Does reincarnation make life meaningless?

[ratikala]

namaskaram

I know a lot about Krishna, but you shouldn't copy him, you must find your true SELF within, and that true Self is your inner Krishna, Christ, Buddha, or whatever label you feel comfortable with.

yes , it is true in many respets that we should not try to copy Krsna , ...as Krsna is fully realised and acts with pure consciousness being fully aware of the implications of his every action , ...as we are not so realised to try to emulate tha actions of Krsna would be very dangerous .
and it is true that we should also seek to realise our own true nature , ....and that the closer we come to that realisation , ...the more we actualy understand the concept of a divine spark within , the more seriously we take this life , the more we find ourselves developing a taste for devotional practice , as we come to realise that although we posess this divine spark and although it is nondifferent to the Lord , it is the most minute spark in relation to the greatness of the Supreme .

along with this realisation comes the mind of renunciation , what ever pleasures this life breings us or denies us unless what we receive is knowledge of the supreme we are not realy that bothered by the occurances of this temporary life . ..thus we have no need to end our lives through disatisfaction the only need is to acheive surrender at the feet of the lord and receive his blessing , this we become sure will be the true method by which we will gain liberation .

 

[The Hammer]

If reincarnation is true, then why live a life you don't like? If someone's life is completely miserable, wouldn't dying on purpose pretty much work like a reset button?

To be honest and I'm somewhat embarrassed to say this, if I believed in reincarnation and had no doubts, I would turn to mindless self indulgence. Why would I worry about health if I'm destined to live another life?

Bettering oneself now, helping others, empathy, compassion etc IMO would make for a more positive reincarnation, whereas indulging to excess, suicide, homicide or whatnot leads to a more negative reincarnation. Not quite karma, but not quite not karma either.

 

[Storm]

If reincarnation is true, then why live a life you don't like? If someone's life is completely miserable, wouldn't dying on purpose pretty much work like a reset button?

To be honest and I'm somewhat embarrassed to say this, if I believed in reincarnation and had no doubts, I would turn to mindless self indulgence. Why would I worry about health if I'm destined to live another life?

There is nothing - no power, no fact, no thought - that can make your life meaningless or meaningful but you.

 

[Madhuri]

namaskaram
to clarify the point on suicide in this instance it would be considered an untimely death ,

How do we know it means this?

 

[psychoslice]

I do think for myself. There's a difference between 'copying' and 'intelligently considering' the teachings of a person who may be beyond me in understanding. I believe there are more advanced souls that can teach me from their wisdom,

No one is beyond you, they who you think is beyond you are exactly where you are now, they cannot be anywhere else. Why wait forever to Awaken, you can Awaken right now, its the ego that wants to keep you on the path, it lives in the future and the past, but you are not there, you are here, right NOW.

 

[George-ananda]

No one is beyond you, they who you think is beyond you are exactly where you are now, they cannot be anywhere else. Why wait forever to Awaken, you can Awaken right now, its the ego that wants to keep you on the path, it lives in the future and the past, but you are not there, you are here, right NOW.

How does one "Awaken"?

 

[psychoslice]

namaskaram



yes , it is true in many respets that we should not try to copy Krsna , ...as Krsna is fully realised and acts with pure consciousness being fully aware of the implications of his every action , ...as we are not so realised to try to emulate tha actions of Krsna would be very dangerous .
and it is true that we should also seek to realise our own true nature , ....and that the closer we come to that realisation , ...the more we actualy understand the concept of a divine spark within , the more seriously we take this life , the more we find ourselves developing a taste for devotional practice , as we come to realise that although we posess this divine spark and although it is nondifferent to the Lord , it is the most minute spark in relation to the greatness of the Supreme .

along with this realisation comes the mind of renunciation , what ever pleasures this life breings us or denies us unless what we receive is knowledge of the supreme we are not realy that bothered by the occurances of this temporary life . ..thus we have no need to end our lives through disatisfaction the only need is to acheive surrender at the feet of the lord and receive his blessing , this we become sure will be the true method by which we will gain liberation .

Very nicely said, yes that is one way of seeking, but still seeking is future, where I say be here, NOW. To be long to a religious group or culture can be nice, but if one is serious, then why spend all your life playing seeking, when you are there already.

