Some of us are curious about rebirth. Some friends and I were talking and have no answers to our questions below. Hope some practising buddhists would enlighten us on, thanks:
1) Will rebirth be possible for those wondering spirits if they go around haunting people, giving people no peace?
2) Is rebirth only base on one's deeds while living on earth?
3) If an evil person die, after death he turns over a new leaf, will he be reborn as human being?
4) For someone who chants and yet practising spreading malice gossip, break relationships, treat the unfortunate badly be able to go rebirth to become human being?
Originally posted by Fantagf:Some of us are curious about rebirth. Some friends and I were talking and have no answers to our questions below. Hope some practising buddhists would enlighten us on, thanks:
1) Will rebirth be possible for those wondering spirits if they go around haunting people, giving people no peace?
2) Is rebirth only base on one's deeds while living on earth?
3) If an evil person die, after death he turns over a new leaf, will he be reborn as human being?
4) For someone who chants and yet practising spreading malice gossip, break relationships, treat the unfortunate badly be able to go rebirth to become human being?
Rebirth for wandering spirits is very hard. Ghosts have a natural lifespan much longer than humans and can live thousands of years. The only way to truly help them is to dedicate merits to those spirits like giving offerings to sangha, donating to the propogation of dharmas and taking part in the ullambana dharma puja etc and then dedicate those merits to those beings. This will shorten their lifespan and they can take rebirth in the higher realms. Rebirth depends on our karma which consists of mental, speech and bodily karma. Furthermore the karma could be carried from a previous life so it is not only the karma we create in the immediate life that matters.
If a person wants to turn over a new leaf he better do it before death because if he die then it can be too late. If the persons bad karma is very strong his consciousness will reborn in lower realms instantaneously, no need 7 days or 49 days. Similarly those with very strong good karma might be reborn in deva realm immediately after death. The rest are likely reborn in a 49 days period. Anyway the point is to start practicing otherwise it is too late. However if we repent now and start practicing the dharma then we certainly can avert our bad destination. Such as angulimala who killed almost a thousand persons and is on his way to try to kill his mother when the buddha stopped and converted him and he attained arhatship after training. Furthermore those who are close to death and are truly repentant of their mistakes and vows to take birth in amitabha's sukhavati still can take birth provided he is very sincere. But that is while he is still conscious and can turn over a new leaf.
Also if we chant on our lips but not with our mind and awareness, or if lips chant something but the mind wanders elsewhere and create bad karma, then the chanting is basically useless and defeats the purpose.
Thanks for sharing the information.
Originally posted by An Eternal Now:Rebirth for wandering spirits is very hard. Ghosts have a natural lifespan much longer than humans and can live thousands of years. The only way to truly help them is to dedicate merits to those spirits like giving offerings to sangha, donating to the propogation of dharmas and taking part in the ullambana dharma puja etc and then dedicate those merits to those beings. This will shorten their lifespan and they can take rebirth in the higher realms. Rebirth depends on our karma which consists of mental, speech and bodily karma. Furthermore the karma could be carried from a previous life so it is not only the karma we create in the immediate life that matters.
If a person wants to turn over a new leaf he better do it before death because if he die then it can be too late. If the persons bad karma is very strong his consciousness will reborn in lower realms instantaneously, no need 7 days or 49 days. Similarly those with very strong good karma might be reborn in deva realm immediately after death. The rest are likely reborn in a 49 days period. Anyway the point is to start practicing otherwise it is too late. However if we repent now and start practicing the dharma then we certainly can avert our bad destination. Such as angulimala who killed almost a thousand persons and is on his way to try to kill his mother when the buddha stopped and converted him and he attained arhatship after training. Furthermore those who are close to death and are truly repentant of their mistakes and vows to take birth in amitabha's sukhavati still can take birth provided he is very sincere. But that is while he is still conscious and can turn over a new leaf.
Also if we chant on our lips but not with our mind and awareness, or if lips chant something but the mind wanders elsewhere and create bad karma, then the chanting is basically useless and defeats the purpose.
