If you believe so, then what are you likely to come back as and why?
2007-03-19 23:33:26 · 12 answers · asked by nicjays 3 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
According to Buddhism the answer would be "yes" because of a natural law called 'karma'. Personally, I'm not sure. On the one hand I have seen some very impressive anecdotal evidence – stories of kids who remember past lives and are able to give information about people and places that they should not know anything about. I've looked at this evidence, and I do not find it easy to just blow it off as being hoaxes or mere coincidence. Also, in some ways, the law of karma does sort of make sense. But on the other hand I have to wonder why the evidence continues to be anecdotal (in other words, just stories rather than data that can be investigated more scientifically). But my biggest problem with reincarnation is that I don't have a good theory for how individuality can survive from one life to the next. If the anecdotal evidence is correct, then somehow memories are stored in some form other than the patterns of brain activity. I keep an open mind on this possibility, but until I have a plausible theory, I can't help but be pretty skeptical.
As for what I would like to be if I really have a next life: I'm not sure it matters much to me so long as I can't remember this life, but I'd like to make some progress toward becoming a Buddha (i.e., an enlightened being). On the other hand, by way of sheer fantasy, I think it would be cool to keep my memories from this life, but come back as a very cute/sexy woman. I'd be a flaming lesbian, of course ;-) but wow! I think I could have some serious fun. :-D My wife says it wouldn't be nearly so fun as I imagine, but hey, I'd be willing to give it a try.
Hummm…I'd be an athletic, philosophy-loving, totally sex-crazed lipstick-lesbian, Buddha…I wonder how that would work out for me?
2007-03-20 02:13:27 · answer #1 · answered by eroticohio 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Well if you believe in karma, then yeah. Most Buddhists believe in that, but I know some ppl that are of a christian religion and still believe in karma----kinda-----maybe a little differently than the Buddhists. I like to think karma is real, but I just think if you are good in life you will receive something good in the end. However, I do believe that you should believe in Christ and the Christianity religion. BUT, just for craps and grins, if I were to be reincarnated I would hope to be a bird. The sky is beautiful, I love the outside, and I would be free. It would by far be the best!
2007-03-19 23:44:55 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Yes.
I have no idea how I will come back. I believe that for most of us, we don't know ourselves well enough to know how we will come back. Our hidden sins and virtues will play a large part in that, IMO. It's not a simple thing like 'I gave this much to charity last year, and will give that much next year, so I will be sure to have a human rebirth.'..
It's more like: did I learn the lessons this life had to offer me, did I grow to be more kind and understanding, did take on the responsibilities I was supposed to take on, what habits did I develop, what habits did I overcome?
2007-03-20 04:58:44 · answer #3 · answered by katinka hesselink 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
that is the belief of most people who believe in reincarnation, that it is controlled by karma, which is basicaly what you have described as "how we lived our previous life" with the proviso that it also includes all lives before that.
if that is what you believe then that is usualy the form it takes as far as i know.
NB - "none of the semitic religions belive it" does not make it any more or less of a manufactured belief than anything in those same religions, the tradition of serious religious thinkers is arguably stronger and has a greater duration in the east than in semitic thought.
2007-03-19 23:59:36 · answer #4 · answered by richard 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Our present form is not based on how we lived but it is affected by it. Karma takes many forms. If we decapitated people then we might have to be decapitated in order to learn. The outward form is a manifestation of inward beauty. Coming back as another life-form is part of our spiritual evolution. Lower life-forms can make it easier to dissolve egos.
2007-03-20 00:18:06 · answer #5 · answered by Holistic Mystic 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. Of course not. That would imply some sort of higher judgement of our lives.... a higher consciousness or deity.... and such assumptions lead to dangerous beliefs.
Besides, as far as I'm concerned, if reincarnation was a real phenomenon... then I would only accept it as being through one soul essence recycled outside of linear time through every conscious being in existence... in no particular order.
2007-03-19 23:39:55 · answer #6 · answered by Nihilist Templar 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
we had a past live and now the present one... the kind of person or people we are today is based on what we once were.. for example (no names wil be mentioned but this is a person's past life senario though details wont be exact)
a person i know very closely has dislexia and has problems learning at school and this persons parents ended up meeting a lady who read palms and gave past lives that kind of thing.. she told his mom the reason as to why her son was like that was not to be seen in a bad light because in his past life he was a genious who had no problems whatsoever so chose to come back in this live as someone with those difficulties as a challenge..
this might seem nothing but bull to most people out there but i really dont care coz the details that are left out are the little things things that made it all believable.
2007-03-19 23:52:04 · answer #7 · answered by Crazy_German 2 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Does the word mean, re-inserted? The mind can know many forms of life vessels in the pursuit of knowledge this does not mean our knowledge can end in the mind of the unlike vessel from which it came.
2007-03-19 23:57:11 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
that is the belief of people who believe in re-incarnation.. for me, I have no idea nor belief that will happen - - my most believable sources say that we get a view that all is one and always has been.. that we go to a place of light and harmony which is lovely beyond amazement.. two friends, who do not know each other have described this same experience..
so - maybe?
2007-03-19 23:43:58 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
reincarnation is a manufactured belief, none of the semitic faiths believe in it.
2007-03-19 23:47:23 · answer #10 · answered by SS 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