Here's some big words for you: eternalism and nihilism. Eternalism is "concerned with eternal life or with eternal things" while nihilism means "no life after death". Buddhists reject both of these says Dr. K. Sri Dhammananda in his book What Buddhists Believe (page 148).
Gautama Buddha rejected eternalism because
"we cannot find anything which is permanent or which exists forever" (page 148).
Since Gautama Buddha believed everything was changeable, therefore there could be nothing that lasts, especially not forever. We did discuss this in Burning Quest - Part 6; you may have a peek back at it if you wish. Yes, many things alter and change and are in constant flux but we know that one day God will give His children an "imperishable body with our fully redeemed and renewed minds that will live forever in permanent existence with Christ in the perfection of Heaven" (Burning Quest - Part 6).
It is understandable that Gautama Buddha could not find permanence in his world. He had not met Jesus. Stemming from his belief in impermanence and his unbelief in things eternal, he rejected the idea of the existence of God (a Supreme Being) and of eternal life.
In Hebrews 13:5 God said...
"I will never leave you nor forsake you."
And in Hebrews 13:8 NIV we have the reassuring words,
"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever."
That spells 'comforting permanence' to me.
Jesus Christ is not of this world. He came to this world but was not of it. He, in fact, made this world. This world which will, some day, burn up (2 Peter 3:10). Gautama Buddha was correct in that sense; everything will be laid bare. Yet, when we look up to God, believing "by faith" that He is, we will see a different picture.
In Hebrews 11:6 NIV we are told...
"And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him."
I hope and pray that no one will miss out on knowing God personally and having a Father-son/Father-daughter relationship with Him. Jeremiah 29:13 NIV proclaims God's word...
"You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart."
Seek and find. It is not a futile search. Trust Him.
Here is a link that asks Does God Exist? Marilyn Adamson has some answers for you to ponder.
In Christ Jesus, we have forgiveness of sins. That is a once-for-all, permanent status. This also entitles the one who has forgiveness of sins to be made and to be seen as righteous in God's sight (Romans 4:6) and to have eternal life (Romans 6:23).
Therefore, the child of God also rejects nihilism. There is definitely life after death whether one is a child of God or not. Refer to the story of the rich man and Lazarus once again (Luke 16:19-31). The men were seen in different sections of Hades. The rich man of no faith in God was in torment. Lazarus, a man of faith, was in "Abraham's bosom" and not in torment.
Jesus spoke to the believing thief who was on one of the crosses beside Him saying,
"Truly, I tell you, today you will be with Me in Paradise" (Luke 23:39-43, especially verse 43).
The apostle Paul was in a dilemma, wanting to stay behind on earth for the sake of the Philippians, but also desiring "to depart and be with Christ" which he deemed "far better" (Philippians 1:23).
It is the most important action one needs to take in all of life; that is, to prepare for the after life. Prepare to meet God by accepting His offer of salvation through Jesus Christ's death and resurrection. We find in Romans 4:22-35 the work that Jesus did for us. He
"was delivered up for our trespasses (or offences/sin) and raised for our justification."
Jesus death, and His resurrection accomplished our justification and God imputed righteousness to us, to those who believe. What a mighty and wondrous God we have! He prepared the way for whoever wishes to prepare for the after earth life.
I fully look forward to living, for all eternity, in the presence of my God and King, for all eternity, in my very own God-given imperishable body. I will also be recognized by those who knew me on earth. What could be more permanent than this?
Eternalism and nihilism aside, the Buddhist longs for 'nirvana'. This is "a state", according to the wikipedia nutshell, that...
"is described in Buddhism as cessation of all afflictions, cessation of all actions, cessation of rebirths and suffering that are a consequence of affections and actions. Liberation is described as identical to anatta (anatman, non-self, lack of any self). In Buddhism, liberation is achieved when all things and beings are understood to be with no Self. Nirvana is also described as identical to achieving sunyata (emptiness), where there is no essence or fundamental nature in anything, and everything is empty."
A nothingness? An emptiness? Yet it is some sort of life after death, thus the Buddhist rejection of Nihilism. Sri Dhammananda says on page 149...|
"Buddhism accepts 'survival' not in a sense of an eternal soul, but in a sense of a renewed becoming or mental continuum...."
He continues on page 150...
"This life-stream flows on ad infinitum, as long as it is fed by the muddy waters of 'ignorance and craving'.
So there is that "permanence" of the mental continuum that gets rebirth. The permanence of the mental continuum lives until the 'vessel' it inhabits has reached that level of having extinguished all desire and sensual yearnings.
When ignorance and craving...
