Not believing in life after death

A forum for beginners and members of other Buddhist traditions to ask questions about Theravāda (The Way of the Elders). Responses require moderator approval before they are visible in order to double-check alignment to Theravāda orthodoxy.
zooropa1844
Posts: 3
Joined: Thu Oct 29, 2009 9:38 pm

Not believing in life after death

Post by zooropa1844 »

Can you be a follower of the Noble Eithtfold Path and the Fourth Noble Truths and at the same time not believing in any kind of life after death or any other different worlds from the one we live in? And the same question not believing in any kind of literal rebirth whatsoever?

Are there any of you that consider himself/herself a sound buddhist and doesn't believe in those other worlds or literal rebirth? Can anyone be a theravada buddhist without believing in life after death.

Regards

Javi
User avatar
mikenz66
Posts: 19932
Joined: Sat Jan 10, 2009 7:37 am
Location: Aotearoa, New Zealand

Re: Not believing in life after death

Post by mikenz66 »

Welcome Javi,

There is already a long thread on this subject here:
http://dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=41" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Metta
Mike
User avatar
Bhikkhu Pesala
Posts: 4644
Joined: Thu Jan 29, 2009 8:17 pm

Re: Not believing in life after death

Post by Bhikkhu Pesala »

zooropa1844 wrote:Can you be a follower of the Noble Eightfold Path and the Fourth Noble Truths and at the same time not believing in any kind of life after death or any other different worlds from the one we live in? And the same question not believing in any kind of literal rebirth whatsoever?
One should first try to understand the difference between belief and knowledge. Whether you believe that there is literal rebirth after death, or no literal rebirth after death, you're still stuck with a belief. One view might be right while another may be wrong, but attachment to views causes suffering, so it is better to keep an open mind. Understanding cannot arise while clinging to views.

Then one should study to gain mundane right view, and practise seriously to gain the insight knowledge that leads to supramundane right view.

To follow the Noble Eightfold Path, one needs to avoid the extreme wrong views of Eternalism (I will be reborn after death) and Nihilism (I will not be reborn after death).

Three kinds of craving must be abandoned: sensual craving (kāmataṇhā), craving for existence (bhavataṇhā), and craving for non-existence (vibhavataṇhā).
"This, monks, is the noble truth of the cause of suffering: this craving that leads to repeated becoming (punabhavo), taking delight now here, now there, namely: craving for sensual pleasures, craving for existence, and craving for non-existence."
Craving for existence means the extreme view of eternalism; craving for non-existence means the extreme view of Nihilim (this is not, as some think, the wish to commit suicide, but the wish to enjoy life without contemplating one's inevitable death and the consequences of one's own actions in this life after death).
BlogPāli FontsIn This Very LifeBuddhist ChroniclesSoftware (Upasampadā: 24th June, 1979)
User avatar
BlackBird
Posts: 2069
Joined: Fri Apr 17, 2009 12:07 pm

Re: Not believing in life after death

Post by BlackBird »

Bhikkhu Pesala wrote: To follow the Noble Eightfold Path, one needs to avoid the extreme wrong views of Eternalism (I will be reborn after death) and Nihilism (I will not be reborn after death).
This is something I have quite some trouble with. I'm sorry to the OP for the hijack, but I'm keen to learn where (or if) I'm going wrong.

My understanding thus far, is that it is the illusion of a self (if you will) that is reborn. So speaking in the conventional sense, it is us that will experience either the states of woe or (if we work very hard at this) the fortunate states such as human realm or the heavens, in that regard in a cosmic sense - we have an extremely important impetus to practice, if we slip through the net and fall into the lower realms it could be many eons before we get another chance at this. The issue from the Dhamma perspective is that there is nothing that transmigrates in reality, the kammic process gives rise to a new set of khandas and with it more greed hatred delusion, craving and clinging and thus more dukkha. The problem being we don't see it that way - I don't see it that way... I mean it sounds great in theory and I want to see it, but it's not something you can just conceptually understand and go "great, now I know anatta" it's something that must be understood through deep insight meditation. Furthermore we have to be careful that just because these 5 khanda that 'we have now will not transmigrate, that we do not identify with these khanda intellectually, and fall into the wrong view of annihilationism ie. 'I am not the one who will experience the fruit of my kamma in a future existence, because it will be another 5 khanda and thus another being.'

