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**pseusawbappem** · 07-11-2012, 08:02 AM

Well, i suppose I am saying a human being practices religion with some kind of motive. For example, the not-self teachings may be embraced with the motivation to end suffering. Similarly, the rebirth teachings may be embraced for similar motives. I have asked in two posts, so far, what are the motives & benefits of embracing rebirth belief and also how can such motives & benefits be divorced from a personal motive or benefit?

The non-personal nature of anatta is itself the means to extinguish suffering. As for 'impersonal rebirth', I am unable to perceive how benefits can be derived from such a belief.

I can perceive benefits from personal rebirth belief but not from impersonal rebirth belief thus i ask

It is taught that we are composed of the 5 Skandhas and that they are sunyata. It might be useful, in relationship to your question of 'impersonal rebirth', to consider the scenario that the Form Skandha becomes 'unobservable' (I hate to use the word existence/non-existence here.), and later 'becomes observable' with a different form. During this 'transition of the Form Skandha', the remain 4 Skandhas continue doing whatever it is that they do.

In this scenario, what might appear to be 'rebirth/reincarnation' is still the same 'anatta,' and whatever benefits you associate with the teaching of anatta applies in this scenario as well.

After all, Skandhas are impermanent and sunyata, and that means they can change.

Now, whether or not the 5 Skandhas can exist without Form (even temporarily) is another topic that will not get any resolution here, so I will refrain from comment on it.

07-11-2012, 08:02 AM	#18
pseusawbappem Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 472 Senior Member	Well, i suppose I am saying a human being practices religion with some kind of motive. For example, the not-self teachings may be embraced with the motivation to end suffering. Similarly, the rebirth teachings may be embraced for similar motives. I have asked in two posts, so far, what are the motives & benefits of embracing rebirth belief and also how can such motives & benefits be divorced from a personal motive or benefit? The non-personal nature of anatta is itself the means to extinguish suffering. As for 'impersonal rebirth', I am unable to perceive how benefits can be derived from such a belief. I can perceive benefits from personal rebirth belief but not from impersonal rebirth belief thus i ask It is taught that we are composed of the 5 Skandhas and that they are sunyata. It might be useful, in relationship to your question of 'impersonal rebirth', to consider the scenario that the Form Skandha becomes 'unobservable' (I hate to use the word existence/non-existence here.), and later 'becomes observable' with a different form. During this 'transition of the Form Skandha', the remain 4 Skandhas continue doing whatever it is that they do. In this scenario, what might appear to be 'rebirth/reincarnation' is still the same 'anatta,' and whatever benefits you associate with the teaching of anatta applies in this scenario as well. After all, Skandhas are impermanent and sunyata, and that means they can change. Now, whether or not the 5 Skandhas can exist without Form (even temporarily) is another topic that will not get any resolution here, so I will refrain from comment on it.
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