ManZ

So I woke up two days ago and it felt like there was water in my ear. If I moved around I could hear it shaking in my ear. I never actually went swimming or anything so I don't think it's actually water. It didn't hurt at first but now it does when I yawn. Plus my hearing in that particular ear has gone down slightly. I'm guessing this is an ear infection. It's really bothersome, especially when I'm eating or trying to sleep. Other than going to the doctor, is there anything I can do? I'm going to go to the doctor anyways, but I'm guessing he'll just give me an antibiotic.

Just for fun: Is it possible to become enlightened and then hit your head and become unenlightened?

What are the methods by which things like ancient scriptures are given an accurate dating of their origin?

Is there a goal? If so what is it? Must the question be rephrased?

Ok so I got a thing in the mail saying that I have to pay a fine of $165 because my offense was "NO DRIVER'S LICENSE". This is impossible because no cop has pulled me over for over a year. I'm not sure if it's a scam, it says that I have to appear in court or pay the fine in 14 days. How can I tell if this is real? Should the thing have some sort of seal? It doesn't even say where the court I have to appear is.

I mean I hear all these other sects have different sutras and whatnot. Did the Buddha actually teach those or were they made later after the Buddha's parinibbana? Don't know how to phrase it.

So I decided I would read the Bhagavad Gita and the only one I found in my house was this one. I can't put my finger on it, but the author seems to have some sort of bias. When Krishna says one thing his comments say another. He seems to criticize people who don't follow a certain way. Is this good book for a first time reader of the Gita such as me? What are your thoughts on it if you've read it?

Ok so my computer restarted by itself and when it did it said that 'no boot file received" something along those lines. Then after a while when I restarted and such again it said "disk read error occurred". No I do not have a floppy or disk in the computer or anything. I read some answers that said try a registry cleaner and whatnot, but how am I supposed to use those when my computer itself doesn't get past the "disk read error occurred" screen? Is there any option for me other than take it to the repair shop? If not well....I guess I'm going to the repair shop : | This computer I'm typing from is someone else's laptop.

Do you think there could be unconditional love? Why do you think what you think?

Sorry I didn't get what the whole "Spiritually Speaking" thing was so I thought I would include it in the title since it seems to be popular.

Is it to see it as saying that other religious doctrines are wrong or something along those lines? Well I don't think that's the case, but what is meant by it or how do you interpret it?

Also a second little question, Which part of the Noble Eightfold Path is most challenging for you to follow?

1.) Right View

2.) Right Intention

3.) Right Speech

4.) Right Action

5.) Right Livelihood

6.) Right Effort

7.) Right Mindfulness

8.) Right Concentration

Thanks!

I find this quite interesting. Both attained enlightenment and Nirvana. Both were princes and renounced their respective kingdoms at the age of 30. Mahavira's father's name was Siddhartha (Buddha's name), although that I'm sure is just a coincidence.What is the difference between Mahavira's and the Buddha's enlightenment if any? Why isn't Mahavira considered a Buddha or vice versa? They were both around at the same time. The only difference I know of, is that Mahavira practiced extreme asceticism, while the Buddha practiced the Middle Way. Also I think that Jains believe in a soul, while Buddhists don't. If both Mahavira and Buddha's enlightenment were the same then why is there a differing view in that? Someone clarify, sorry if I am showing ignorance. Haven't really read up on it too much. Although I know there are huge number of things that are similar between Jainism and Buddhism like how the Universe was not created, and had no beginning.

Ok, so as the question suggests I am broken between whether to become a Pharmacist or a University Professor. I like the prospect of teaching, and I like Science. Right now I am working on getting my Bachelor's in Biology. How much do Biology Professors get paid and what is the entire process of becoming a professor? A lot of detail including how hard it is and etc. would be appreciated. If not, a link is also good. Thanks!

"Followers of the Way, if you want insight into the Dharma as it really is," Lin-chi says, "just don't be taken in by the deluded views of others. Whatever you encounter, whether within or without, slay it at once. If you meet the Buddha, slay the Buddha. If you meet a patriarch, slay the patriarch. If you meet an arhat, kill the arhat. If you meet your parents, slay your parents. If you meet your family, kill your family. You will then attain liberation."

