[Niobaralegra]

Dear theseeking1,

Yes I do understand what I have said here.
The first law of thermodynamics is a fact scientifically, and since this is true, what's to say that the energy which we consider life/consciousness doesn't carry on into some other form. I did not state reincarnation in my post. I only said what if it takes another form.

There is a huge misunderstanding of the definition of energy underpinning this line of thought. This view is neither supported by research in organic chemistry and physics, nor by the Buddha. According to the Buddha's teachings and present-day science, energy is not considered life/consciousness.

You have also just stated here that the energy does still exist in a different form. It is no longer in the human body, but in another organic state. And you're right there is no spirituality involved there. But it is still the life energy of the deceased person. Correct?

Incorrect. It is no longer the life energy of the deceased person. The person no longer owns that energy. It is not theirs. To assume that "it is still the life energy of the deceased person" is to cling to some kind of Atman, which the Buddha refuted.

I'm confused here, it is possible to burn anything, and decomposing is not burning.

It is possible to burn things because they contain potential chemical energy. The body's energy does not all leave it after a person has died. Therefore, the energy has not transmigrated to another being, and is certainly not guided to do so by God, a Deity, or Karma. The body's energy, upon death, can either be converted into thermal energy/heat (by burning, not transferred as a "life force"), or it can be consumed (as calories, food, not transferred as a "life force") by other organisms as they eat the decomposing body. This is what happens to energy, this is how energy is transformed at death.

Once again you are just restating what I said and you said in the first part of this post. The energy is not destroyed just changes form.

You appear to be proposing that energy transmigrates to preserve the individuality of a being through some variety of reincarnation, which is extremely far off from being supported by the first law of thermodynamics or by the Buddha's teachings. Energy is not transformed in the fanciful way suggested in your post.

Please look at what I wrote, I did say depends on what you believe. Which also included Karma or a Deity.

This seems to reflect a misunderstanding of the Buddha's teachings on karma. The word karma literally means action. It is not some higher power that guides the departed or their energy into a new body after death.

If I remember correctly you do not believe in rebirth, I do and so we will not agree here.

No. I neither believe nor disbelieve in literal, post-mortem rebirth. I have no fixed position. The type of rebirth you seem to believe in contradicts the Buddha's teachings, as the Buddha did not propose the transmigration of energy as the continuation of a personality from life to life, and certainly did not suggest that rebirth is facilitated by a higher power.

No he did not, but he spoke of rebirths in lower or higher realms which our Karma causes the mind/consciousness to experience.

With Metta

This has nothing to do with God/Deity/higher power as a "guiding force."



Abhaya