Hi AEN ,
By dedicating merits to our loved ones who passed away, can they be reborn to Pureland or can only be reborn within the 6 path? If they are reborn in one of the 6 path, will they naturally have affinity with Buddha (they have never chanted the names of Buddha before in their lifetime).
Originally posted by Pinknutri:Hi AEN ,
By dedicating merits to our loved ones who passed away, can they be reborn to Pureland or can only be reborn within the 6 path? If they are reborn in one of the 6 path, will they naturally have affinity with Buddha (they have never chanted the names of Buddha before in their lifetime).
The answer is ,it depends Pink
because they have passed away
its difficult to ascertain if our chant can help them ..as they could be already reborn
this kind of affinity with Buddha is not external, it needs the loved one to accumulate their merits to have affinity with Buddha
Originally posted by Pinknutri:Hi AEN ,
By dedicating merits to our loved ones who passed away, can they be reborn to Pureland or can only be reborn within the 6 path? If they are reborn in one of the 6 path, will they naturally have affinity with Buddha (they have never chanted the names of Buddha before in their lifetime).
The person himself must first aspire to be reborn in pure land and be sincere in practice, otherwise no matter what we do, it is difficult. It is known that those who died in my Master's presence will definitely either born in pure land or the higher realms, and there are always many signs.
There were instances when my Master asked the dying person to take birth in pure land and chant Amitabha, but when the devas came they were distracted by the amazing celestial beings and ended up taking birth in the samsaric plane of heaven instead. This is the case where the aspiration for birth in pure land is not strong, even if the Buddha vows to save sentient beings, if sentient beings are unwilling to let go of samsara, then how? Even if he has enough merits, it is also not good enough. Affinity with Buddha depends on oneself.
Originally posted by Fantagf:Some of us are curious about rebirth. Some friends and I were talking and have no answers to our questions below. Hope some practising buddhists would enlighten us on, thanks:
1) Will rebirth be possible for those wondering spirits if they go around haunting people, giving people no peace?
2) Is rebirth only base on one's deeds while living on earth?
3) If an evil person die, after death he turns over a new leaf, will he be reborn as human being?
4) For someone who chants and yet practising spreading malice gossip, break relationships, treat the unfortunate badly be able to go rebirth to become human being?
This is just to supplement to what AEN has explained.
1) Well, the Buddha tells us that negative thoughts or state of mind bring about a woeful state of rebirth. If wandering spirits start and/or continue to haunt people, bringing about fear and uneasiness, then very likely after their current lifespan as spirits have expired, they would be reborn in more woeful states of existence - hell beings for example.
2) It's not just about what we think and do in our present lifetime. We also need to take into consideration, the prevailing nature of our thoughts and deeds for previous countless rebirths. That kind of insight knowledge is however, beyond the reach of most of us, who has yet to start practising or has yet to achieve any kind of stable progress in vipassana meditation taught by the Buddha. An Arahant can see for himself about 500 previous rebirths and the Buddha can of course see for himself, as if happening in front of him, countless past rebirths.
The prevailing nature of our thoughts and deeds (influenced by habitual mental tendencies cultivated in both this lifetime and countless past lifetimes) at our last breath determines to a large extent the kind of environment and the type of physical or spiritual body we would come to be aware of at our next rebirth.
3) It can be possible, as no one can tell perfectly (other than a Buddha) what kind of karma will ripen only after death. May be good, bad or neutral. This means the timing of ripening of good or bad karma is known perfectly only by Buddhas. Based on what I have read so far from various Mahayana sutras and after some inference and self-reflection, those who try their best to repent while on their deathbed or the moment they realised they have done something wrong, will eventually be helped by their strong, sincere feelings of repentance, in one of the following ways: a reduction in their lifespan in woeful states of existence; reduction in the type of suffering endured and third, one may be liberated by Bodhisattvas or Arahants who have past strong Dharma affinities with you.
However, like AEN says, any form of repentance after death may not yield any immediate and predictable signs of rebirth into any of the 3 good realms of existence; human being one of them.