It's the part where it says if you meet a Buddha or Arhat slay them. Does this mean that you shouldn't have faith or believe in the Buddha's teachings? That the Buddha was deluded? Perhaps it means that we shouldn't be attached to the Buddha's teachings or believe them until we ourselves have found themselves to be true? What do you think? Maybe I haven't looked into it enough. Sorry if this is a stupid question.

My friend was asking my other friends if they were Christian, Catholic, Baptist, or etc. I said that those are all Christians, but he said no there is a sect called Christian. So this is confusing, somewhere I read that Christian is a blanket term covering all the different sects, but now my friends say other wise. If Christian really is a sect, then that just makes things more weird. So can someone clarify for me?

I'm planning a road trip for Spring Break with my friend and I was wondering if it would be good to let my friend drive the car (like take turns driving). It's not a long trip, but I just wanted to know cause I don't wanna drive the whole time. What if a cop pulls us over and say it was my car, but my friend was driving...What would happen?

In fact I do not even know how to discern Mara and what is not Mara. A compulsive urge or something done of an impulse can be considered Mara right, but what else? This seems no different than the concept of the Devil in Christianity, who is an external being instead of an internal one. Ok, so say I get an urge of sexual desire, what should I consider this? It is sexual desire, but how may I stop acting on the urge? I feel torn between seeing it as a simple biological urge and seeing it as Mara and so should not be obeyed. It is a biological drive, but is it more? Should I stop it at .."it is a biological drive"? It is hard not to act on an urge of sexual desire. By act I don't mean go out and have sex either. It could just be to go look at say...something on the internet. Any ideas on what to do when this urge overcomes me? I understand many people will say it's ok it's natural, but it seems like a problem for me. Maybe I am just misunderstanding something about what the Buddha says. Perhaps I am misunderstanding the Dharma. So I ask the Sangha. Well if there is something you don't understand about what I am saying please ask, so I may clarify. I don't know how else to put it.

So I've been practicing for a month or so now everyday. I can only sit in half lotus posture and I do it for 20 minutes or a little more every day. Now recently I notice that whenever I sit that my mind is very fast paced (I don't know what word to use). It's like I have no control of my mind at all in fact. I can't relate myself to the mind it almost feels like I am not my thoughts. Maybe because I have began to sit before I go to sleep instead of when I wake up. Here are my problems though, I know that whenever a problematic thought arises that you just pay it mindful attention. The problem is whenever a thought arises and I then turn my attention to it instead of my breath temporarily that it dissipates completely. This though feels like it isn't because of my mindfulness, but because of a pre-conceived notion that makes them go away. I don't know how to explain it. Also I have a question about how I can apply Vipassana into everyday waking state. Even if I am not sitting how can I be mindful of what I am doing? This is the problem, whenever I turn my attention towards something and notice for example "I am studying", then I lose complete control of studying and lose track. Is that even being mindful or is it something else? It feels like my mind automatically attaches itself to that thought. How can I stop this? Is it even possible to be mindful every waking moment without losing concentration? I had another question, but I can't remember at the moment. Serious answers please, thanks. Only answer about the topic and nothing else. I would appreciate that.

I mean where do I start? Is it something I ask my professor and they'll let me in or something? Who do I talk to ? Some detailed answers would be nice.

Ok so me and my friend were discussing how big the possibility of life existing in other places in the Universe is. I told him that judging from all the factors involved on Earth (like the perfect distance from the Sun, the type of Star, the conditions, water, etc.) that it was kinda slim in a way. Of course the Universe is huge, but it still seemed slim looking at it from that way (to me). He said that we don't know what are all the possible conditions in which life could exist so we can't put a percentage on it. I mean that's true in a way. But I'm pretty sure he is thinking of it like there could be life that exists in fire or lava or something like that. I don't know it kinda annoys me when I talk to him about it though. Like no matter what I say, for example like "Life can't exist in extremely low pH (I know there are extremophiles)", he'll say..oh we don't know if they can or can't. Well that's as best as I can explain it. What do you think? Do you think that life could exist in conditions other than the ones we know of, like in lava or something like that and etc.?