trying for pleasure
4. Undergoing and feeling the pleasure.
Different variables affect the strength of the karma described above.

Suicide does have a karmic effect in every place I've encountered in my studies. It is not the same as murder, but it is not "positive" either.

It is not positive, and it is negative in most of the situations. but it is not completing the killing karma. It may do other karma such as delusion, but it does not complete the conditions for killing Karma. thank you for pointing it out, I will edit the answer so it can be more precise. You can read those conditions in midway of this article. http://www.dharmanet.org/DellaKarma.htm I could not find a good source in English which discusses on suicide. But in a handbook of lay followers written in Sinhalese, Most Venerable Rerukane Chandawimala thero clearly states suicide is not killing.

I think ending your own life when you are human carries with it some of the killing karma. You are removing a human life from living, even though it is your own. I will have to politely disagree with Most Venerable Rerukane Chandawimala on this matter.


text:
How might Buddha have seen how far the gratification, danger and escape extend?
In "The Connected Discourses" Buddha says

“Bhikkhus, I set out seeking the gratification in form. Whatever
  gratification there is in form—that I discovered. I have clearly seen
  with  wisdom just how far the gratification in form extends.
“Bhikkhus, I set out seeking the danger in form. Whatever danger there is  in form—that I discovered. I have clearly seen with wisdom
  just how far the  danger in form extends.
“Bhikkhus, I set out seeking the escape from form. Whatever escape there is  from form—that I discovered. I have clearly seen with
  wisdom just how far the  escape from form extends.

How might he have seen how far the gratification, danger and escape extend? Did he elaborate on this any where else?

Edit: Tags added to increase discoverability. Please roll-back if not agreeable.

Because He was the one who experienced it all. As a prince, He had all the necessary means to experience the maximum level of pleasure/gratification. Later on, as the most extreme self-mortified ascetic, He was able to experience the most terrible kinds of suffering. Abandoning both extremes, He meditated and penetrated the Four Noble Truths. Then after this major breakthrough, He was able to claim that He directly knew as they really are the gratification, the danger, the escape, etc. In short, due to various factors like his time as a prince, an extreme ascetic, and the final breakthrough to the Four Noble Truths, the Buddha was able to see the true nature of all phenomena. In SN 14.31, Ven. Bodhi provided the Commentary's note:

Spk: In this sutta the Four Noble Truths are discussed. The "gratification" (assada) in the four elements is the truth of the origin; the "danger" (adinava) is the truth of suffering; the "escape" (nissarana) is the truth of cessation; the "path" that understands the escape is the truth of the path.


text:
What are the paṭiccasamuppāda theory and it's products?
Is there any differences in Paṭiccasamuppāda ,Dependent arising and dependent co-arising?

Dhamma Greetings Gawesaka, the answer is: No. The first word is Pāḷi and second and third are just different English renditions of that expression. Best Wishes

Dhamma Greetings Mirco,  this is my first question. i wont to know the state of this community about Paṭiccasamuppāda.  Thanks for answering.