Reincarnation is not a fundamental Buddhist belief.
You're thinking of Hinduism. They're quite different.
Some Buddhist sects believe in reincarnation, but many do not. Buddha himself never said one thing about the afterlife one way or the other. He said it wasn't "of the moment." The afterlife isn't terribly important in Buddhism. Because Buddhism began in India, where the predominant religion was (and still is) Hinduism, many Buddhists continued to believe in reincarnation. However, many other sects in places like Japan, have a very atheistic view on the afterlife, and believe when we die, we return to the universe, and everything that makes us "us" ceases to be.
I keep seeing people answer the "What do Buddhists believe in?" questions here with "They believe in reincarnation." I just wanted you all to know that that is not necessarily true. Buddhism is not as rigid as other religions, and in fact, many Buddhists have widely different beliefs.
Sorry for the rant. :)
2007-10-02
14:59:56
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9 answers
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asked by
Anonymous
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Religion & Spirituality