Questions About Re-birth

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.
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sukhamanveti
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Re: Questions About Re-birth

Post by sukhamanveti »

bdah wrote:I have trouble wrapping my mind around the concept of rebirth also. I have found it helpful, though, to think of rebirth as a day-to-day thing (rather than a lifetime-to-lifetime thing), with hundreds of little rebirths happening all the time.

I have habits that are the results of my conditioning. My conditioning develops because of actions (kamma) that I do over and over and over. When I find myself doing something out of habit, it's somewhat of a "rebirth" of that particular action, isn't it?

Perhaps this is a glaring misunderstanding of rebirth on my part, but I find it makes a bit of sense to me.
Hi, bdah.

This isn't a glaring misunderstanding. It is part of the Theravada understanding of rebirth. Moment-to-moment rebirth is an aspect of the rebirth that also happens from lifetime to lifetime in traditional Theravada. In What the Buddha Taught, Walpola Rahula quotes the Paramatthajotika Commentary as follows, "When the Aggregates arise, decay, and die, O bhikkhu, every moment you are born, decay, and die." Phra Prayudh Payutto makes a similar point in his book Buddhadhamma. They just don't view this momentary rebirth as separate from rebirth after death.
Sīlaṃ balaṃ appaṭimaṃ.
Sīlaṃ āvudhamuttamaṃ.
Sīlamābharaṇaṃ seṭṭhaṃ.
Sīlaṃ kavacamabbhutaṃ.


Virtue is a matchless power.
Virtue is the greatest weapon.
Virtue is the best adornment.
Virtue is a wonderful armor.

Theragatha 614


Sabbapāpassa akaraṇaṃ,
kusalassa upasampadā,
Sacittapariyodapanaṃ,
etaṃ buddhāna sāsanaṃ.


Refraining from all wrong-doing,
Undertaking the good,
Purifying the mind,
This is the teaching of the buddhas.

Dhammapada v. 183/14.5
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Pannapetar
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Re: Questions About Re-birth

Post by Pannapetar »

bdah wrote:I have trouble wrapping my mind around the concept of rebirth also. I have found it helpful, though, to think of rebirth as a day-to-day thing (rather than a lifetime-to-lifetime thing)...
According to my understanding, both interpretations are correct. It can be applied to the rebirth of the empirical self as well as the rebirth of phenomena in general of which the former is an example.

Cheers, Thomas
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retrofuturist
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Re: Questions About Re-birth

Post by retrofuturist »

Greetings,
Pannapetar wrote:It can be applied to the rebirth of the empirical self
:weep:

Except that understanding dependent origination involves breaking the fetter of sakkāyaditthi (self-view) rather than endorsing it...

Metta,
Retro. :)
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
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Pannapetar
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Re: Questions About Re-birth

Post by Pannapetar »

retrofuturist wrote:Except that understanding dependent origination involves breaking the fetter of sakkāyaditthi (self-view) rather than endorsing it...
Sorry, I am not sure if I understand the remark. Can you explain?

I always thought that the empirical self (=the experience of self) is pretty uncontroversial among Buddhists. Otherwise, what are we talking about?

Cheers, Thomas
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