Question about Reincarnation

[cgannon64]

If the goal of reincarnation is to come back in the next life as a better person and keep on getting better until we reach Nirvana, how can we do this if we don't remember our past life? Do we become a better person subconciously?

Oh, and what are some good books on eastern religious...I've realized I know absolutely nothing about them and my Catholic education is the worse for it.

 

[Achinz]

Originally posted by cgannon64
If the goal of reincarnation is to come back in the next life as a better person and keep on getting better until we reach Nirvana, how can we do this if we don't remember our past life? Do we become a better person subconciously?

In the older Buddhist view, you are automatically on a hierarchical level (based on a sort of cummulative accounting of the balance of good and evil) which determines your degree of awareness. There is therefore progression as well as regression on this cycle where being human is at the top.

More modern practices like Zen tend to concentrate on the achievability of Nirvana within this lifetime through meditation and sudden realization (zazen).

Very potted of course, but the books below should supply a firmer base.

Oh, and what are some good books on eastern religious...I've realized I know absolutely nothing about them and my Catholic education is the worse for it.

For a Buddhism primer I'd recommend the classic Buddhism by Christmas Humphries, a Pelican paperback published by Penguin.

For an intro to comparative religion I'd suggest The Long Search by Ninian Smart published by Little, Brown and Co. based on the excellent BBC TV series. It covers all the major five religions of Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, Judaism and Islam as well as other religions in China and Japan.

 

[Archer 007]

I have been wondering this also.

 

[cgannon64]

Originally posted by Achinz
In the older Buddhist view, you are automatically on a hierarchical level (based on a sort of cummulative accounting of the balance of good and evil) which determines your degree of awareness. There is therefore progression as well as regression on this cycle where being human is at the top.

I see. So some people are just born better than others, because they were better in their past life?

For a Buddhism primer I'd recommend the classic Buddhism by Christmas Humphries, a Pelican paperback published by Penguin.

Thanks. I'll add that to my list of books to get from the library.

 

[Achinz]

Originally posted by cgannon64
I see. So some people are just born better than others, because they were better in their past life?

In a nutshell, yes. The reverse is true also ie if they were more evil in their past life they go down the scale.

Thanks. I'll add that to my list of books to get from the library.

You're very welcome

 

[cgannon64]

But then is it possible to change directions in the scale? Or will people just keep on getting better and better or worse and worse?

 

[Achinz]

Changing directions in implicit in the concept although it becomes a bit hazy for non-Buddhists to appreciate the ability of non-human form to make conscious decisions on good and evil. To Buddhists all animal life forms are sentient. That's why practising Buddhists are vegetarians.

 

[cgannon64]

Originally posted by Achinz
Changing directions in implicit in the concept although it becomes a bit hazy for non-Buddhists to appreciate the ability of non-human form to make conscious decisions on good and evil. To Buddhists all animal life forms are sentient. That's why practising Buddhists are vegetarians.

I see what you're saying. So people who are bad are born with less enlightenment - but they can always turn it around?

Makes sense to me. Its an interesting balance of free will and consequence...

 

[Achinz]

Originally posted by cgannon64
I see what you're saying. So people who are bad are born with less enlightenment - but they can always turn it around?

Correct!

Makes sense to me. Its an interesting balance of free will and consequence...

Yes, free will is indeed an important factor in Buddhism. The analogy of the inherent Buddhahood in a person is that of a dirty window, the glass and the transparency is inherently there. It just needs the will to remove the dirt (proper mindset) and the window is clean and you see the light.

 

[sourboy]

How does one factor in other species then? I mean if a human is the highest scale, a good human reaches Nirvana while a bad human becomes...dog? bird? worm?

It may make more sense if the categories fall in a specific species. Just how many levels are there? One cannot live & be reincarnated an infinite amount of time. Less then a fraction of a % would ever reach Nirvana.

 

[Pontiuth Pilate]

Why isn't the world population getting smaller?

Also, what is the benchmark? Does everyone start at the same level and if so, what is it?

 

[cgannon64]

Pontiuth: I've thought things like that too, but I didn't want to nitpick. I thought my question was at least sort of relevant. EDIT: Maybe that sounded harsh. I just meant that my question could help further understand their philosophy, and its probably a basic part of it. Your question is like asking a Christian, "How come Jesus' body didn't decay?"

My sister's friend told me an interesting idea that I thought is sort of relevant - everything is reincarnated as something else, and there are constant levels to be held, so if the number of humans are going up, the number of somethign else is going down.

There was also all this cool stuff about humans being nature's way of viewing itself, but then it got sort of confusing and it also got less relevant to this discussion.

 

[Achinz]

Originally posted by Pontiuth Pilate
Why isn't the world population getting smaller?

Simply for two reasons:
1. People are recycled you might say
2. Animals can become humans.

 

[Aphex_Twin]

Originally posted by cgannon64
If the goal of reincarnation is to come back in the next life as a better person and keep on getting better until we reach Nirvana, how can we do this if we don't remember our past life? Do we become a better person subconciously?

For Buddhists, life is torment, so reincarnation can only be a source of further suffering. The purpose would be to break that chain of lives (karma).

 

[Voynich]

In Thervada Buddhism it is said that there isn't a permenant mind. If this were the case how would it be possible for someone to be reincarnated in a new body? What exactly is transfered into the new body?

 

[thestonesfan]

Originally posted by cgannon64
Oh, and what are some good books on eastern religious...I've realized I know absolutely nothing about them and my Catholic education is the worse for it.

You'll be dumber for having read them.

 

[cgannon64]

Originally posted by thestonesfan
You'll be dumber for having read them.

I'm dumber for having read that.

But what do you mean?

 

[Syterion]

1 thing that is important about Buddhism is that there are two types. They are Mahayana Buddhists and Theravada Buddhists. I forget which is which, but one worships Buddha like a god, and the other views Buddhism more like a philosophy, and Buddha was just the original teacher.

 

[Kshatriya]

You'll be dumber for having read them.

What do you mean by that?! Eastern religion is the most ancient, logical, and beautiful in the world.

BTW, reincarnation was originally a Hindu concept, and was carried into Buddhism by Siddhartha Gautama, or the Buddha, born a Hindu prince.

 

[Kshatriya]

Oh, and for info on Eastern Religion, here's the most holy scripture for Hinduism, the Bhagavad Gita: (You'll need some time on your hands though )

http://www.bhagavad-gita.org/

And here is a good comprehensive website on Buddhism:

http://buddhism.about.com/