What is Reborn ?
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What is Reborn ?
A very good, classic & somewhat complex question!
In brevity:
Causes & Conditioning is passed on & reborn ...
No being, substance, soul or self is reborn as such assumed constant entity or core substance has never existed or ever been observed in the first place...
So how can it then ever be 'reborn' !!!
Existence is a chain of discrete mental states (dhammas) all new yet conditioned
by the prior, both proximate and far.
Just like the pearl in a necklace is in contact with the next & next & next etc.
In that way do the prior mental moment condition the next;
Some Examples:
If angry now in this moment one cannot be happy in the immediate next moment,
but is conditioned to be either angry also there or indifferent!
If glad now in this moment one cannot be angry in the immediate next moment,
but is conditioned to be either glad also there or indifferent!
One is 'reborn' in every moment of life!
Frequency = ~ billions/second!
The conditioning in the terminal life moment is crucial as it determines the next state:
If having killed many beings in life how then to die in a peaceful & calm state ?
Due to the agitation of remorse & regrets in death moment => bad state rebirth.
If having given & done much good in life it is easy to die in peaceful state !
Due to the satisfied serene content in death moment => good state rebirth.
Mind or consciousness descends & settles at a new level corresponding or fitting
to its last mixture of characteristics. Very mechanic & not metaphysical at all!
Like a protein molecule sediments in a mixed solution according to its boyancy.
or
Like a comet goes into a orbit around a planet according to its own speed, mass & inclination angle.
No entity or person is found:
But a Noself state1 arising and ceasing
conditioning state2 arising and ceasing
conditioning state3 arising and ceasing
conditioning state4 arising and ceasing
conditioning state5 arising and ceasing
etc ... endlessly until Nibbana ...
bhikkhu samahita : - ]
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Rebirth refers to one's Mind taking upon a new body upon death. Our Mind refers to all of our formless emotional and cognitive experiences. While we are alive, the body and Mind are linked, but at death they separate. The body becomes a corpse, and the Mind continues on to take another body. To emphasize the continuity of changing consciousness, we use the word "mind-stream" to refer to our Mind. Each person has a separate Mind or mind-stream.
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Consciousness is/are states and mind is a flowing stream. However is there a direction of flow and does the movement take place in space?