Say there comes a day in the future when every single person on earth somehow manages to achieve enlightenment / nirvana and break the cycle of rebirth and re-incarnation; with not a single person having to ever be reborn again. What happens to the earth then? When there are no longer humans on this planet? I just want to know what your perspective / thoughts are on this.
2007-01-31 06:03:55 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Ooh. Great question!
Along the same lines, if the Earth is destroyed and there is no physical plane to return to, does everyone get a free "Get out of Samsara FREE" card?
2007-01-31 06:09:21 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Enlightenment isn't like that... it's not what you think. It's not some place you go to and it's beyond description... it's a state of mind and hard to describe to most Western thinkers. We don't believe in linear time as you perceive it, so taking rebirths can happen in what you call the "past" and in other universes, etc. People tend to think that humanity and what we see here on Earth as somehow the only existence (like what Spock called "human arrogance" making assumptions), but it's understandable since Western philosophy and science, heavily swayed by monotheistic, dualistic religions have held sway for so long. When this Earth fizzles and become uninhabitable, people will start taking rebirth in other worlds, etc.
In order to understand you have to let go of your typical conceptions and perceptions of the world that Western philosophy has punched into your brain. Just because you can't see it yet, or touch it doesn't mean it's not there... hope this helps you understand some...
edit: almost forgot to mention, the Buddha way back in HIS time correctly explained how the planet Earth will be destroyed, and the death of the sun and how it will happen, long before scientists were even dreaming of space exploration, along with many other nifty things... pretty cool huh?
_()_
2007-01-31 06:14:16 · answer #2 · answered by vinslave 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Seeing as there are those of us who have taken a vow not to attain enlightenment until all other beings have... and seeing all the hate and war and killing that goes on... I think I will be waiting for a very long time....
2007-01-31 06:59:19 · answer #3 · answered by akholler 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We may choose to become an animal or stay in the energy of the creator- Or perhaps inhabiting another planet and becoming a completely new species.But truly no one knows for sure what comes after death..
2007-01-31 06:08:46 · answer #4 · answered by Art 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
God will always continue to make souls from itself to take the place of souls that reach a balance and may stay in heaven if they wish to.the human population doubles ever so often. IT must continue to take pieces of itself and create souls.,as theirs always another step on the way to god realization. were caught up in the wheel of the awagiwons cycles.so that we may learn,to grow,to experience then to achieve a balance.but I do not try to outguess Sudmod.or question it in any way,everything causes Karma,a natural balance must be observed.within self and the world,and with soul living a life of eternal now.remember that bad actions or iron shackles and good actions or golden chains. .
2007-01-31 06:15:08 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