Just because it took so many years for the Buddha to Realize his true Self, doesn't mean we have to, we must not put the Buddha, the Christ, Krishna, or anyone up on a pedestal. We must don't come crawling to the throne of God, we can only come boldly, after all its our throne also, for we are all One.

 

[The Sum of Awe]

Because each moment is what's ultimately important, and whether you're going to die or live again anyway, why not make each moment count?

What are you doing right now?* Does it count? I'm guessing it does.


Because "health" is now. Why not want to feel your best now? Every now.

*Rhetorical questions.

I think that no longer applies when considering reincarnation. If you have an infinite supply of moments, each moment stops counting, you'll never run out.

I do get you though and agree

 

[psychoslice]

How does one "Awaken"?

One cannot Awaken, who is going to awake, the ego ?, there can only be the experience, the taste of Enlightenment, but that isn't the Source, as the experience is secondary to that which IS.

As long as we are trying to Awake, there will never be the experience, sometimes it can happen when one is so exhausted of trying to Awake, but this only happens because one gives in, lets go........and there it IS.

 

[Madhuri]

Hi, Sum of Awe. What are your thoughts on my posts from page 1?

 

[George-ananda]

One cannot Awaken, who is going to awake, the ego ?, there can only be the experience, the taste of Enlightenment, but that isn't the Source, as the experience is secondary to that which IS.

As long as we are trying to Awake, there will never be the experience, sometimes it can happen when one is so exhausted of trying to Awake, but this only happens because one gives in, lets go........and there it IS.

Well since as you say I can't force an Awake, I will have to trust those I believe are Awake. At least for now.

 

[Storm]

I think that no longer applies when considering reincarnation. If you have an infinite supply of moments, each moment stops counting, you'll never run out.

I do get you though and agree

Who says you do? Are you of the opinion that the circumstances of your birth, the history of your family, upbringing, education, and all the details of your life are irrelevant to your personality?

Whether or not there's an immortal component that goes on to other things, YOU only live once.

 

[Satyamavejayanti]

"The Sum of Awe, post: 4052896, member: 27592"]If reincarnation is true, then why live a life you don't like?

Namaste,

IMO, Re-Incarnation/Re-Birth is a way of re-reinforcing our responsibility (Dharm) to our actions (Karm), to ensure that we leave this place habitable for our self in the future by conducting Karma responsibly (Dharmah) now, as this Universe is seen as cyclic.

Re-Incarnation removes our current conditioning based on race, tradition, history and culture, in short we have all been there and done that, in order for us to enjoy in the future we have to take responsibility of our actions now.

If someone's life is completely miserable, wouldn't dying on purpose pretty much work like a reset button?

Not really, remember the re-incarnation is of the Atman which is believed to be eternal. So your actions now (suicide) will have a effect to your future life, plus all the unfinished Karma of previous life's will still effect your new birth.

To be honest and I'm somewhat embarrassed to say this, if I believed in reincarnation and had no doubts, I would turn to mindless self indulgence. Why would I worry about health if I'm destined to live another life?

Why, don't you care that your actions effect not only you, but the world and people around you?

 

[Quagmire]

If reincarnation is true, then why live a life you don't like? If someone's life is completely miserable, wouldn't dying on purpose pretty much work like a reset button?

To be honest and I'm somewhat embarrassed to say this, if I believed in reincarnation and had no doubts, I would turn to mindless self indulgence. Why would I worry about health if I'm destined to live another life?

One thing I've learned from this life is that the main thing that makes anything good or bad is contrast.

So, If I was stuck in a truly miserable life this time around, I would want to stick it out as long as I could just because every miserable moment of this life would lower the bar on how great my next life would have to be to be better.

