Buddhism - Re-Birth or reincarnation?

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Reincarnation figures prominently within Buddhism, and this may not be so surprising, since Gautama Buddha was both born a Hindu, and was also enlightened and taught by Jains - and reincarnation is a part of both of these beliefs.

There is commonly, however, a misconception regarding this notion of reincarnation and rebirth. And there are distinctions between the terms that should be understood. Buddhism does not hold to the belief in the eternal soul, and thus rebirth is not the transmigration of a soul into a new form, or being, or body. Reincarnation within the Buddhism belief, is a renewal, a literal re-birth of consciousness and mind within a new form. This form may be human, or it may be other - animal, ghost, or even a subtle state of existence between worldly forms.

The soul does not transmigrate into a different being or form, but the mind does - confused?

Not an easy concept to understand, or accept, especially if you have been raised and taught to understand the ideas surrounding a connection between body and soul, [like myself]. In fact, it may mean you have to throw out the baby and keep the bath water !

Western cultures and traditions place the understanding of spirit and soul in the context of religions and faiths; whereas, the pursuit in the understanding of mind and body has taken a more scientific course, such as that taken in anatomy and psychology. One could say that these scientific studies have produced a wealth of understanding of both body and mind - but are we any closer to understanding the connection between them? and more precisely, where that connection actually lies?

Today, there is a firm understanding and acceptance that the body is flesh, and bone, and cells, and constitutes genetic coding called DNA; that the body is in a state of constant renewal; that a biological clock determines ageing, and this renewal process; and that ultimately, the body will perish and die. How can the mind reconcile this fleeting and relatively short existence?

Well to begin, you can draw from two basic conclusions here - the more scientific and pragmatic conclusions that the mind is born and expires with the body; or alternatively, a supernatural belief in the power of the mind and spirit, and it’s possibility to exist beyond the death of the body.

Here we find that Buddhism is not so different from it’s pursuit in understanding these fundamental questions. Like the beliefs and faiths within it’s roots, Buddhism accepts the body as a vessel for the mind, yet with the understanding that the body is merely flesh and bone, and that it will wither and die. Thus, from birth, the mind is born unto suffering and the physical pain and anguish of decay. A state of impermanence and constant change and erosion of a physical shell.

Buddhism attempts to answer both the basic conclusions drawn above, at the same time. Firstly that, although there is no belief in the soul-eternal, the mind persists - or rather the potential of the mind persists? Contemporary ideas in science may help to understand this idea in terms of energies, that can neither be created or destroyed, only transformed? [the conservation of energy].

Within this understanding is the belief that the mind is also in a state of constant change. That all thoughts and feelings, emotions, desires and cravings, are transient. That even personality is governed by cause and effect, and change of circumstance. That all, is in fact, impermanent. Like the body, the mind is affected by constant change. This may be understood in terms of personal development, or the shaping and evolution of the character and personality, that is governed by fate and events.

Buddhism holds to the belief, that when the body dies, the mind does not expire, but that it is open and available to take a different form. This new form is governed by cause and effect, and circumstance. And that what happens next, is exactly governed by these same factors. Just as energy interacts, and is transformed and altered, but never destroyed, thus the mind is open to these same possibilities and potential. After all, even the body after death is still in a constant state of change, and decays even further to the breakdown of molecules, into compounds and elements, and atoms and energies?

This all sounds very scientific, and once again, Buddhism shows us connections with the contemporary ideas of science and psychology. The idea that the mind persists, and changes and evolves; that it is the mind, [not the soul], that persists; and that it is open to different and subtle forms of existence.

Within Buddhism, heaven and hell are not understood as specific places, but rather as subtle states of existence, which are also impermanent. Heaven being a state of pleasure or contentment, Hell as a state of anguish and suffering. The relentless desire and craving to cling to life at the point of mortal death may cause transformation as a "hungry ghost", a mind or spirit mind condemned to wander lost until found. Yet remember, all is impermanence, and no state of existence is unchanging. Hope therefore reigns supreme in this understanding and belief.

This may be difficult for Western philosophies and adopted religions to understand, and hence the misconceptions; since most religions in Western and middle Eastern cultures, place such importance on the soul, spirit, spiritual body and the identification of the individual, and separate consciousness. Here the whole notion of atonement, or belief in the goal of a higher state of being, relies on the foundation of separation. The notion of self and object, of dualism. Thus we grow to understand and learn from a wholly, and indeed holy, self point of reference, viewing everything outside of ourselves, and identifying a self within - a spirit within?

Whilst there is nothing wrong with this belief, it’s drawback is that it separates an eternal soul, the self within, from all other things, and all other subtle connection to things. Here, we interact and are affected by events and circumstance, but only to the point of separation of self and object. Here it is the soul that persists, and the mind is merely a tool to perceive this separation?

It is difficult to understand the difference between a "hungry ghost", as a subtle state of existence, a state of mind beyond body, and conversely, as a wandering lost soul; since the term "ghost" has such a vivid and traditional foundation for all of us. Perhaps an easier way to understand this, is to perceive the "hungry ghost" as living within us all at this very moment? You can then reconcile this "ghost" with the state of mind that leads to craving, desire and need. And thus, if you imagine the persistence of this "state of mind" beyond the body and death.

The key to understanding the difference between separated souls and connectedness may lie in looking at dualism from a slightly different angle?

If we view dualism as cause and effect, and not merely as subject and object - then we can see an immediate connection to all things. In other words, subject and object separates us, cause and effect does not. Yet all are founded in dualism.

Conclusions..

So does the mind persist, or does the soul persist?
does it really matter - if persistence is still evident?

"Karma" or "Kamma" is founded in Buddhism and the term means "action". Actions, and every thought and word that leads to them has cause and effect. In Buddhism, it is this circumstance from previous actions or Karma, that affect the outcome of the next state of being, of existence.

In Buddhism, despite this lack of belief in an eternal soul, Karma does affect the outcome of reincarnation. This is also confusing, for how can Karma, and the results of one life or being, migrate these consequences into another existence, without the soul that was responsible for them? How can there be no soul, or spirit mind to learn and evolve from past Karma, and no lessons learned?

It is so easy to make an assumption that the purpose of rebirth or reincarnation is for the purpose of learning? and thus for an eternal or everlasting soul to learn. Yet what is the goal for this learning?

What if we place this learning motive aside? What if we aspire to the notion that a soul or spirit does not transmigrate, and thus all learning is lost in the death/re-birth cycle? This would help to explain why we cannot remember past lives and lessons, although this does not disprove the possibilities of such, [there are many who believe otherwise, and would argue that it is possible to remember so called past lives and existence].

If we take the stance that learning is only achieved whilst the mind, and body is alive, does this exclude learning in any other sentient form or being, or state of existence?

Well perhaps there are no lessons that transmigrate reincarnation, such as there are no souls? Perhaps reincarnation is merely another chance to find success, but not with an entirely clean slate?

Yet what is success, if all is governed by impermanence and change in the end?

In Buddhism the goal is "Nirvana", and final freedom from all attachment, craving and desire, and of even life itself. The ultimate end to all mortal and subtle forms of suffering.

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