"are cut off, only then does the life-stream cease to flow, only then does rebirth come to an end." (Page 151).
How many vessel-lives will it take to achieve such a state? It is even recorded that Gautama Buddha took eons and eons (scroll down in link to a side bar in the link) to accomplish Nirvana. So even this 'Rebirth' theory is rather permanent; could one say, "temporarily permanent"?
What comforting hope does anyone ever have of achieving the ultimate goal of Nirvana? Yes, one could argue that, "Hey, Gautama Buddha claimed to have and there must be others."
But how many? And can they be certain? If Nirvana is a permanent nothingness or emptiness is it truly a reward to strive for?
Oh Father God, let one and all know that You are the One and Only Supreme, and Eternal Being. In You all peoples of the earth can find hope. They can find permanence. They can find the One who paid the penalty for their sins. The One who offers salvation through Your Son Jesus Christ, who did all the work and striving for them earning righteousness for them which, You, O Father God, will impute upon them should they accept Your offer. So be it Father! I ask in Your Son Jesus' precious Name.
In the book of Jude in the Holy Scriptures which are able to make us wise unto salvation we read...
"To Him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy--to the only God and Savior be glory, majesty, power, and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen." (Jude 1:24-25 NIV).
The follower of Jesus Christ has such wonderful assurance of salvation and of having 'done enough' to secure it forever (meaning, having accepted God's offer of salvation as being enough). We have then been given the Holy Spirit who helps to "present us faultless and blameless" before God on that great day of being called into His presence for all eternity.
Veering back to the main topic we find that Buddhism deals greatly with cause and effect. Thus consequences from good/bad deeds can be carried over from one being to the next during the Buddhist 'Rebirth' conscious-linking event.
Following that then, how can there be a God, how can there be a Creator, how can He be the "First Cause" even if He does exist?! To produce such a God, a perfect God who could create such a beautiful and amazingly awesome creation, there would have to have been a previous good and perfect being to give 'Rebirth' to this Creator God. However, if I have actually understood Dr. K. Sri Dhammananda, author of What Buddhists Believe, correctly, that perfect being would have reached nirvana and become a Buddha rendering him or her or it, unable to give 'Rebirth' to anyone or anything. Thus, I suppose, the unbelief in a Supreme Being, God, who exists.
It takes FAITH...Faith to believe God exists; that He is; that God is the Creator; the Everlasting Father; that God is the Supreme Being; that God is the 'First Cause'; that there is eternity and that there is an eternal soul.
This God is the One who created mankind & who sent Jesus to be the Savior of the world. Jesus who can give us 'rebirth' so long as we are still alive and kicking. We followers of Jesus Christ call that being "born again" (John 3:3, 7). We do not have to physically die to be born again, to 'grow' or renew our mind's mental continuum and we do not give it to anyone or any creature at the current body's death and their conception.
To be born again, is to be born again spiritually into God's family, as ourselves with all our very own mental capacity and accumulation of knowledge of our one and only lifetime upon earth. Our next 'lifetime', if you will, is after the death of our earthly body, and the lifetime in which we will spend forever with God our Heavenly Father in our imperishable bodies. Our spirit and soul never dies, nor is given to anyone/any creature.
Born again. Sins (bad/unwholesome deeds) taken care of. Penalty of sins addressed. Made righteous in God's sight; justified. Everlasting life to look forward to. It is through faith we are saved (Ephesians 2:8-9). Being saved and being born again are interchangeable terms. Being saved is a gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 6:23).
There is an after earth life that is everlasting and that is full. Full of God our everlasting Father. Full of joy. True, there will be no more afflictions, sorrow or tears. All actions will be to honor and glorify God our Heavenly King. We will be empty of selfish thoughts and actions but full of God and delight in Him. We will be fundamentally ourselves, yet as God's children, we will have the fullness of a perfected relationship with Him.
We will joy in our God and sing of His love that moved our hearts and minds to be where He is for all eternity, in permanent dwelling with Him. None of this by our own effort but all of God's effort in atoning for our souls. There is the belief in Buddhism that one can share out ones' merits with others. Well, Jesus shared all of His merits, so to speak, giving freely to anyone who wishes to accept them. He bought our pardon. This did not diminish Jesus in any way yet we human beings can benefit 100%. No wonder we will be singing songs of praise, honor, glory and power unto Him (Revelation 5:13).
Look at this peek we have of the joy in heaven from Revelation 7:9-10 ESV...
"After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count from every nation, tribe, people, and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: "Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne and to the Lamb."
I'm going to be part of that multitude in time to come and for all eternity in the presence of God and Jesus my Redeemer. I pray all who read these words will be too. May you know the joy and rest Jesus offers and freely gives to all who have faith to believe and receive.