Am I on the right track with this?

metta
:anjali:
Jack
"For a disciple who has conviction in the Teacher's message & lives to penetrate it, what accords with the Dhamma is this:
'The Blessed One is the Teacher, I am a disciple. He is the one who knows, not I." - MN. 70 Kitagiri Sutta

Path Press - Ñāṇavīra Thera Dhamma Page - Ajahn Nyanamoli's Dhamma talks
User avatar
A Medic
Posts: 28
Joined: Mon Nov 02, 2009 6:54 pm

Re: Not believing in life after death

Post by A Medic »

My personal belief on life after death is I don't have any idea, and I don't care. I just don't think it is worth my time to focus, and question life after death. Rebirth makes the most sense to me.
User avatar
Dugu
Posts: 112
Joined: Fri Oct 16, 2009 4:39 am

Re: Not believing in life after death

Post by Dugu »

Life coming into existence in the first place is far more unbelievable than life reappearing after death.
User avatar
pink_trike
Posts: 1130
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 2008 7:29 am
Contact:

Re: Not believing in life after death

Post by pink_trike »

Dugu wrote:Life coming into existence in the first place is far more unbelievable than life reappearing after death.
What makes life appearing after death more believable?
Vision is Mind
Mind is Empty
Emptiness is Clear Light
Clear Light is Union
Union is Great Bliss

- Dawa Gyaltsen

---

Disclaimer: I'm a non-religious practitioner of Theravada, Mahayana/Vajrayana, and Tibetan Bon Dzogchen mind-training.
User avatar
Dugu
Posts: 112
Joined: Fri Oct 16, 2009 4:39 am

Re: Not believing in life after death

Post by Dugu »

pink_trike wrote:
Dugu wrote:Life coming into existence in the first place is far more unbelievable than life reappearing after death.
What makes life appearing after death more believable?
If one has no life to reference to, then life after death would be of no meaning. So life existing in the first place is more significant more unbelievable.
Last edited by Dugu on Fri Nov 13, 2009 4:39 am, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
tiltbillings
Posts: 23046
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 2008 9:25 am

Re: Not believing in life after death

Post by tiltbillings »

zooropa1844 wrote:Can you be a follower of the Noble Eithtfold Path and the Fourth Noble Truths and at the same time not believing in any kind of life after death or any other different worlds from the one we live in? And the same question not believing in any kind of literal rebirth whatsoever?

Are there any of you that consider himself/herself a sound buddhist and doesn't believe in those other worlds or literal rebirth? Can anyone be a theravada buddhist without believing in life after death.

Regards

Javi
You can get into all sorts of convoluted and endless and fruitless discussions over this, but by far the best thing to do is to do the practice. The question will take care of itself in time.
>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
Sanghamitta
Posts: 1614
Joined: Wed Jul 29, 2009 9:21 am
Location: By the River Thames near London.

Re: Not believing in life after death

Post by Sanghamitta »

tiltbillings wrote:
zooropa1844 wrote:Can you be a follower of the Noble Eithtfold Path and the Fourth Noble Truths and at the same time not believing in any kind of life after death or any other different worlds from the one we live in? And the same question not believing in any kind of literal rebirth whatsoever?

Are there any of you that consider himself/herself a sound buddhist and doesn't believe in those other worlds or literal rebirth? Can anyone be a theravada buddhist without believing in life after death.

Regards

Javi
You can get into all sorts of convoluted and endless and fruitless discussions over this, but by far the best thing to do is to do the practice. The question will take care of itself in time.
That was my experience. I had a number of objections to the idea of Rebith , largely formed as part of a rejection of Christianity and in fact of religion in general. Over time and after time spent in meditation practice, rather than thinking things through which just led round and round in circles, I could see that all of the Buddhas teaching formed a seamless whole, and the problem was no longer a problem. This in actuality happened over several years of heart searching and study.
The going for refuge is the door of entrance to the teachings of the Buddha.

Bhikku Bodhi.
zooropa1844
Posts: 3
Joined: Thu Oct 29, 2009 9:38 pm

Re: Not believing in life after death

Post by zooropa1844 »

Thank you all of you for your advise and opinions (and the link). They have been really helpful. I've gathered some gems in your posts and that's enough for the moment to overcome my concern on this issue and keep on discovering the Dhamma.

Javi
User avatar
Ceisiwr
Posts: 22286
Joined: Sun Jan 11, 2009 2:36 am
Location: Wales

Re: Not believing in life after death

Post by Ceisiwr »

Can you be a follower of the Noble Eithtfold Path and the Fourth Noble Truths and at the same time not believing in any kind of life after death or any other different worlds from the one we live in? And the same question not believing in any kind of literal rebirth whatsoever?
Seeing as how the Four Noble Truths and the NEFP dont have rebirth within them I would say yes you dont have to take up a view of rebirth after death. The Buddha advised us to let go of all views

And how is there the yoke of views? There is the case where a certain person does not discern, as it actually is present, the origination, the passing away, the allure, the drawbacks, & the escape from views. When he does not discern, as it actually is present, the origination, the passing away, the allure, the drawbacks, & the escape from views, then — with regard to views — he is obsessed with view-passion, view-delight, view-attraction, view-infatuation, view-thirst, view-fever, view-fascination, view-craving. This is the yoke of sensuality, the yoke of becoming, & the yoke of views.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... html#views" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Are there any of you that consider himself/herself a sound buddhist and doesn't believe in those other worlds or literal rebirth? Can anyone be a theravada buddhist without believing in life after death.
I dont take the view of rebirth post mortem and I practice the NEFP, take refuge etc. There are also some monks that do the same and yes you can be a Theravada Buddhist without the view just as you can with the view