4) You can refer to the reasoning offered in the 1st question. The main thing is this, strong habits of good or bad thoughts and behaviour will influence to a very large extent, our type of rebirth.
In your example, that person is highly unlikely to be reborn as a human being due to his persistent bad behaviorial habits in his present lifetime. The basic conditions for achieving a human rebirth is that of observing the Five precepts well (no harsh or false speech being one of them).
Another point to note is this, it's not the duration or method of chanting you do for your entire lifetime, it's the kind of attitude, thoughts you cultivate and uphold while chanting or doing any possible combination of good deeds that matters.
If one is wholeheartedly sincere in his or her chanting, he or she would be mindful of any unhealthy thoughts in their mind and strive to correct them before they take root.
So in your example, that person may not be sincere or may not have understood enough to be correctly and adequately motivated in cultivating as pure and calm as possible a state of mind while doing chanting. This would most probably mean that there is not enough positive mental energy in his deep consciousness to counter or purify the persistent negative thought patterns that translate into bad deeds that he or she would commit after routine chanting practice.
Hope the above helps in any way possible, your own reflection of Buddhist teachings about rebirth and karma.
Thanks all for responding.
Where can we read about the cause and effects?
Originally posted by Fantagf:Where can we read about the cause and effects?
http://www.alokafoundation.org/download/download1.html
Track 1 Understanding kamma
Track 2 Its practical application
Track 3 Reflection and blessing
Originally posted by Isis:
http://www.alokafoundation.org/download/download1.htmlTrack 1 Understanding kamma
Track 2 Its practical application
Track 3 Reflection and blessing
Are these long? I am afraid to listen or read long long article and so on. I am still new to buddhism. I have interest to know it, but am comfortable not to rush to know so much in a short while.
Thanks.
Originally posted by Fantagf:Are these long? I am afraid to listen or read long long article and so on. I am still new to buddhism. I have interest to know it, but am comfortable not to rush to know so much in a short while.
Thanks.
Since you asked, i only respond. 25 minutes per track.
You can try listening to Ajahn Brahm's talk. - maybe more palatable to begineer.
Originally posted by Isis:
Since you asked, i only respond. 25 minutes per track.You can try listening to Ajahn Brahm's talk.
Thanks.
Originally posted by Fantagf:Are these long? I am afraid to listen or read long long article and so on. I am still new to buddhism. I have interest to know it, but am comfortable not to rush to know so much in a short while.
Thanks.
Ok I will give you a summary. There are no soul concept in Buddhism. There are 31 planes of existences of which it is categorize into 6 realms of existence and hence rebirth. Buddha is not a god but a human being who attained enlightenment. The cause of our continual existence is desire/craving and ignorance/delusion. Salvation is through one own efforts and not through any god or even the Buddha. The Buddha only show you the way, but you must walk the talk yourself. also there are causes and effect. Lastly there is karma/kamma. you reap what you sow ie you are responsible for your own actions and the subsequent effects.
Originally posted by Rooney9:Ok I will give you a summary. There are no soul concept in Buddhism. There are 31 planes of existences of which it is categorize into 6 realms of existence and hence rebirth. Buddha is not a god but a human being who attained enlightenment. The cause of our continual existence is desire/craving and ignorance/delusion. Salvation is through one own efforts and not through any god or even the Buddha. The Buddha only show you the way, but you must walk the talk yourself. also there are causes and effect. Lastly there is karma/kamma. you reap what you sow ie you are responsible for your own actions and the subsequent effects.
Thanks.
Yes, i am aware Buddha is not a god, he is known to attain enlightenment.
What is the difference between cause and effect and karma? Aren't they the same?
Originally posted by Fantagf:
Thanks.Yes, i am aware Buddha is not a god, he is known to attain enlightenment.
What is the difference between cause and effect and karma? Aren't they the same?