This song rendition by the Gaithers brings the glory and joy of heaven in reasonable facsimile, or at least how I imagine. The song The Old Country Church.
~ERC 2018~
Round and around and around and around...what an unending cycle of death and rebirth (samsara). In Burning Quest - Part 9, much was discussed about Rebirth. In this Part 10, we'll examine what Buddhists believe is the cause of this chain reaction of one negative cycle begetting another and another.
This samsara has cause and effect and is given the lofty title, "Law of Dependent Origination", as explained by Dr. K. Sri Dhammananda in his book What Buddhists Believe (pages 141-147).
There is the example of a plant which is dependent upon good seed, earth, moisture, air and sunlight, to grow. So too, samsara is perpetuated by several things. The most notable is "ignorance of the Four Noble Truths" ( pages 144-145). You can peruse Burning Quest - Part 4 to learn of these.
One thing begetting another and another, is catalyst for present circumstances. The past has a bearing on the present and when a person is living in ignorance of causes and of the negative cycle, the effects will be worse.
According to Buddhist thinking, as one makes volitional choices/actions, they are not really all that volitional; more precisely, they are "conditioned volitions of karma". If you recall, at the instant of death, the mental current or continuum from the deceased is rebirthed into a new corruptible body of a person or creature, and so on. The consequences of behavior of the former being are culminated into subsequent ones. Behavior stemming from the good or bad and unwholesome thoughts of lives, even from eons past, generate karma for better or for worse in present lifetime, even extending into future lives.
This conditional happenstance stems from
"conditioned consciousness which begets conditioned mental and physical phenomena which beget conditioning of six faculties (the five senses plus the mind which Sri Dhammananda calls 'the sixth sense') which beget conditioned sensation leading to conditioned desire and 'thirst' begetting conditioned clinging which begets the conditioned process of becoming and in turn leads to conditioned birth, swinging the cycle back round to decay, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief and despair",
only to face rebirth, again (pages 141-147). Calling this a "negative cycle," is well-termed.
This is indeed very dependent on former beings. How can one know, for sure, that if in this current life, one has paid, in full, for former behavior and quenched all desire? No matter how committed to the Eight Fold Path to Enlightenment a person is, could they truly be assured of putting a stop to this negative cycle and reaching Nirvana?
Sri Dhammananda says on page 145 of his book,
"At death, the volitional activities will condition what happens to the next person at rebirth when the consciousness is linked..."
How fortunate, or unfortunate for that new being.
Sri Dhammananda mentions multiple times that someone who is truly sincere about escaping this cycle needs to depend upon his/her self. He feels it's possible and that no outside help is required; one is accountable only to self to bring Nirvana to fruition for his or herself.
The question in my mind wonders, if the negative cycle goes back eons and eons and if even under hypnosis, one could recall all the bad that needed countering and overcoming, could one be sure one measured up?
If good happens to bad people and bad happens to good people, due to what happened previously and the consequences are suddenly and randomly forced upon the present life, again, can the person be truly sure all bases have been covered?
Human nature is very strong. Just think about the conditioned sensations. A person's natural bent is for beauty and pleasantness. This results in desires arising which develop very strong clinging and attachment to the desired object.
This causes the next life to be conditioned for these propensities, therefore, in turn, gives birth to Birth (Rebirth) and in turn, to Death, Sorrow, etc.
To reverse this, the Buddhist belief is that the Four Noble Truths need to govern the mind to discipline it. Cut off all extraneous desires, rather, any desire except the one desired desire of achieving Nirvana. This would end the ignorance and the "endless cycle of birth and death" ( page 147).
In Christ, when we focus on Him and our relationship with Him, He can fill our every longing of heart, soul and mind. In Him we can trust. The more we know Him and His ways and will, the more our negative desires will pale; even our positive desires will be superseded to follow Him, to be close to Him, the Giver of Life and the Keeper of our souls.
Let me give you a simple example. Think of God's injunction in Scripture in 2 Corinthians 6:14 (ESV) which reads...
"Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?"
The follower of Jesus Christ is commanded and warned not to be yoked together with unbelievers. The unbelievers we know may well be pretty decent people but their foundation is not built on the same ground as a believer's and therefore perspectives, opinions and desires will likely be not according to God's standards and principles.
This could be true for a marriage as well as for a business partnership. How obedient is the child of God? Will he or she allow their allegiance to God their Heavenly Father to be their Guide and to dictate their choice?
