Reincarnation Qestion

[George-ananda]

I guess I was confused by the used of the word "your" in your response to him.

But the second question still remains unanswered. How do you know one's soul progresses from the learning and growth experiences? That each life should be at a higher spiritual (soul) level than the last?

From the accumulated teachings of the many masters I respect.

 

[SalixIncendium]

From the accumulated teachings of the many masters I respect.

So this isn't from direct experience. This is what you were told by others. Did they have direct experience with this?

 

[George-ananda]

So this isn't from direct experience. This is what you were told by others. Did they have direct experience with this?

Yes, I believe they have sensitivity to and knowledge of things of the higher planes that I am far less sensitive to.

 

[SalixIncendium]

Yes, I believe they have sensitivity to and knowledge of things of the higher planes that I am far less sensitive to.

Thanks.

 

[ChristineM]

If reincarnation actually occurs what is its purpose? I ask because if I had previous life I sure don't remember it.

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I recently read a Terry Pratchett book (The Truth) where there was a reincarnation thing going on in the background. One bad guy held the belief that if he always had his potato (long story) everything would be ok after he died. Another bad guy didn't believe reincarnation but just to be sure he pinched the first bad guys potato. When he died DEATH sent him back as a woodworm.

OK, so i thought it was funny.

 

[Skwim]

I recently read a Terry Pratchett book (The Truth) where there was a reincarnation thing going on in the background. One bad guy held the belief that if he always had his potato (long story) everything would be ok after he died. Another bad guy didn't believe reincarnation but just to be sure he pinched the first bad guys potato. When he died DEATH sent him back as a woodworm.

OK, so i thought it was funny.

And who knows, maybe a woodworm was a promotion.

.

 

[ChristineM]

And who knows, maybe a woodworm was a promotion.

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At least there was plenty to snack on

 

[Twilight Hue]

The presence or absence of memory has little to do with existence or non-existence of past history.

I agree with that. The ego is the only thing that suffers a true death.

I really like the reference from a Dharma talk I came across with a simple realization. Jump into the coffin, jump out of the coffin.

 

[sayak83]

I agree with that. The ego is the only thing that suffers a true death.

I really like the reference from a Dharma talk I came across with a simple realization. Jump into the coffin, jump out of the coffin.

Now I am think of Dracula.

 

[Twilight Hue]

Now I am think of Dracula.

Ha ha .

Could be. Blahh..

Now if we could only get Brucie to live!

 

[Valjean]

Yes, I believe they have sensitivity to and knowledge of things of the higher planes that I am far less sensitive to.

Higher planes?

 

[ajay0]

If reincarnation actually occurs what is its purpose?

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Reincarnation occurs due to karma. Any action undertaken under the influence of desire in the form of cravings and aversions are called egocentric actions, and such actions create karma. The effect of karma is that it prevents the mind from being centred in present moment awareness or existential reality. Instead karma forces the mind to vacillate between the past and future in imagination or anticipation, and live in its own psychological reality distinct from the existential reality. This in turn brings about psychological suffering due to its unnatural egoic structure.

The Self, our Being, is awareness. - Sri Muruganar

Purpose of suffering is to connect you to your Self (Awareness). It indicates that you got carried away by all the transient things around you. - Sri Sri Ravi Shankar



Awareness or unconditional love destroys karma, and the mind becomes centred in present moment awareness or existential reality, rather than being under the bondage and prison of its own psychological reality.


Upon the total destruction of karma, enlightenment occurs, at which point there is no rebirth again.

 

[Valjean]

Awareness or unconditional love destroys karma, and the mind becomes centred in present moment awareness or existential reality, rather than being under the bondage and prison of its own psychological reality.

Upon the total destruction of karma, enlightenment occurs, at which point there is no rebirth again.

Consciousness appears to be brain mediated, with normal neurological function presenting us with an abstraction; a convenient illusion enabling us to navigate the world -- but we're flying by instrument, not directly perceiving Reality.

Various methods, "yogas," have been developed to short-circuit or bypass normal neurological function -- meditation, drugs, sensory deprivation, repetitive motion or dancing, chanting, &c.

"Total destruction of karma," ie: results of actions, is the obvious result of the realization that the actions were illusory from the beginning.
Enlightenment is waking from the dream; looking out the window rather than at the instruments. It doesn't obliterate rebirth so much as reveal that lives are just dreams to begin with.

All this spiritual mumbo-jumbo, while very inspirational, is just religious tradition.

 

[ajay0]

"Total destruction of karma," ie: results of actions, is the obvious result of the realization that the actions were illusory from the beginning.

