Originally posted by DreamlaXBut suppose instead you were reincarnated randomly. Wouldn't you eventually suffer for all the things you've done wrong, and be rewarded for all the things you've done right? Or does each reincarnation reflect on the life immediately preceding it?
Actually, according to Buddha, there are six different realms that we can be reborn in. Hell, Hungry Ghosts, Animals, Humans, Demi-gods, and Gods. These are only labels, though. Each name only refers to the amount of suffering that will happen in your life being born in that particular realm. For example, a god experiences almost no suffering, whereas a hel ...[text shortened]... inning to time, it just existed, because everything that exists needed something prior to exist.
Originally posted by AcolyteEach re-incarnation reflects on all previous lives, and we have had infinite rebirths.
But suppose instead you were reincarnated randomly. Wouldn't you eventually suffer for all the things you've done wrong, and be rewarded for all the things you've done right? Or does each reincarnation reflect on the life immediately preceding it?
Buddha taught that our mind is a formless continuum. It doesn't have a shape, or a colour, because it is not physical. Every action of body, every word of speech, and every thought leave "karmic imprints" on our mind. It is this mind that goes from life to life. This can be thought of like a seed. When you give the seed the right conditions, it will ripen and grow. Our karmic imprints are like potential plants, or seeds. As soon as the conditions are right, it will ripen.
Normally, if you are to punch someone in the face, you have created the karmic seed to be punched back, and it ripens straight away, but some things, such as killing somebody, do not ripen straight away, and may even take many life times until you are killed again.
The reason why we cannot remember our past lives is because of our poor memory. We have three states of mind. The gross awareness mind is the mind we have when we are awake, and have full awareness of our senses. The subtle mind is the mind we have when we sleep, and we experience dreams. The very subtle mind goes even further, and we have this when we are at a deep sleep, or when we have died. The more subtle our mind becomes, the harder it is to remember things. There is a meditation routine that allows us to train our mind to remember things like dreams, and the great peacefulness of the very subtle mind. It is our very subtle mind that goes from life to life.
Please don't flame me if you disagree, each to their own.
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Originally posted by marinakatombCan I help it if my existence is stonger than the predicate?
(appologies 4 any offense incurred, i've been drinking, but.....)
Starvalley, i expected nothing less, you have managed to totally NOT answer the question while super impossing your own reality, read the question again, thank you !
I think not.
It ain't my fault. I just live here.
<edit>... ok. No. Karma is bull shit.
Is that better?
Originally posted by StarValleyWySurely you must believe to an extent that you "reap what you sow", in the effect that if you are a prick to everyone, then everyone will be a prick back?
Can I help it if my existence is stonger than the predicate?
I think not.
It ain't my fault. I just live here.
<edit>... ok. No. Karma is bull shit.
Is that better?
I'm not saying you are a prick, of course you are not! Just an example.
Originally posted by DreamlaXI don't want to flame you at all. It is interesting enough and it might be true.
Each re-incarnation reflects on all previous lives, and we have had infinite rebirths.
Buddha taught that our mind is a formless continuum. It doesn't have a shape, or a colour, because it is not physical. Every action of body, every word of speech, and every thought leave "karmic imprints" on our mind. It is this mind that goes from life to life. Thi ...[text shortened]... mind that goes from life to life.
Please don't flame me if you disagree, each to their own.
But do you speak from experience, from belief or from hearsay?
You wrote "Buddha taught....". I had the impression that Buddha said "don't believe anything; find out for yourself"
Fjord
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Originally posted by fjordI speak from belief mainly. My spiritual guide, or Lama, speaks from experience though. He had dreams of the whereabouts of his deceased mother, she also spoke English in his dream (but only spoke Tibetan before she died), which made him conclude she was reborn in an English speaking country. After a series of other "clues", he ended up in the UK, talking to a family who gave birth to a daughter roughly a few weeks after my Lama's mother died. One thing he noticed was that she pointed to a dog and said "kyi!", which is the Tibetan word for dog. My Lama now resides in the UK (his name is Geshe Kelsang Gyatso if you are interested), and has set up a temple there, in attempt to flourish Dharma to the west.
I don't want to flame you at all. It is interesting enough and it might be true.
But do you speak from experience, from belief or from hearsay?