My own earthly father reminded us kids regularly, from our young age up, of this verse. I did not like it one bit. There were times I was interested in guys who knew not Jesus as Savior. They were really nice guys. That verse "haunted" me. Yet because I was a child of God and wanted to please Him, I did choose to relinquish my desire regarding those particular chaps.
Was it an easy decision? No! I had strong desire to go my own way. But praise God, He helped me make a better choice to obey His Word. In the end God did bring a decent fellow into my life who also knows and loves the Lord Jesus Christ. Yes, I married him.
In so doing, the relationship with God, my heavenly Father is strengthened. Not that God changed; His love, grace, mercy and care is ever present and available and never diminishes. It is the child of God who is often wavering in devotion and often pulls away from that relationship. He waits for us to return. This is the longing and attachment to which to cling.
On page 147 of his book, Sri Dhammananda talks about people not being able to comprehend "Dependent Origination"...
"people...not being able to see the truth (Four Noble Truths)...are always afflicted by sorrow--born into conditions...dismal and dreary, where confusing prolonged suffering prevails. And they do not know how to disentangle themselves to get out."
That statement "they do not know how to disentangle themselves" is so, so sad; heartbreaking.
Like a Ferris wheel that goes heedlessly round and round making the passengers sicker and sicker. How is one to jump off?
Sri Dhammananda encourages people to know the Four Nobel Truths and to engage the Eight-Fold Path to Enlightenment in order to get out of that cause and effect of unending, continuous negative cycle; to break that chain reaction of conditioned volitions of karma.
Pause here to read the following verse from the Bible, from Galatians 3:10...
"For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, "Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law to do them."
What does that Book of the Law refer to? If you peruse the Old Testament of the Bible, you'll observe that God gave His people, the children of Israel, the Ten Commandments among many other rules and regulations for governing daily living. Many know about the Ten Commandments. Obeying these is called living under the Law. With that Law came a blessing and a curse. If the Israelites could keep the law, they'd be blessed. If they could not, they'd be cursed (Deuteronomy 11:25-27; Deuteronomy 30:1, 15, 19).
Basically they were utter failures (Jeremiah 42:21).
When Jesus Christ came to earth, to die on the cross and shed His blood to buy pardon for anyone who wishes to accept His offer of salvation, He was being made a curse for us and through that He made atonement for us. When this offer is accepted then the clinging attachments and desires should have less influence in our lives and a person will be enabled to make those decisions that please God. This acceptance of salvation is energized by our faith in God and His Son Jesus Christ.
"...Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him...By faith..." (Hebrews 11:6, 7 ESV).
The Israelites of long ago, and all folks down throughout the annals of time up until today, were cursed and being held captive by their own sin, bad deeds and negative desires.
Galatians 3:22-26 (ESV) expounds on this...
"But Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. So the, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith."
The Law restrained us similarly as road signs restrain the drivers on the road; restraint from sin and chaos. The Law also helped to show mankind their sinful nature and tried to 'fix' us but God had to show us how helpless and hopeless we are without Him. Not one single person other than Jesus Himself could keep those commandments 100%. No one single person other than Jesus Himself is without negative thoughts and clinging desires.
Praise the Lord, we no longer need the rules and regulations to get us off that 'Ferris wheel' of entanglement. Jesus is the answer to disentangling the entanglement.
I do not for one moment believe in Rebirth nor the Dependent Origination; it is not taught in the Bible. Mankind's depravity, yes. Mankind's need for atonement, yes. I acknowledge that life often does feel like one big endless round of struggle but the Bible does teach us that in Christ there is sure hope.
Jesus has provided the way out through His death and resurrection. He suffered the ultimate suffering on our behalf, so we could look forward to an eternity of peace, no more tears, no more suffering.
To break out of that endless round of striving; what joy and peace! There is a time that suffering will cease, to be forever, no more. There is only one lifetime for anyone here on earth. Praise the Lord. We can look forward to being "with Christ" to exist forever in peace, calm, and safety. One life only that we have had, on earth but a life of eternity awaits. That eternity spent in an incorruptible body in which we will still be recognized by those who have been blessed with God's salvation and have entered into His rest through faith in Jesus Christ.
He is the One we need to depend upon, in this present life, and for all eternity to come. Cling to Him.
To finish here I want to share a hymn called I Need Thee Every Hour sung by the Bill and Gloria Gaither singers.
~ERC 2018~
In Buddhism, it is believed that upon the cessation of one's current body (be it human, animal, or otherwise), that the "mental continuum" of that particular lifespan will experience "rebirth". That is, as best I can understand it, that at the point of the last breath taken, that the mental continuum will be placed into the next person, or animal, etc, at their point of conception that coincides with the death of the former body. The mental continuum is the accumulation of knowledge from past lives and of karma gleaned whether from good or bad deeds. This rebirth comes on the instant heels of the death of the host.