You are mistaking here karma with action, whereas I mean it to be tendency.


When one operates out of the ego due to cravings and aversions, one creates psychological impressions that force one to perpetuate the actions performed repeatedly. These psychological impressions are called vasanas and the actions they prompt is called karma.


As a minor example, if one takes coffee or alcohol at 3 p.m for fifteen days, one would on the sixteenth day, take coffee mechanically and without any prior thinking. Habits, good or bad, are created by such actions repeated, creating corresponding good or bad impressions in the unconscious.

Addictions are but very strong impressions in the unconscious, that force one to repeat an action performed for the sake of pleasure or to avoid pain, even if it may be harmful in the long run.

The problem with the vasanas or psychological impressions is that they force the mind to be in the past or future incessantly through desire and the thinking/emoting process it generates, rather than in the natural state of present moment awareness. As Sri Sri Ravi Shankar stated on desire, " Desire means the present is not sufficient; it is not okay the way it is now. Desire means projection to the next moment. Desire means being unaware of the Infinity. Desire simply means you don't know yourself."


This unnatural state of mind obscures self-knowledge and its natural blissful state, and creates misery in return, which in turn further intensifies pleasure seeking thereby perpetuating the karmic process.

When there is no joy in you, you become a pleasure seeker. - Jaggi Vasudev

The irony is that the natural state of present moment awareness is the authentic source of peace and bliss, which are its characteristics, but we keep ignoring it due to desire for pleasures or avoidance of pain, based on past memories.

Enlightenment on the other hand, means being fully conscious, aware. Ordinarily, as stated earlier, we are not conscious and not aware. We are doing things either out of habit or out of biological instinct in a robotic manner. Being conscious of all our actions enables us to transcend the repetitive karmic process and be alive rather than exist mechanically.

 

[syo]

If reincarnation actually occurs what is its purpose? I ask because if I had previous life I sure don't remember it.

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Unity.

 

[Valjean]

You are mistaking here karma with action, whereas I mean it to be tendency.

I use the term in the common Hindu senses, as both action and result of action.

 

[ajay0]

I use the term in the common Hindu senses, as both action and result of action.

Karma actually means activity inspired by past vasanas or psychological impressions.

Action that arises from the Self or awareness, and not inspired by vasanas or psychological impressions, does not beget karma or create vasanas.

Karmic actions beget more vasanas and consequently robotic repetitivity termed as habits and addictions. It has destructive tendencies due to egoic fear or greed resulting in further vices, while actions anchored in the Self does not.

 

[Manh Nguyen]

If reincarnation actually occurs what is its purpose? I ask because if I had previous life I sure don't remember it.

.

If reincarnation actually occurs what is its purpose? I ask because if I had previous life I sure don't remember it.

.

look at the plants on the Earth ,it grow up blooming --> fruit --->fell to ground and may be the wind,animal,or some thing else to bring them some place,some where ---> and re grow and ...keep going ...going ..and going,That we talk about simple ,but many...many things will be interact with it, might chance from good to bad or from bad to good,but the human can chance from good to bad or from bad to good, themselves and the next life they got paid or repay what ever last life they done. If you don't agree it ,all well .Good luck

 

[Aupmanyav]

If reincarnation actually occurs what is its purpose? I ask because if I had previous life I sure don't remember it.

Speaking as a Hindu who believe in reincarnation (I do not believe in it), it is a corrollary of your actions in previous lives. You have to reincarnate to enjoy or suffer the effects of those actions, unless you become enlightened, attain 'Mukti', 'Moksha', 'Nirvana', etc. (various words for deliverance from the cycle of birth and death).

What good would it do you to know that? This one in particular I experienced. I was told once that I had been fired from a job because I had fired those people in a prior life and this was karmic balance. This did me zero good outside of a wee bit of intellectual satisfaction.

That is not the real question. The question is why did you fire the other person in your previous life? If your action was defensible, then you do not incur any bad karma. If your action was indefensible, then, of course, you have have to face joblessness in the current life or any other problem, and that may not be enjoyable.

Do you mean to say that my next door neighbor might be at a higher or lower spiritual level than me? If so how do I tell. Or is everyone now living at the same level, and we're all progressing together?

You have many students in a college class. Not all of them are at the same level. Some are more accomplished as compared to others. We would not know the level of your neighbor, but if he is following 'dharma' (fulfilling his/her duties and engaging in righteous action), then heshe is progressing.

 

[Tumah]

according to the Bible

The very first lie ever told was that humans would not die.

Nope. That wasn't a lie.