Buddh/lit/

OP you don't know how surreal it is for me to see someone posting actual serious Buddhist books that aren't stuff like "Best Dalai Lama's Quotes to Bring You Inner Peace" or "How to Align Your Chakras"

Other anons have already given good answers but I will answer as well just to provide another perspective (although I agree with other anons on many points) and to promote discussion.
1. ADHD will not prevent skillful meditation, and as another user said, meditation will help your ADHD possibly to a great degree in the long run.
2. Yes you will be reborn until you reach Nirvana and become an Arahant.
3. Becoming a monk is ideal in Buddhism but it'd be foolish to ordain if you're not ready. No one expects you to drop everything and become a monk. You can go very very far as a lay follower, like Citta the Householder of the suttas, who is like a saintly figure in Buddhism. There are suttas where he even instructs the monks. So remember, do as best as you can in Buddhism, that's all that is asked.
>“Just as, bhikkhus, the great ocean slants, slopes, and inclines gradually, not dropping off abruptly, so too, in this Dhamma and discipline penetration to final knowledge occurs by gradual training, gradual activity, and gradual practice, not abruptly. This is the first astounding and amazing quality that the bhikkhus see in this Dhamma and discipline because of which they take delight in it…."
- AN 8.20
4. Honestly this is up to you for the most part I think. Social work seems like a pretty good area imo. Once you get a very strong understanding of Buddhism, I think it is possible as a lay person to work positions helping monks operate monasteries. You might find that interesting someday when your basis in the religion is much stronger.
5. No don't wear robes. AFAIK at worst it can be considered disrespectful, and at best it'll look like a LARP. If you want to be super super super traditional, lay followers are described to wear white clothes in the suttas, so I guess you could wear white clothes if you're going on a retreat or helping out at a monastery or something. Outside of scenarios like those I don't think there is any reason to concern yourself with wearing "Buddhist-approved" clothing, and even in those scenarios you'd be doing some extra, not even required.
6. Both. The compassionate teachings of Buddhism will resonate with people who are already compassionate, who already know firsthand the fruits of kindness. On the other hand, I know IRL multiple people who were once in a dark place, who subscribed to hateful misanthropic ideologies, who have been utterly transformed because of their practice in Buddhism. Practices like metta completely transform the mind, and on a much deeper level than something like classical conditioning. So if anything, I'd say Buddhism reinforces and improves upon the kind tendencies in kind people, and it transforms unkind people into kind people.

Buddhists sometimes preach kindness, but that's because it gets people to fuck off and stop bothering you while you try to reach Enlightenment. It's not a 'nice' or 'kind' religion.

Pt 2
7. If you want to be really really traditional, you can go to a monastery and take the 5 Precepts and the Three Refuges in a formal ceremony. Of course, you should observe the 5 Precepts right now, and ideally take refuge in the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha, and you can do that without a ceremony, but some people like the formality to sort of mentally reinforce their determination.
8. The other user who replied is correct, you should read about Dependent Origination to learn more about how this works. I recommend these books for more on this topic (which is one of the deepest teachings in Buddhism):
seeingthroughthenet.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/The-Law-of-Dependent-Arising_LE_Rev_1.0.pdf
and
seeingthroughthenet.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/The-Miracle-of-Contact_Rev-0_6.pdf
9. I would imagine those monks that can do that are Arahants, or at least very close to becoming an Arahant. They have no attachment whatsoever to the body, and see it as just transitory prepared phenomena, and not-self. They are perfectly equanimous to all sensations, pleasant or painful, to any degree. This comes from meditative attainments and detachment. I wouldn't even say "fortitude" because it implies that they are braving something scary. It is unimaginably deep equanimity, plain and simple. I don't think these monks have taken sedatives. In fact, I have heard stories of monks who have surgeries done, and they refuse any kinds of sedatives or pain medication, in order to adhere perfectly to the Vinaya which prohibits anything that could be considered an intoxicant (they aren't expected to refuse pain meds but some do).
It's also worth mentioning that immolation is not very common in Buddhism and is certainly not promoted or taught in anyway. Asceticism is one of the first things the Buddha said was a fruitless spiritual practice.
10. Any teacher at all is only good insofar as they teach what the Buddha taught accurately. The word of the Buddha is the ultimate word in Buddhism. All teachings should be compared to his. That said, Nagarjuna is quite good. If you're looking for more modern teachings, my absolute favourite from recent times is Venerable Nyanananda Bhikkhu. His works and sermons are some of the best I've ever seen, well-explained, and they match up perfectly with the suttas. After Nyanananda, I quite like Ajahn Chah's Dhamma talks (but not as much as Nyanananda).
11. This one is hard, because all monks will have faults and might say some things that contradict the suttas (usually as a result of hardcore sectarianism). That said, Thanissaro Bhikkhu gives some good Dhamma talks, as another user said. Ajahn Chah's Dhamma talks are scattered around youtube. Nyanananda's channel has many talks youtube.com/channel/UCUPxFKfmzSDNVpQEeW6ci7g/videos
However, he unfortunately passed not too long ago and so we will not be getting any new content from him.
(2/3)

