Q&A October 16, 2024

00:33 1) Dear Ajahn, many thanks for all the help you have given me and others. I just wondered if you knew what the differences are between one who is liberated through concentration, one liberated through insight and one liberated both ways? 10:27 2) Dear Ajahn. You have talked a bit about the rebirth process. Is it up to the mind which next birth it wants to take? I thought it was up to karma? Please clarify. 16:24 3) A friend argued with me that if we are born humans in this life, then it is not possible to be reborn as an animal in the next life because the "essence" is still that of a human being. Please comment. 17:15 4) Is it true that if one’s ashes are to be scattered into the sea? The deceased will feel cold? Recently, I heard some Mahayana friends say that they had heard this from one of their teachers. The recommendation was for one’s ash to be placed into an urn. Is it also true that for those who have passed on. The deceased will only know they have passed on 3 days later? I learnt this from Mahayana tradition dhamma lesson many years ago. 30:01 5) Dear Ajahn Achalo, I used to do chanting and reciting the names of 28 Buddhas, 88 Buddhas and 1000 Buddhas in Mahayana tradition during some significant day. May I know the difference between these Buddha from Mahayana tradition and Theravada tradition. Thank you for your guidance. With gratitude. 37:31 6) Dear Ajahn, I have listened to some teachings by the late Zen Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hahn from his book 'Living Buddha, Living Christ', I was raised as Roman Catholic, I still love the teachings of Jesus Christ, and I love the Buddhist teachings, do I need to decide who to follow or can I follow both? Much Metta