Can you be a Buddhist and not believe in reincarnation?

Question

Or, are there whole Buddist sects that do not believe in reincarnation?

I consider myself agnostic and am very interested in Buddhism, yet cannot quite buy into the whole reincarnation bit. Is there a Buddhist branch out there that would work or is reincarnation one of the main branches of Buddhism?

Thanks.

Answer 1

There's a great book about believing in the message of Buddhism without buying into any unnecessary dogma. My mom read it and it's what helped her realize that she is a Buddhist. It's called "Buddhism Without Beliefs" and it's written by Stephen Batchelor.

Answer 2

You do not have to believe in reincarnation to be a Buddhist... Buddhism is all about how you live your life and not what you believe in. As long as you follow his teaching like respect your parents, respect others, don't lie, don't cheat, etc... then you have live your life the way he intended you to, even if you never set foot in a temple once your entire life.

My mom is Catholic & my dad is Buddhism. I was raised with both beliefs but the reason that I pick Buddhism is because there is not a single book saying that this is how you must believe, if not, then you die & go to hell.

This is what I believe - I believe this life is part of a test. If you live your life as perfectly as possible, then you'll go to heaven when your time is up. If you live your life to harm others, then you go to hell. If you're in between, then that's when you reincarnate to whatever that you hate or despite as your 2nd chance.

Buddha will always forgive you despite what you done, it's the people you hurt that you have to worry about, so that's why there's no confession in Buddhism, you're assume forgiven, you just have to make amend to all the ones you're wrong & ask for their forgiveness...

Answer 3

There are two types of Buddhist.
First type:
The 'Menu Eater'
These Buddhists stand outside the restaurant and read the menu.They read about the Four Noble Truths,Noble Eightfold Path,Dependent Origination,The Three Marks of Existence,Karma,Heart Sutra,Diamond Sutra,Discourse on Non-Self,etc,but for some reasons,they never take the bold step to step into the restaurant to order the Four Noble Truths or some other items on the menu to try the taste of it.

Second type:
'Food tasters'
These are the adventurous types.After reading the menu they went into the restaurant and order the dhamma on offer and taste it.

Upatissa(the future great Sariputta),after hearing the Ven.Assaji telling him the following in the menu:
'Of things that proceed from a cause-
their cause the Tathagata has told
And also their cessation-
Thus teaches the Great Ascetic.'
went to see the Buddha and asked to be accepted as his disciple.
My message is that you have to taste the dhamma to really enjoy it.Reading about concept like rebirth(no reincarnation in Buddha's teaching),etc,without tasting it won't be of much use.
Hope this help.

Answer 4

Hmm, well you can be whatever you like of course, words are just labels. Buddhism is easily one of the most tolerant religions too, but reincarnation is a fairly major part of it.

You might be interested in philisophical Taoism. I particularly liked 'The Tao of Pooh' and it's author's interpretation of Taoism. It's kind of like Buddhism without incarnation, and is a bit more optimistic about the nature of the physical world. Taoism is more of a philosophy than religion, and there are many different interpretations, including more religions versions. 'The Tao of Pooh' is simple and cute, but for me it is probably the best spiritually oriented book I've read. There are many paths though, and you might prefer something else.

Answer 5

Most certainly! Buddhism does not put much stress on the afterlife, as it is not important when it comes to achieving nirvana, the deathless state...

Oh, and you absolutely have to approach everything with scepticism:

“Believe nothing.
No matter where you read it,
Or who said it,
Even if I have said it,
Unless it agrees with your own reason
And your own common sense”
- Siddhartha Gautama -

If you don't buy reincarnation, then DO NOT ACCEPT IT. Otherwise you will become attached to the idea...

Oh, if you became a Buddhist then you would still be an agnostic. You would just be one that tries to cut their ties to the material world :)

Answer 6

My understanding is that you cannot approach it with skeptical doubt (and I doooo paraphrase here) - you just can't. But at the same time it appears that what's re-incarnated is only sort of you, it's not the same you you see and feel today, it's a different person. You know all that. What I do, personally, is assume that it's true and ask what possible impact it has on what I do right now. If I see an old lady struggling to get her groceries in her front door I don't really stop to think "how will this affect my rebirth or hers", I just go help out. I think really that's the only way to approach most things whose existence can't be proven or disproven (god for instance or a soul). Something whose very existence is in question and which has no implications in your current life just really shouldn't cause you to lose sleep.

Answer 7

Well I think that journey is something out of your reach at this stage, in that you are agnostic . I suggest that you research Buddhist teaching and become informed enough where you can decide on what you know personally. I feel that you are a spiritual person on the path to enlightenment and know it will come to you.
Any Buddhist (person or sect),would be happy to teach you how to be a better Christian,Muslim or even a better Buddhist.But the journey of a thousand miles starts with your first step. that is usually knowledge, because ignorance is the root of all evil in Buddhist teaching.
Peace

Answer 8

I suppose so. I agree with you on how Buddhism is interesting in the sense that it doesn't believe in a god unlike Christianity, Islam, Judaism, or Hinduism. However I must admit I disagree with its beliefs in reincarnation.

Answer 9

Hi,

I'm not sure about other branches of Buddhism that offer that.

Being a Tibetan Buddhist myself, I belief in that, Because Believing in Recarnation and Beliving in Suffering is the easiest way to make you a better person.

For myself it is a very useful too to keep reminding me to do good deeds and collect good Kharma.

My Rinpoche always like to use this word "do you belief in recarnation?" well if you dont "do you belief in this life?" (make full use of this life to make everything better for others - this is what he ment) it is another alternative for those within us who cannot accept the word "recarnation"

I dont have the link towards my Guru's teaching here, but please visit my blog, as the teachings are linked from my blog.

http://www.tsondreugyatso.blogspot.com
http://www.ritual-items.blogspot.com

you will love it! and if there is anything you wish to ask, email me at [e-mail]

Answer 10

I follow theravada buddhism. And it has the concept of reincarnation. You should look deeper in to the teachings of Lord Buddha.