Pt 3
12. I would say there are two major ways of knowing that your experiences align with the Dhamma. First, they should align with what is described in the suttas. Second, your insights should be lasting. For instance, a Stream-Enterer cannot un-become a Stream-Enterer. This attainment is permanent (and before someone says this contradicts the teaching of anicca, it is irreversible and lasting because it relates to the unconditioned, the unprepared: Nibbana, which the Stream-Enterer has seen directly. The teaching of anicca states that all that is prepared/conditioned is impermanent. This does not apply to Nibbana, which is unprepared/unconditioned).
If you're asking about meditative insights, I recommend reading Mahasi Sayadaw's The Progress of Insight.

This is untrue. Compassion and kindness are inherently present in an 'enlightened' being. The Arahant inherently has boundless compassion for all beings due to his deep and profound understanding of suffering. Metta is the reason the Buddha did not just sit under a tree all his life after realizing Nibbana, it is the reason he went and taught others. Metta is the reason Buddhism does not teach to sit in a cave all your life, but to instead help others.
Metta is what stops a Buddhist practitioner from falling into nihilism. It is an absolute necessity in the Buddhist path.
accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.1.08.amar.html

What I love about Buddhism is how much it emphasizes universal compassion and love for all sentient beings, without caring for particulars of castes and creeds, and is simultaneously Godless yet more Godlike than most other religions. Proving that one doesn't need to believe in even a single deity to be a great soul, and in many cases can be even better than those who do.

can you do one for Jesus please

>soul
>soul

Reminder that all hatred, anger, ill-will is considered unskillful in Buddhism and are considered to be inherently delusional. ill-will and hatred have delusion as their root. In fact, the more enlightened you get, the less you dwell in these unwholesome mental states. The Once-Returner has greatly weakened ill-will, and the non-returner and Arahant have both eliminated ill-will in the mind completely, never to arise again. Compassion and loving-kindess are directly tied up with awakening. So to the first user, no it is not just so people can leave you alone.
>"And again, householder, a monk dwells, (1) having suffused the first quarter with a mind of friendliness, likewise the second, likewise the third, likewise the fourth; just so above, below, across; he dwelt having suffused the whole world everywhere, in every way, with a mind of friendliness that was far-reaching, wide-spread, immeasurable, without enmity, without malevolence. He reflects on this and comprehends: ‘This freedom of mind that is friendliness is also effected and thought out. But whatever is effected and thought out, that is impermanent, it is liable to stopping.’ Firm in this, he attains the destruction of the cankers. If he does not attain the destruction of the cankers, then by this attachment to Dhamma, by this delight in Dhamma, by the destruction of the five fetters binding to this lower (shore), he is of spontaneous uprising, one who attains nibbāna there, not liable to return from that world. This, householder, is one thing pointed out by the Lord who knows, who sees, perfected one, fully Self-Awakened one, whereby if a monk dwell diligent, ardent, self-resolute, his mind not (yet) freed, is freed; and also the cankers, not (yet) completely destroyed, go to complete destruction; and, too, he attains the matchless security from the bonds, not (yet) attained."
>"When this had been said, the householder Dasama of Aṭṭhaka spoke thus to the venerable Ānanda: “Revered Ānanda, it is as though a man who was seeking for one opening to (some hidden) treasure were to come at one and the same time on eleven openings to the treasure. Even so do I, revered sir, in seeking for one door to the deathless, come to hear at one and the same time of eleven doors to the deathless. And too, revered sir, it is like a man's house that has eleven doors; if his house were on fire he could make himself safe by any one of the doors. Even so can I, revered sir, make myself safe by any one of these eleven doors to the deathless. Now, revered sir, members of other sects will look about for a fee for the teacher, but why should not I pay honour to the venerable Ānanda?”
MN 52
Metta is literally named as a Doorway to the Deathless in that sutta. Loving-kindness is directly conducive to realizing Nibbana. It is not "to get people to go away and stop bothering you so can reach enlightenment" because it IS part of the path to enlightenment.