If you read the link re: rebirth, you will discover that the consequences of ones' karma determines how they will be reborn whether as a human being, an animal, a ghost, a deva, a demigod or become a resident of hell. What type of uncertain future is that?
Dr. K. Sri Dhammananda, author of What Buddhists Believe, tells us the cause of this rebirth (page 129) is...
"Unsatisfied desire for existence and sensual pleasures..."
By contrast, we followers of Jesus Christ say we have been "born again". In fact, during Jesus's tenure upon earth He told Nicodemus in the gospel of John 3:7...
"You must be born again." (NIV)
And this action needed doing BEFORE death of the person; before death, not after. This being 'born again' meaning to have salvation through Jesus Christ. Coming into God's family by accepting God's offer of salvation to give the one accepting, forgiveness of sins and eternal life where there will be no more suffering and a relationship with God that we can enjoy here and now. What a bright, certain future!
Jesus took all the punishment for our sins on the cross and through His death and resurrection. The only intelligent "work" we must do is to humbly accept this gift from God.
No more striving. We can be sure we reach that point of "righteousness" because God imputes (Romans 4:5) His righteousness to us at the point of rebirth, of being born again spiritually, in and through Jesus. Jesus is the only Way. He told the people of the day, "I am the Way..." (John 14:6). We will then exist for ever "with Christ" (Philippians 1:23). This is called eternal life and is looked forward to with great joy.
The opposite is eternal death. That existence is just as sure and the place is called Hell. Oh how we do not like to speak of Hell. Who wants to become a "resident of Hell"? According to God's Word, this is the only other future existence of a human being after one's one and only present lifetime death.
That is why I plead with anyone reading this that is not yet a follower of Jesus Christ, to come to Him today, right now. God's Word plainly says that it is...
"Not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to His (God's) mercy..." (Titus 3:5).
And then in Ephesians 2:8 we learn...
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God."
The "been saved" meaning being born again.
Yes, indeed there is a will to live in most people and God offers that opportunity to one and all. Freely He has given...freely receive and be reborn into Christ's family; therein is life, for ever more. There is not a ceasing to exist, but a continuation and joyous bliss, "with Christ".
Buddhists talk about past lives and that Gautama Buddha could even remember his numerous ones from eons and eons past. Yet some cannot remember, says Sri Dhammananda for the following reason which he states in his book page 130...
"...We cannot remember our past lives because our mind at present is always overburdened with many thoughts in the present day-to-day events and mundane circumstances."
Or, the past lives cannot be remembered because there were no past lives? There have been times I have jokingly said, "Oh, such and such was the case in my past life." My meaning on the "past life" is referring to a chapter of my life that happened at various times and/or places in which I have lived thus far these 57 years. My early childhood, then a major move to another country until adulthood. Then even more major moves through these adulthood years. Fifty some years ago seems like a different lifetime ago, perhaps, yet this is still my one and only life here and now on earth.
God formed the man Adam and then breathed into him the "breath of life" (Genesis 2:7). That was the very beginning of Adam's soul/spirit. His body eventually died but his soul/spirit lingers on kept somewhere by God.
God is eventually going to give all His children "incorruptible" bodies (1 Corinthians 15:42) in which our soul/spirits will reside. They will last for eternity to come.
This one life we live on earth is precious; don't waste it and don't miss the eternal life in Christ to come. Children of God, my brothers and sisters-in-Christ here's a mini poem I grew up with. My Mom had it hanging in the bathroom so we were often compelled to read it. Here it is:
"Only one life will soon be past;
Only what's done for Christ will last."
~author unknown~
How can Buddhists rid themselves of the endless cycle of rebirth? Sri Dhammananda suggests an answer on pages 134-135...
"Having to eradicate their craving and attachment from their minds. Having seen and experienced the uncertainty and unsatisfactoriness of life under worldly conditions, wise people try to rid themselves of these repeated rebirths and deaths by following the correct path of mental purification."
That would be via the Eight-Fold Path of Enlightenment. To be "rid...of rebirths..." how good it would be for those who follow this belief. Yet Jesus showed the other way, "You must be born again" (John 3:4). In Christ, therein is satisfaction; therein is certainty. He gives everlasting life. He purifies and renews our minds and hearts. It is wise people who become born again and receive the Holy Spirit of God to aid them in eschewing evil and seeking and pursuing what is good and pleasing in God's sight.
