Answer by Suminda Sirinath S. Dharmasena for Why does/would a "Bodhisattva" burdens himself and instigate others as well?

There are many motivations. One of the main motivations is loving kindness. Though this might not be generally considered, a small strain of sense of challenge, achievement, accomplishment or to achieving the ultimate can also be present. These may fade away depending on the stage you are in but surely a motivation early on to wish for Buddhahood. Also external influences can motivate this. I have heard when there were no Buddhas for a long time some beings who are is some stage of sainthood in higher planes influence possible earthlings to aspire to become a Buddha by telepathic influence and planting the seed or initial thought of aspiration.

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Answer by Suminda Sirinath S. Dharmasena for Is the path an individual journey?

The path is the same for everyone which is the noble 8 fold path divided into morality, mastery of the mind and wisdom. The practice is individual as nobody else can walk the path for you or take you on the path. Any body seriously practicing can walk the path but you have to practise yourself. Sometimes the path is described differently using the landmarks than the direction.

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Answer by Suminda Sirinath S. Dharmasena for What force keeps you bonded to samsara?

There are 3 main thing I gather.

Love - this is the people who you have immediately when expanding the spear of me and mine hence tremendous attachments arise. This it self gives a heap of experiences which are pleasant, unpleasant or neutral. Raising a family does have a lot of these experiences. This can be a blessing and a bondage. As bondage because you can't practice seriously at a beginner or intermediate level. For a advance meditators this can be a blessing since the diversity of experiences can keep your defilements on check which otherwise you will not realise that are there.

Past Karma - this only decides part of the experiences which are either pleasant, unpleasant or neutral. The way out of misery is to objectively observe these sensations and realized they are unsatisfactory regardless if they are Karmic results from past action or not.

Karma as a bondage - Yet again past Karma is the vehicle to study these experiences (Karmic results are in directly linked to the Karma giving rebirth) and get your mind free from creating new Karma. You past and present existence and the experiences that come with it gives you the the opportunity to study the workings of Karma by removing the roots of ignorance, greed and aversion. All this you can be experienced and dealt with within the framework of the body.

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Answer by Suminda Sirinath S. Dharmasena for What is the best way to develop a mind observation habit?

External help like apps can be a hindrance when you get to rely on them. Even guided meditation instructions can become as you get used to them.

The issue with habits is that most of the action is not strictly mindful.

Having said this much of the standard advice is to systematically bring your attention to a chosen object and then to continuously keep re targeting this object, while continuously reviewing if your attention is with the object. This is like 1st looking at the object and then looking under a magnifying glass, or taking aim and shooting with a machine-gun to the object. When you practice this your mind will stay with the object. After sometime this will become pleasant also. Also this will increase your concentration. Ideally this redirection should be aimed at the 4 foundations of mindfulness or Metta, Muditha, Karuna and Upekka.

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Answer by Suminda Sirinath S. Dharmasena for What is the origin of the Buddhist expression "Practice as if your hair is one fire"?

Tissa (Thag 1.39) {Thag 39}

As if struck by a sword, as if his head were on fire, a monk should live the wandering life — mindful — for the abandoning of sensual passion.

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Answer by Suminda Sirinath S. Dharmasena for Not getting what one wants as a good thing or something to be thankful

Certainly not getting what you want is unsatisfactory. This is Dukka Dukka. I will not say this is a good thing though this kind of thought can help you emotionally. Sometimes it might be true that not getting something may be better as you might be blinded by craving as not to see the downside e.g. a partner lower in morals.

Even if you get what you want this is not satisfactory as you have to part with it at some point.

The root cause of craving is sensations experienced then in contact with the object that you want or mental satisfaction in owning it (has come into the spear of mine).

If you don't get something wanted then the sensation you experience is painful. You have to look at it as impermanent or if you are developed in meditation as arising and passing of sensations (phenomena which is experienced or felt). By doing this you are weakening your root of aversion.

When you experience satisfactory experiences you have to look at the sensations again equnimously. When you experience the pleasantness passing away do the same. This is because doing so weakens the root of craving.

When you experience neutral sensations, the process of fabrication continues. Use this as means to eradicate your ignorance. Neutral sensations are unsatisfactory since we still have conditioned existence.

By reaction to sensations you create craving. Carving with further thinking and pondering and conpept polifration creates clinging. At this point you will be planning on how to aquire what you want. If you miss de railing the train at feeling this is the next place you can try this by developing mastery over the mind. This is nothing wrong working towards getting what you want within the framework of morality and right livelihood. But in doing so you should try to be equanimous as possible to sensations and try developing more mastery over the mind to prevent craving and clinging.

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Answer by Suminda Sirinath S. Dharmasena for live as if it was your last day?

There is no pretending. It is the fact that you are not sure if this is the last period or not hence what needs to be done in case you die.

No one can plan the time of death and many die unexpectedly. This is what you have to look at. So consider each breath your last as there is a chance that it is very well your last breath hence establish your self in mindfullness.

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