Karma means actions with intentions. you are the heir of good and bad karma when you die and this will determine your next birth. there are neutral karma like sitting, sleeping, watching movies etc, as these actions are neither good nor bad. karma can also refer to your thoughts, besides actions, which is different from cause and action. the cause of your continual existence (effect) are craving and ignorance. Cause and effect are not as straight forward as it seems, as many mistook it for being fatalistic, which it is not, just like karma. even a murderer can attain enlightenment when you wonder how come he committed such a heinous deed, he can still attain enlightenment. reaping the effects of karma can be immediate, short and long term. some may not reaped the effects of his/her bad karma after several rebirths.
in simple terms, what is enlightenment? when you enter a dark room, you cant things properly or cant even see a thing. once you switch on the light, all the things in the room are clear to you isnt it. so in buddhist speak, it is seeing things as they really are. why we are unable to? craving/desire and ignorance/delusion obstructed us from seeing things as they truly are.
Originally posted by Rooney9:Karma means actions with intentions. you are the heir of good and bad karma when you die and this will determine your next birth. there are neutral karma like sitting, sleeping, watching movies etc, as these actions are neither good nor bad. karma can also refer to your thoughts, besides actions, which is different from cause and action. the cause of your continual existence (effect) are craving and ignorance. Cause and effect are not as straight forward as it seems, as many mistook it for being fatalistic, which it is not, just like karma. even a murderer can attain enlightenment when you wonder how come he committed such a heinous deed, he can still attain enlightenment. reaping the effects of karma can be immediate, short and long term. some may not reaped the effects of his/her bad karma after several rebirths.
I find these confusing.
also there is dependent origination in Buddhism. You may want to find out there are many traditions within Buddhism, the major ones are Mahayana, Theravada and Vajrayana traditions. There are also Zen
slowly take your time to read if you are interested. its not easy to understand and practise Buddhism, as it require you to be detached. The Buddha gave an analogy on attachment. supposing you want to cross a river, you take a raft with you crossing to the other side of the river. once you have reached the river, would you still want to carry the raft along?
Originally posted by Fantagf:
Thanks.Yes, i am aware Buddha is not a god, he is known to attain enlightenment.
What is the difference between cause and effect and karma? Aren't they the same?
Here's an extract from 'Only We can Help Ourselves' by Dhammavuddho Thero.
Kamma-vipaka is sometimes translated as cause and effect ('yin kuo' in Chinese books) but that is not a good translation.
This is because there are two types of cause and effect - worldly cause and effect, and kammic cause and effect.
The difference can be seen, for example, when you drive a car and suddenly a small boy runs across the road, and you hit the boy and kill him.
You did not have have the intention to kill the small boy, so you did not create any kamma. However you did knock down the boy and the boy's family might pull you out of the car when you stop, and beat you up. In addition to that, they might also sue you in court.
So there is a result of knocking down the boy, namely, you get a beating and then be sued in court. However this is worldly cause and effect. It is not concerned with Buddhist kamma vipaka because there was no intention on your part to kill the boy.
So we must clearly differentiate between worldly cause and effect and kamma-vipaka. They are different because one involves action with intention and the other does not.
...The working of kamma-vipaka is very complex. The Buddha said in one discourse (Anguttara Nikaya 4.77 - Acintita Sutta / 增一 阿�經，分别功德论�第一) that there are four things that you should not think about too much. If you think too much about these four things, you could become deranged.
The first is the power of the Buddha;
The second is the depth and power of jhana (meditative absorption);
The third is kamma-vipaka;
And the fourth is speculation about the world.
...The working of kamma-vipaka depends not only on our present lifetime but also on many, many lifetimes of unsettled kamma accounts.
On top of that, it also depends on the state of our mind at that moment. Moreover, the state of mind of the other being you do the kamma to also affects your vipaka.
For example, when you make an offering to a murderer, or a criminal, or to an evil person, your merit is very small, but if you make an offering to a holy man, then your merit or blessings is great. Conversely, if you kill a holy man, then your kammic offence is very great. If you kill a mosquito, the kamma is not as bad, but still you are not encouraged to kill it.