It is Jesus and His Holy Spirit we need. Do not trust to the "mental current" and "accumulation of experience and disposition transferred from one being to a new being just born". I cannot fathom waking up to find my consciousness embodied in a centipede, or cockroach or even a 'higher' animal form, much less to be a ghost. I do not mock. Just want to bring things into the perspective of reality. I'd rather like to avoid "the cycle of becoming to begin to revolve for still another term" (pages 134-135). I do not want to have to do life all over again and again.
This does not mean I have suicidal thoughts. No. It's just that since I can have rebirth without having my physical body die, I can also look forward to the life "with Christ" that is beyond the grave. The "everlasting life" where souls/spirits of those who belong to Christ will reside when their temporal bodies fatally fail them. Striving ceases.
On page 134 of What Buddhists Believe we read...
"Through hypnotism, some people have managed to reveal information of previous lives. Certain hypnotic states that penetrate into the subconscious mind make the recall of past lives possible."
"Rebirth or becoming again and again is a natural occurrence not created by any particular religion or god."
When one starts to mess with hypnotism one never knows what will transpire. The Word of God has much to say about this area. Click on the link re: Hypnosis so see some verses God wants us to consider. One can't refute what some remember of their supposed past lives but was it really a recall? Evil spirits disturb and confuse and lie and are very deceitful. Easy for them to suggest something with someone's mind as having transpired in the former mind of someone else, or of some animal, that the present person is now using. Satan is still on the loose and so are his demon minions.
There are "three types of consciousness functioning" says Sri Dhammananda on page 136 of his book, "at the moment of death in a person"...
"1. Rebirth-linking consciousness (not sure of the correct term here) 2. The current of passive consciousness or the current of life continuum (bhavanga) 3. Consciousness disconnecting the present life (cuti-citta)."
These kick in "at the last moment of a person's present life". Number 1 "arises" to activate the others. The end of number 3 gives rise to another number 1 the "very moment the new life begins".
"This is the process of death and rebirth according to Buddhism..."
At the moment of salvation through Jesus Christ is the moment of rebirth for that particular person in their present life. When Jesus calls us up to be with Him (1 Thessalonians 4:16), which among many Christians is termed "The Rapture," Jesus will give us incorruptible bodies, yet bodies recognizable to others as being who they were on earth.
Case in point was Jesus Himself. The disciples at the Sea of Galilee recognized who Jesus was (John 21:12). This was the time after Jesus' death and resurrection but before His ascension to Heaven. At first, they didn't recognize Him; perhaps the distance from the boat to the shore (John 21:4) but later on (vs 12), they knew. But strange wording,
"None dared ask him, "Who are you?" They knew it was the Lord."
This leads me to believe that Jesus had shed that corruptible temple (He was fully man as much as He was fully God) and had His Heavenly one back in such a way that the disciples knew something was different yet they could still recognize that this man cooking a fish breakfast was their Jesus. Their Jesus whom they had walked and talked with for three some years of ministry.
Backing up some to the time of Jesus's transfiguration (Matthew 17:2; Mark 9:2-9), Peter, James and John knew that Jesus was still Jesus.
At this time the three were awestruck to see Moses and Elijah appear. Hundreds of years prior, Elijah had been taken away in a whirlwind and fiery chariot (2 Kings 2:1-14). Moses had climbed one last mountain at the tender age of 120, viewed the Promised Land and then died. God, Himself, buried Moses (Deuteronomy 34:1-8, esp vs 5).
In the vision on the Mount of Transfiguration of Jesus that the disciples saw, they recognized just who these two were. My point is, the spirit/soul or the "mental current" did not transfer to anyone else nor to an animal; it had been kept safe with God.
When Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, all knew and recognized who he was (John 14:38-44).
The widow of Nain's son was also raised from the dead by Jesus and was known as to who he was (Luke 7:11-17).
When Jesus brought these people back from the dead, the individuals came back as themselves. Of course at that time they did not gain that incorruptible body as obviously we do not hear of 2000 year old people strutting about on earth. They would have died again. In due time they will gain that imperishable body when the rest of us do.
Only Jesus gives life and/or takes it away. The person, his or herself, cannot transfer or transmigrate their soul or spirit into another being. There is no such thing as a "used human spirit" or "mental current" available for another being's use.
The Christian soul/spirit goes to be "with Christ" (Philippians 1:21-23). All others go to Hades en route to Hell (Luke 1:19-31). We do not like to think about this but one must. Their eternal destiny is at stake.
The story of the rich man and Lazarus (different Lazarus from the one mentioned above), takes place in Hades. The rich man is in torment while Lazarus is in "Abraham's bosom" and not in torment (Luke 16:19-31).