You wrote "Buddha taught....". I had the impression that Buddha said "don't believe anything; find out for yourself"
Fjord
Interesting to hear about your view of Buddha! It is a mix of both, really. Buddha gave teachings to many disciples (primarily monks and nuns). He taught not only how to liberate yourself from suffering but also how to attain enlightenment. The path to enlightenment and the path to liberation from suffering must be taught, because they do not come naturally. However, one of his teachings, the teaching of emptiness, is the one that says nothing exists, it is only your mind that makes things exist, and your mind only exists because it says it does, and so forth. Once one has a clear understanding of this 'ultimate truth', they become completely detached from the self or "I" that they were. I would give you an example of emptiness (it is not simply "nothing exists" ), but I would have to think of a decent one first.
Originally posted by DreamlaXThis is only the second time someone has shown that they have any idea what karma means, and the first time it was ignored. Whatever mystic notions may surround it, karma literally means action with the implicit notion that the nature of our actions determine the nature of the results of those actions (or cause and effect). You don't have to hold any mystic views to believe in karma.
Surely you must believe to an extent that you "reap what you sow", in the effect that if you are a prick to everyone, then everyone will be a prick back?
Originally posted by DreamlaXHi David,
I speak from belief mainly. My spiritual guide, or Lama, speaks from experience though. He had dreams of the whereabouts of his deceased mother, she also spoke English in his dream (but only spoke Tibetan before she died), which made him conclude she was reborn in an English speaking country. After a series of other "clues", he ended up in the UK, talking ...[text shortened]... ptiness (it is not simply "nothing exists" ), but I would have to think of a decent one first.
Thanks for your answer. You are quite involved in Tibetan Buddhism as I understand. You say your lama belongs to the Kadampa lineage. Is that the same as the Gelugpa?
The story of your lama and his mother is a remarkable. As far as I know it is rather rare within Tibetan Buddhism that women are recognized as reincarnations. Was she a special woman within the Kadampa?
Tibetan Buddhism believes there are six realms in which we can be reborn. And it says that the best realm is the human realm, because from there it is easiest to reach enlightenment. Some of these other realms go beyond my imagination. More easy to grasp is the animal realm we see in this world. We humans can collect good or bad karma with our free will. How does that work for animals? How can they escape from the wheel of life?
I understand the principle of teaching and following people that are more experienced than yourself. That can be very enriching. I suppose it is my western mind that stresses Buddha's remark that we have to find out for ourselves in stead of following leaders. In the same way I feel also attracted by the Zen remark : If you meet the Buddha on your way: kill him.
Don't flame me. 😉
Fjord
Originally posted by fjordHi,
Hi David,
Thanks for your answer. You are quite involved in Tibetan Buddhism as I understand. You say your lama belongs to the Kadampa lineage. Is that the same as the Gelugpa?
The story of your lama and his mother is a remarkable. As far as I know it is rather rare within Tibetan Buddhism that women are recognized as reincarnations. Was she a special wo ...[text shortened]... the Zen remark : If you meet the Buddha on your way: kill him.
Don't flame me. 😉
Fjord
The Kadam lineage (also known as the New Kadam lineage) was founded when the well known Je Tsongkhapa flourished Buddhism in Tibet once more, where it had once died.
Since everybody who dies is re-incarnated without a doubt, if we persue one's re-incarnation, knowing they were reborn on Earth as a human, we will find them. Of course, to the non-believers of re-incarnation, it would look like a large amount of faith behind our belief. In the New Kadampa tradition, women are treated as equals, it is a rare tradition that allows not only nuns, but they live in the same place as the monks, attend the same teachings, and the same meals. In fact, in the Kadam lineage, there are many female Buddhas.
When we accumulate much negative karma, we take a lower rebirth, in the lower realms. Humans have a much greater ability to train their mind than animals. Although demi-gods and gods (these are not actually gods, just living beings that live in pleasure) also have this ability, they pass the idea of training their mind because they would much prefer to be living in pleasure. Animals take rebirth just as all living beings do. Although it is more likely for an animal to take lower rebirth (and for hungry spirits to take lower rebirth), they can take higher rebirth.
Much of Buddhism is there for us to find out for ourself. We cannot gain Dharma realisations if we do not look. Nobody tells us where to look, just what to look for. It seems everyone finds it in a different place.
Don't flame me 😉,
Dave.
Originally posted by DreamlaX"we have had infinite rebirths."
Each re-incarnation reflects on all previous lives, and we have had infinite rebirths.
Buddha taught that our mind is a formless continuum. It doesn't have a shape, or a colour, because it is not physical. Every action of body, every word of speech, and every thought leave "karmic imprints" on our mind. It is this mind that goes from life to life. Thi ...[text shortened]... mind that goes from life to life.
Please don't flame me if you disagree, each to their own.
Man, Buddha couldn't have said this; we have a limited number of lives in human body.