In general though the important thing is practice, the 4 noble truths/ Noble Eight Fold Path, 3 marks and four foundations of mindfulness etc dont worry about if's buts and maybes about death




The following is by Ajahn Sumedho

The only thing that’s certain about the future—the death of the body—is something we try to ignore. Just thinking about the word death stops the mind, doesn’t it? It does for me. It’s not particularly polite or politically correct to speak of death in casual conversation. What is death? What will happen when I die? Not knowing upsets us. But it is unknown, isn’t it? We don’t know what will happen when the body dies.We have various theories—like reincarnation or being rewarded by a better rebirth or being punished by a worse birth. Some people speculate that once you’ve attained human birth, you may still be reborn as a lower creature. And then there’s the school that says no, once you’ve taken birth in the human form, then you cannot be reborn as a lower creature. Or the belief in oblivion—once you’re dead, you’re dead. That’s it. Nothing left. Finito. The truth of the matter is that nobody really knows. So we often just ignore it or suppress it.

But this is all happening in the now. We’re thinking of the concept of death in the present. The way the word death affects consciousness is like this. This is knowing not knowing in the now. It’s not trying to prove any theory. It’s knowing: the breath is like this; the body like this; the moods and mental states are like this. This is developing the path. Saying “like this” is just a way of reminding oneself to see this moment as it is rather than to be caught in some idea that we’ve got to do something or find something or control something or get rid of something.

http://www.what-buddha-taught.net/Books ... nd_Now.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Hope this helps

metta
Last edited by Ceisiwr on Fri Nov 13, 2009 4:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.
“The teacher willed that this world appear to me
as impermanent, unstable, insubstantial.
Mind, let me leap into the victor’s teaching,
carry me over the great flood, so hard to pass.”
User avatar
tiltbillings
Posts: 23046
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 2008 9:25 am

Re: Not believing in life after death

Post by tiltbillings »

clw_uk wrote:
Can you be a follower of the Noble Eithtfold Path and the Fourth Noble Truths and at the same time not believing in any kind of life after death or any other different worlds from the one we live in? And the same question not believing in any kind of literal rebirth whatsoever?
Seeing as how the Four Noble Truths and the NEFP dont have rebirth within them. . . .
Actually, in the one of the several there is/there is not rebirth in the Buddha's teachings threads this statement has been carefully and textually shown not be true. As I said, the discussions around this subject get convoluted and endless and fruitless.

As I said to zooropa1844, do not worry about locking your self into a point of view one way or another. Do the practice, study the texts, and don't get caught up in the opinions of others.

[And as a Moderator note: This thread in not a place to start up these debates all over again. Any one of the several threads that has addressed this issue of there is/there is not rebirth in the Buddha's teachings can be used to further one's argument.]
>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
User avatar
Ceisiwr
Posts: 22286
Joined: Sun Jan 11, 2009 2:36 am
Location: Wales

Re: Not believing in life after death

Post by Ceisiwr »

Actually, in the one of the several there is/there is not rebirth in the Buddha's teachings threads this statement has been carefully and textually shown not be true. As I said, the discussions around this subject get convoluted and endless and fruitless.

I disagree however as you say this isnt a place to repeat the same old arguments


As I said to zooropa1844, do not worry about locking your self into a point of view one way or another. Do the practice, study the texts, and don't get caught up in the opinions of others.

I agree, being locked into a view is the last thing any of us want (if there is to be nibbana)
And how is there the yoke of views? There is the case where a certain person does not discern, as it actually is present, the origination, the passing away, the allure, the drawbacks, & the escape from views. When he does not discern, as it actually is present, the origination, the passing away, the allure, the drawbacks, & the escape from views, then — with regard to views — he is obsessed with view-passion, view-delight, view-attraction, view-infatuation, view-thirst, view-fever, view-fascination, view-craving. This is the yoke of sensuality, the yoke of becoming, & the yoke of views.

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... html#views" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

metta
“The teacher willed that this world appear to me
as impermanent, unstable, insubstantial.
Mind, let me leap into the victor’s teaching,
carry me over the great flood, so hard to pass.”
User avatar
BubbaBuddhist
Posts: 640
Joined: Sat Jan 03, 2009 5:55 am
Location: Knoxville, Tennessee
Contact:

Re: Not believing in life after death

Post by BubbaBuddhist »

I pop into the internet every three months to see if anything new is going on. Nothing ever is. Hello to all my friends! But I have been meditating heavily. So I'll say this: It's foolish to even consider questions like this until one has cultivated IMMENSE wisdom. It's a complete waste of time. Get off the internet; it's the wisest and best move I've ever made since I left my first wife and added ten years to my life!

To the end of suffering, and see you again in three months,

John R
Author of Redneck Buddhism: or Will You Reincarnate as Your Own Cousin?
Locked