It is said that Lazarus is no longer in any section of Hades (nor Abraham either). Rather, at Jesus's resurrection, He (Jesus) "led captivity captive" (Ephesians 4:8,9) and brought all those of faith in God away with Him out of that place.
Jesus had triumphantly conquered Death and Hell!! But let's not get off topic. The rich man and all others who do not have faith nor have accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior at point of death, will have their spirit/soul sent to Hades. In the end we learn in Revelation 20:11-15 & esp vs 14, "...death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire" (Hell).
Here are three links that may be of some help regarding the distinction between Hades and Hell, entitled On the Doorstep, But Don't Get to Enter -Part 7 and Part 8 and Part 9.
People do not like to think of these very unpleasant things. Buddhists do not believe in the need for a "Supreme Being" to help them in any of their intellectual "improvements". They can "save" themselves by these many improvements to reach that "highest bliss" (page 137) and purity of mind state, having conquered all "unsatisfied desires and sensual pleasures", enter 'Nirvana' which in turn causes them to become a Buddha, and to no longer need rebirth.
Nirvana is a state of being, not a place nor extinction. It is a state in which there is no more suffering or change. One is detached from all worldly things and even from other people. The world ceases to be an object of desire (pages 137-140).
While still on this earth, followers of Jesus will of course, continually struggle with earthly desires but when we see our Savior face-to-face in the heavenly realms to come, there will be no more sorrow or suffering or pain or tears (Revelation 21:1-7, esp vs 4). There will be much rejoicing and praising God together with those from every tribe and tongue and nation (Revelation 7:9; Revelation 5). There will not be detachment, but grand celebration with all our brothers and sisters in Christ, the family of God and most of all, with Christ our Savior.
~ERC 2018~
Page numbers refer to the book What Buddhists Believe by author Dr. K. Sri Dhammananda
For other references click on links provided or refer to the Holy Bible.
Human beings are fickle. Can they change their own karma? Dr. K. Sri Dhammananda explores this in his book What Buddhists Believe. He says good deeds that come naturally are not "good enough", there needs to be "purposeful action and intention" (page 118) employed to carry weight enough to cancel the consequences of bad deeds. Very intentional choice of behavior to do good is necessary to carry that a step further, to break addictions in ones' life. This is the express effort of ones' own self engaged in helping ones' own self in the hopeful prognosis and desire of karma change for the better.
For those who read the Bible, they will discover that this type of 'work' is actually a work of God and of obedience on one's part in obeying God's Word. The Holy Spirit is indwelling a follower of Jesus Christ aiding them in that obedience. The follower chooses to obey, or not. They are not forced, but those helps are there at their instant beck and call. Resolve and perseverance in sustaining positive choice will help 'override' human fickleness. However, the credit goes to God our Father, whom we honor and obey and love and with whom we can have that Father-child/friend relationship.
Sri Dhammananda believes that our station of birth does have bearing on karma. For instance, was one born into a wealthy family and/or one of royalty? The person of mental &/or physical impairment would be treated better if he or she were born into a royal family rather than into a plebeian one.
Appearance can often affect how a person is treated. Think about whether a person is ugly and rich, or handsome and poor. There may be some help for them each but the ugly one may well be the one to 'win' a girl's heart, not by his looks but by what he has in his pocket. However the poor chap may be able to improve his station in life through a better job opportunity due to his looks (pages 120-121).
Putting in good effort is another factor that can help someone change their karma, says Sri Dhammananda. For example, that old story of the guy sitting in his house which is burning down around him. He's sitting in his lazy boy chair in his living room praying and pleading with all he's got in him for God to rescue him and his house. Yes, God could have made it rain in torrents but why didn't the guy call the fire department on his way out the door? I think there is some truth in the saying, "God helps those who help themselves". Yet the lazy boy guy had misplaced effort.
Sri Dhammananda says on page 121...
"Effort or intelligence is perhaps the most important of all the factors that affect the working of karma. Without effort, both worldly and spiritual progress is impossible. If we do not make the effort to cure our disease, or to save ourselves from difficulties, or to strive with diligence for progress, then evil karma will find a suitable opportunity to manifest its due effects. However, if we endeavor to surmount difficulties and problems, our good karma will come to help."
We can have all the effort, intelligence, appearance and high rank in society there is and it can and will benefit one throughout their life, yet what is your true goal? Attempting to change our own karma can only go so far. There is a point in which we have to acknowledge, "I need help", "I can't do this alone anymore!" Ultimately, in the end, we need to accept God's help. In this we cannot save ourselves except to accept His help. He is the one who can and has carried the weight of our bad deeds and fallen sinful nature.
"Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:12 KJV).
