DiscussWorldIssues - Socio-Economic Religion and Political Uncensored Debate - View Single Post - Are rebirth beliefs important to your practice?

**letmelogin** · 10-06-2010, 03:09 PM

Are rebirth beliefs important to your practice? I'd be interested in hearing your responses to this question.

I used to think the issue important, but without really knowing why, except that I saw it as a motivator (e.g., "the world is not a nice place and I would prefer to depart it"). Now, since it is a matter of disagreement, and refraining from taking a stance on it does not seem to hinder practice, I prefer to focus on other aspects of the Dhamma. Also, I never felt quite comfortable with the idea that the world was something to depart from, to leave behind, because it is fraught with dukkha. I realised I did not want to look at my children and say to myself, "I prefer to depart the world than stay here with you". If we refrain from considering rebirth an essential part of the Dhamma, then I can stay and enjoy the world, but hopefully without being attached to it.

10-06-2010, 03:09 PM	#14
letmelogin Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 452 Senior Member	Are rebirth beliefs important to your practice? I'd be interested in hearing your responses to this question. I used to think the issue important, but without really knowing why, except that I saw it as a motivator (e.g., "the world is not a nice place and I would prefer to depart it"). Now, since it is a matter of disagreement, and refraining from taking a stance on it does not seem to hinder practice, I prefer to focus on other aspects of the Dhamma. Also, I never felt quite comfortable with the idea that the world was something to depart from, to leave behind, because it is fraught with dukkha. I realised I did not want to look at my children and say to myself, "I prefer to depart the world than stay here with you". If we refrain from considering rebirth an essential part of the Dhamma, then I can stay and enjoy the world, but hopefully without being attached to it.
	Quote