This is now a metta thread.
>“Monks, to whatsoever person malice is arisen, towards
him universal love (mettā) should be developed.
(ii). “Monks, to whatsoever person malice is arisen, towards
him compassion (karuṇā) should be developed.
(iii). “Monks, to whatsoever person malice is arisen, towards
him equanimity (upekkhā) should be developed.
(iv). “Monks, to whatsoever person malice is arisen, towards
him unmindfulness and inattention (asati amanasikāro)
should be exercised.
(v). “Monks, to whatsoever person malice is arisen, towards
him the attitude of taking into account the fact that he is
the owner of his own deeds (kammassakatā) should be
adopted. “That Venerable one is the owner of his own
deeds, heir to his own deeds, deeds are the matrix for
him, deeds are his kin, deeds are his refuge, he will
become the heir of whatever he does.”
- A. III 185.
>"Monks that noble disciple, thus free from covetousness,
free from ill-will, undeluded, fully aware and mindful pervades
one direction with thoughts imbued with mettā (Universal Love),
likewise the second, likewise the third, and likewise the fourth.
Thus upwards, downwards and across all around and all over the
world he dwells pervading with thoughts imbued with mettā
abundant, grown great, boundless, free from wrath and anger. He
knows thus: ‘Earlier my mind was petty and undeveloped. But
now my mind is boundless and well developed. Whatever limited
kamma that has been done could not leave any residue there, that
would not withstand it.’ What do you think, monks if this boy
from his childhood itself would develop Deliverance of the Heart
through mettā, will he do an evil deed? “No indeed, Venerable
Sir.” Will suffering touch a person who does not do an evil deed?
“No indeed, Venerable Sir. How can suffering touch one who
does not do an evil deed, Venerable Sir?”
- Karajakāya Sutta
>‘The monk who abides in Universal Love
Pleased in the Buddha’s behest
May attain to that state of peace
The blissful stilling of preparations’
- Dhp. V. 368

‘….. may they be happy and safe
may all beings be happy at heart
whatever beings there are
whether frail or stable – none excepted
whether long or large
middling, short, minute or massive
whether seen or unseen
those dwelling far or near
born or seeking birth
may all beings be happy at heart
Let one not deceive another
nor despise anyone anywhere
in anger and with malicious intent
let no one wish ill for another
Just as a mother would protect her son – her only son at
the risk of her life
so let him towards all beings develop a boundless heart
a mind imbued with mettā in the whole world, let one
develop boundlessly
upward, downward and across
unimpeded with no hate or enmity
whether standing, walking or seated
or lying down as long as one is awake
let one resolve this mindfulness
this, they say is the Divine Abiding here.'
- Metta Sutta

General Buddhist resources:
buddha-vacana.org/
accesstoinsight.org/
suttacentral.net/
obo.genaud.net/backmatter/indexes/sutta/sutta_toc.htm
seeingthroughthenet.net/books/
Try In The Buddha's Words by Bhikkhu Bodhi for a beginner anthology (if you are averse to Bodhi for whatever reason, read different translations of the suttas available through the links above, especially obo genaud).
Move onto reading entire Nikayas for more, read the works of Nyanananda (available from seeingthroughthenet) for stuff on the absolute deepest concepts in Buddhism.
The translation of the Sutta Nipata included in the chart is garbage, and a different translation should be read. Try the translation by the Pali Text Society. There are PDFs of it online.

Attached: 1551912111385.jpg (2360x5056, 1.81M)

you probably won't see this and this post is probably too late but there are certain Theravada monks who hold weekly online group voice/video chats where they teach Dhamma to the students and instruct them in meditation
for free of course

When a Buddhist practitioner advances far enough, do they lose much of their ego? Does a large part of their individuality, their personal sense of self, dissolve? And they continue to be in the world, except now no longer feeling like a distinct person?

Their "ego" (a weird word to use in the context of Buddhism) doesn't dissolve. A Buddhist just progressively sees with more clarity, the reality behind their sense of self (or the unreality). They continue to participate and exist in the conventional world, yes. I imagine your only experience with "ego dissolution" might be with psychedelics and that you couldn't possibly imagine someone at the state of "ego death" during a psychedelic trip operating in the normal everyday world. I assure you, insight into the illusion of self is not like that at all. The practitioner no longer feels like there is a separate self to be found anywhere in experience. Even the intuitive sense of "observer" is completely absent in an Arahant, though this is very difficult to explain in a short post like this. It is a complicated subject for someone who isn't themself an Arahant to comprehend. We can get an idea of the fruit of Arahantship by reading. I recommend Nyanananda's Nibbana Sermons (quite long) or, as OP posted, Nibbana and the Fire Simile. They don't however, after realizing the illusion of self, then identify as the universe or awareness or something. The Buddhist practitioner does not only realize the voidness of the sense of self, but the voidness of all things. The voidness of all experience and existence.

bumping for the pure dharma of it all

books to become zenpilled?

Diamond Sutra and Platform Sutra, also The Record of Linji
You should have a decent basis in the Early Buddhist Texts first before delving into those texts. They assume a basic understanding of the core concepts in Buddhism at least.

goodnight bump to based Buddhistbros

Who are these monks who teach online? What websites are they on?

sirimangalo.org/
That's one example I know of

that was very not helpful