Think back to the story of David the shepherd boy in the book of 1 Samuel and chapter 16. Go have a read; it's very interesting. David had many older brothers who were so much better looking than he. That fooled the prophet Samuel but it sure didn't fool God. Finally, when Samuel had run out of Jesse's sons that were passed before him, Samuel, I imagine, must have been scratching his head, "Hmm, God sent me here to anoint one of the many sons yet He didn't indicate any of these and they are so very tall and handsome. Well, maybe there is another hiding away somewhere." Jesse, at last, admitted there was still one more son. A son of insignificance to the big older brothers and apparently even in the father's thinking. (The baby of the family?!! He's only good for looking after the sheep.) Samuel had to learn, as do we, that God looks at the heart, not at the appearance as man does (see 1 Samuel 16:7).
The apostle James addresses this appearance issue when he tells the people to be no respecter of persons. Don't treat the rich brother differently than the poorer one by offering a better place to sit to the rich brother (see James 2:3).
Human nature will be biased to what they may consider "better" but in God's eyes we are to treat each with the same unconditional love. After all, to prove His love and care, God sent Jesus to earn salvation for the "whosoever will" (see John 3:16) so that all may have equal opportunity of forgiveness of sins, eternal life, relationship with God Himself through Jesus and that eternity living with no more evil, unwholesome desires or actions that lead to suffering; no more suffering. What a glorious end that never ends!
This is God helping those who help themselves. This is God's sovereignty and man's responsibility working in tandem. The analogy of train tracks is such that a train cannot run without both rails. So God engages our intelligence and our effort in such scenarios of the aforementioned lazy boy chair guy. Do what one can to save oneself in everyday living as you pray for God's help and intervention on your behalf. But for eternal security, go to God and accept His offer of salvation.
The fickleness of mankind and his bad, unwholesome deeds and actions will never annul that salvation once received. That which is God-given is secure. He will never ever take it back even when we do wrong. In this our end "karma" cannot change. God is holding our salvation securely in His hands and Jesus's hands are wrapped around that too, holding us tightly. No one, not even our own selves, can snatch us out of His hands (see John 14:28-30; Isaiah 41:13).
Here are some more questions that are commonly asked. Why does good happen to the wicked people? Why does bad happen to the good people?
Dr. K. Sri Dhammananda says (pages 121-122) the wicked person likely did something good in a previous life while the good person must have done something bad. In their present life the consequences are coming out (experienced); that's the karma of it. Seems unfair. And so one really does have to depend on someone outside of themselves; perhaps many previous someones, to do what is right and good, so that in the this life of a person or creature, there will be a better life with less suffering.
This 'karma' Sri Dhammananda explains is a
"force or form of energy that ...is like wind or fire...stored up and..." (pages 122-123)
basically, just happens at random. You never know when, where or how it will strike. He goes on to say on page 127...
"Generally speaking, whatever good and bad deeds people commit within this life-time, they will definitely experience the reaction within this life or hereafter. It is impossible to escape from their results simply by praying, but only by cultivating the mind and leading a noble life."
Will one ever be able to reach Buddhahood and/or Nirvana?
Definitely there are consequences to the things we do; whether for good or for bad. Maybe to ourselves and maybe also to our family members and/or to others even to subsequent generations. Just think of the gambler who dies still in deep debt. What predicament does he leave his family in? Poverty? In danger of recrimination from those owed?
Yes, a noble life would leave a much better legacy for all involved.
Again, look at the far surpassing legacy Jesus left for one and all, for the "whoever". Think about it. What Jesus did more than 2000 years ago through His death and resurrection is still just as good an offer as it was way back then. Won't you change your 'karma' by accepting His gift of salvation? It would be a done deal, so to speak, and a sure reality. You can have this in the present and will tide you over for all your future well being all the way into and throughout all eternity.
Jesus is the One, and only perfect, spotless, sinless One who is eligible to eradicate our selfishness and conflicts of desires and unwholesomeness of mind. In Him we can experience peace and happiness even despite the manifold difficulties of life.
To become a follower of Jesus Christ to gain a place in heaven is NOT to do good deeds to earn that place BUT to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and then do good deeds, which were ordained by God in advance, for us to do to serve Him and that out of gratitude for Him (Ephesians 2:10).
"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them" (ESV).
We may still be fickle, but Jesus is the Anchor of the soul on whom we can depend. He'll bring us safely and securely to our Heavenly Home: spirit, soul and new incorruptible body; justified and sanctified. Selfishness gone. Unwholesomeness gone. Unsatisfactoriness gone. Desires, except to please Him, gone.
I look forward to that.
~ERC 2018~