...Sometimes we see certain people whom we consider as evil, rough, stingy and offensive, but they are having a good, luxurious life. That could be due to their good kamma from past life supporting them. However they are now creating a lot of evil kamma which has not ripened yet. This could be due to the fact that people can change.
For example, when a man is poor he is humble, industrious, faithful to his wife, frugal, etc. When he becomes rich after several years, he may become arrogant, vain, womanize, drink, gamble, etc. - a completely different personality.
Similarly, a good person in a previous life, when reborn under favourable conditions, might become corrupted by his good fortune. Because of this we may find it hard to see fairness in this world.
Sometimes we see that good people are not the ones who are happy, but many evil people are happy.
The working of kamma-vipaka is very difficult to see unless we have the psychic power to look into the past.
Originally posted by An Eternal Now:
Here's an extract from 'Only We can Help Ourselves' by Dhammavuddho Thero.
Kamma-vipaka is sometimes translated as cause and effect ('yin kuo' in Chinese books) but that is not a good translation.
This is because there are two types of cause and effect - worldly cause and effect, and kammic cause and effect.
The difference can be seen, for example, when you drive a car and suddenly a small boy runs across the road, and you hit the boy and kill him.
You did not have have the intention to kill the small boy, so you did not create any kamma. However you did knock down the boy and the boy's family might pull you out of the car when you stop, and beat you up. In addition to that, they might also sue you in court.
So there is a result of knocking down the boy, namely, you get a beating and then be sued in court. However this is worldly cause and effect. It is not concerned with Buddhist kamma vipaka because there was no intention on your part to kill the boy.
So we must clearly differentiate between worldly cause and effect and kamma-vipaka. They are different because one involves action with intention and the other does not.
...The working of kamma-vipaka is very complex. The Buddha said in one discourse (Anguttara Nikaya 4.77 - Acintita Sutta / 增一 阿�經，分别功德论�第一) that there are four things that you should not think about too much. If you think too much about these four things, you could become deranged.
The first is the power of the Buddha;
The second is the depth and power of jhana (meditative absorption);
The third is kamma-vipaka;
And the fourth is speculation about the world.
...The working of kamma-vipaka depends not only on our present lifetime but also on many, many lifetimes of unsettled kamma accounts.
On top of that, it also depends on the state of our mind at that moment. Moreover, the state of mind of the other being you do the kamma to also affects your vipaka.
For example, when you make an offering to a murderer, or a criminal, or to an evil person, your merit is very small, but if you make an offering to a holy man, then your merit or blessings is great. Conversely, if you kill a holy man, then your kammic offence is very great. If you kill a mosquito, the kamma is not as bad, but still you are not encouraged to kill it.
...Sometimes we see certain people whom we consider as evil, rough, stingy and offensive, but they are having a good, luxurious life. That could be due to their good kamma from past life supporting them. However they are now creating a lot of evil kamma which has not ripened yet. This could be due to the fact that people can change.
For example, when a man is poor he is humble, industrious, faithful to his wife, frugal, etc. When he becomes rich after several years, he may become arrogant, vain, womanize, drink, gamble, etc. - a completely different personality.
Similarly, a good person in a previous life, when reborn under favourable conditions, might become corrupted by his good fortune. Because of this we may find it hard to see fairness in this world.
Sometimes we see that good people are not the ones who are happy, but many evil people are happy.
The working of kamma-vipaka is very difficult to see unless we have the psychic power to look into the past.
Thanks, appreciate it. NOw I am clear and know the difference between worldly cause and effect and karma.
Do some monks possess psychic power to look into the past?
I once approached a Tibetan buddhist temple on past life and was recommended to go for hypnosis to find out past life. Hypnosis is expensive, $100 per hour.
Yes. My Buddhist dharma teachers, and some forummers in this forum, are able to recall past lives through their meditation. I am not included.
Originally posted by An Eternal Now:Yes. My Buddhist dharma teachers, and some forummers in this forum, are able to recall past lives through their meditation. I am not included.
Oh, recalling past life thru meditation is something new I learn here. Interesting.
Just wanna ask, do buddhism practise Rekki healing and finding out past life thru hypnosis?