What is "rebirth" to a Buddhist?

Question

I had to add the Bhuddist qualifier, I didn't want it to go else where.

Peace and Love

Answer 1

Buddhist regard the doctrine of rebirth not as a mere theory but as a veritable fact.The acceptance of the truth about rebirth forms a fundamental tenet of Buddhism.
Buddhist doctrine of rebirth should be differentiated from the teachings of transmigration and reincarnation of other religions.
What we ordinarily mean by death is the cessation of the body's vital functions.When the physical body loses its vitality it can no longer support the current of consciouness,the mental side of the process.But as long as there is clinging to life,a desire to go on existing,the current of consciouness does not come to a stop with the body's loss of life.Rather,when death takes place,when the body dies away,the mental current,driven by the thirst for more existence,will spring up again with the support of a new physical body,one which comes into being through the meeting of sperm and egg.Thus,conception takes place immediately after death without a break.The stream of memory may be interrupted and the sense of identity transferred to the new situation,but the entire accumulation of experience and disposition has been transmitted to the new being,and the cycle of becoming begins to revolve for still another term.
For Buddhism,therefore,death does not spell either the entrance to eternal life or complete annihilation.It is,rather,the portal to a new rebirth which will be followed by more growth,decay,and then another death.
While there is a mental continuum,however,at the last moment,no renewed physical functioning occurs in a dying person's mind.This is just like a motorist releasing the accelerator before stopping,so that no more pulling power is given to the engine.Similarly,no more material qualities of karma arise.

Answer 2

Hello =)

I am a Mahayana Buddhist.

So, of course, I have vowed not to seek Nirvana (Nibbana) until everyone else is ready also. This means, of course, that after my death, I will, according to the Karma I have attained in this lifetime, and in past lives, be "reborn" as some kind of being.

This can be any number of things, but in my belief system, it will probably be another human body.

Our Consciousness is beginningless and endless, and is tied up with the origin and destruction of the Universe (in a western definition).....If there was something before the Big Bang, then our Consciousness existed then, as well..... Thus, that is the one part of us that is indestructible, and yet, unlike the Christian concept of the "soul"...it is not to be found within, no matter how hard you search for it....

It is this consciousness that gets reborn into different bodies over and over again, in the cycle of birth, aging, suffering, and ultimately, death....something we call "Samsara".....

After death, one's consciousness enters a state of "Limbo" called "Bardo", where it is somewhat confused. This state can last up to 6 weeks, before rebirth is finally forced, if the consciousness doesn't seek rebirth before this time. Supposedly, the consciousness is attracted to people/things having sex, and that is what draws the consciousness to the newly fertilized egg, which is why Buddhists believe that life begins at conception.

As a side note, I see something I had not previously realized, from my friend, Anger-Spewing Demon, below, that Theravadins evidently do not believe in the concept of the Bardo State. There are many differences between Mahayanists and Theravadins, but they are mostly philosophical, in the end.

It is interesting to note that because of this, Buddhists remain "pro-choice", but strongly suggest the choice of not having abortions.....LOL

We can be reborn as any number of things: Animals, Gods (more like Angels to the Christians among you - not Gods in the all-powerful sense), Ghosts, Demons, Denizons of Hell (if you're really bad), and Humans.

The Buddha once said:

Many are reborn in Human Wombs, Good people go to heaven, Bad people go to hell, only those who relinquish the craving and grasping of Samsara get to know Nirvana.

That pretty much works for me.

I have had minor glimpses into a previous life or two. I was an elderly spinster -- schoolteacher, who died around 1900. She was very lonely and somewhat vain. She spent a lot of time looking in the Mirror, so I know very well what she/I looked like. She was fond of Jewelry.

I have been birds.....Crows mainly, and Cats from then until now.

So, it seems that vanity and longing bring about rebirth as animals.

Since I was born in the early 1960's we can assume that I spent a lot of time as these animals. Or perhaps I just do not recall a human birth during that interim.

One tends to retain things from previous lives, though. For example, I used to compulsively correct poor grammar and spelling on the part of others...I was once a jeweler, and I have a creepy habit of catching mice with my bare hands, if I find one in the house, and regard cats in the same way that they regard each other....

Isn't that strange?? I think so...LOL


Namaste,

--Tom

Answer 3

It means the rebirth of the consciousness into a new body as the result of karma created in a previous life. Reincarnation is subtly different from rebirth because it entails the rebirth of the ego and individual personality which isn't what Buddhists believe.

Answer 4

Results 1 - 10 of about 236 from www.sacred-texts.com for buddhism rebirth. (0.43 seconds)
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The Tibetan Buddhist Teachings on Death and Rebirth
The Tibetan Buddhist teachings on death and rebirth are unique and very complete. They usually interest everybody who gets them. ...
www.sacred-texts.com/bud/tib/tibdeath.htm -

Answer 5

Samsara is the process of birth, suffering, death and rebirth.
Depending on past action, when a person dies, he is instantly 'reborn' in another body.
Only through the realization of the causes of suffering and the cessation of suffering can this cycle be broken

Answer 6

reincarnation