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BN: But in the Tipitaka, you have so many references from the Buddha himself that refer to rebirth. Even in the Dhammapada we have these two verses that the Buddha announced after he became enlightened which refer to rebirth and the ending of rebirth. And doesn't "dependent origination"--which Batchelor accepts-- include the notion of rebirth?

Sit on a cushion on the floor with your legs crossed. If this is not possible, sit on a chair. In order to have good concentration, it is important not to be in pain. However you sit, be sure that your spine is straight.

The main symbols associated with the Buddhist religion can be viewed through what is called the "eight auspicious symbols." It is through these significant items that offerings are made to Buddha. These symbols also correspond to the Noble Eightfold Path. They include: the mirror, medicine, yogurt, durva grass, bilva fruit, conch shell, mustard seed and vermilion powder.

Massage Therapy is a well-known and well-documented remedy for inducing relaxation and reducing mental stress. In particular, traditional Thai massage with its slow meditative and rhythmic compressions, yoga-like stretches, and passive joint movements seemed to be an ideal tool for someone like Harvey.

Allocate a special space, seat, and time of day just for meditation. Although you can meditate anywhere and at any time, consistency ensures a greater likelihood of success. Begin with sitting for 15 minutes a day. First thing in the morning or just before bed are good times when external disturbances are likely to be minimal. You decide what works best for your life. If it feels appropriate after some time, you can gradually increase the duration of your practice to 30, 45 or 60 minutes.

BN: Yes, the Buddha did criticize the idea of the atma as a permanent self. There is no underlying or essential soul, which is reborn. What does non-self or no-self mean? In theravada, in the teaching of no-self and karma, there is no storage of your past actions in some entity, but there is conditionality. There is a continuity that is caused, including the effects of your own intentionality. What you will has a consequence, a fruit (vipaka is the Pali term). So your actions can lead to a rebirth in this sense.

Harvey was still wearing his business suit and relayed to me that he was here on his lunch break and that he only had exactly one hour. "No problem", I assured him. This confirmed my decision to go ahead with Thai massage.