 

[ratikala]

namaskaram Madhuri ji

How do we know it means this?

we can search scripture over and over again for refferences to such situations looking for irrefutable proof , but in the end we have to consider what we have allready been told and sometimes apply what we learn form one teaching to the next .

for anyone wishing to gain more understanding of the reactions of Karma it might be helpfull to read up on Jyotisha (Hindu astrology) , ....this explains how and why we take the birth that we do , how we fall under the influence of the planets which explains to us why two people living in very similar situations may feel very differently about their lives , and how those who experience the same conditions or even receive the same teachings may still come to different understandings , because of these influences some people for instance are more open to shastric teachings whilst others are prone to reject them , ....so much becomes apparent through such study if it is sincere , ....

to understand the quote given previously , which explains that a life cut short in an un natural manner , be that through accident or by suicide or euthanasia , ...we need first to understand that this and every life is part of a complex cycle begining with the creation of this universe and ending with its dissolution and that nothing hapens within that cycle that does not have a reaction , nor ultimatly can the cycle or our place within that cycle be broken , to deliberatly end a life , only ends the physical existance that the soul is occupying , it is like burning down ones house because something bad has happened there , this does not end the suffering of the being that resided there ....we can similarly kill the gross body but the subtle body simply becomes homeless and often more tortured than before , his physicality has suddenly been removed but the subtle mind still bears the imprints of the sadness and the suffering that caused the dissembodiment but it now also bears fresh imprints of the attempted action of trying to sever it self from the physical form , ...the confused attempt to end the cycle , ...the subtle body will in some respects be forced into a limbo , and often a very hellish limbo where upon one is tortured by the knowledge of what one has done and the realisation that it has not brought an end to suffering as the suffering in any life is the fructifying of ones Sanchita Karma , this need to be purified , unfortunatly it canot be cut short by the ending of a life , this simply pushes the problem forward untill it is resolved .

it is our Sanchita Karma that dictates this birth as it is the sum of our previous actions , ..it is our Parabandha Karma that we now experience , this is the fructifying portions of our Sanchita Karma , ...and it is how we react to and purify our Parabandha Karma , that results in our Kriyamana Karma that dictates our future births and eventual liberation .

I can continue later if you wish as there is so much that could be said on this subject , ....but my little body has some Work to go and attend to ....

 

[Willamena]

I think that no longer applies when considering reincarnation. If you have an infinite supply of moments, each moment stops counting, you'll never run out.

I do get you though and agree

Nope. An "infinite supply" doesn't change a thing.

 

[ratikala]

namaskaram

Very nicely said, yes that is one way of seeking, but still seeking is future, where I say be here, NOW. To be long to a religious group or culture can be nice, but if one is serious, then why spend all your life playing seeking, when you are there already.

unfortunatly there is a great difference between accepting the philosopical reasoning of the ultimate unity of all , ...and the actual realsation of such a truth .

Religion is not a social club , it is not there to be nice ! ...is a systematic path to realisation .

Just because it took so many years for the Buddha to Realize his true Self, doesn't mean we have to, we must not put the Buddha, the Christ, Krishna, or anyone up on a pedestal.

no , but we should realise and surrender to their Lotus born nature !

We must don't come crawling to the throne of God, we can only come boldly, after all its our throne also, for we are all One.

your grammer has sliped just a little bit here , ...I assume you mean we shouldnt bow down in suplication ???

we are one in our ultimate nature maybe , ....but as our ultimate nature still stems from God , ....then why not bow down ? .....
as in truth the largest obstical to our realising God is the Ego , ...and it is only the Ego that prevents us from joyfully surrendering to the Supreme .

 

[The Sum of Awe]

Nope. An "infinite supply" doesn't change a thing.

That is a very good example of grace

 

[YmirGF]

Nope. An "infinite supply" doesn't change a thing.

Exactly.

 

[psychoslice]

Well since as you say I can't force an Awake, I will have to trust those I believe are Awake. At least for now.

Yea, as long as no one tries to gives you , you should be Ok

namaskaram



unfortunatly there is a great difference between accepting the philosopical reasoning of the ultimate unity of all , ...and the actual realsation of such a truth .

Religion is not a social club , it is not there to be nice ! ...is a systematic path to realisation .




no , but we should realise and surrender to their Lotus born nature !



your grammer has sliped just a little bit here , ...I assume you mean we shouldnt bow down in suplication ???

we are one in our ultimate nature maybe , ....but as our ultimate nature still stems from God , ....then why not bow down ? .....
as in truth the largest obstical to our realising God is the Ego , ...and it is only the Ego that prevents us from joyfully surrendering to the Supreme .

As long as we see ourselves separate from the Source we will bow down, but when we realize that we are the Source, why then would you bow down, who are you going to bow down to ?.