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**Immerymopay** · 12-22-2010, 08:51 PM

Was the emphasis that some Buddhist schools placed on the doctrine of rebirth intended mostly for the purposes of morality ?

What do you think?

Do you think contemplation of post-mortem rebirth is useful to you ?

It is plausible to me that the ideas of rebirth and, even moreso, karma had as their aim producing a concern about morality. I don't know enough of the details of Buddhist teaching to be able to support this comment with specific references.

Post-mortem rebirth, and especially its link to karma, reminds me of the Christian obsession with "living a good life" to ensure entry into heaven ( analogous to nirvana in some sense?). It seems to me that, at best, the idea is a distraction and is of no use to me in my day-to-day life, and, at worst, is an attachment that hinders being in the here and now.

In short, neither karma nor rebirth are ideas which have any influence on me. Ruminating about the truth or non-truth of rebirth is equivalent, to me, to the same activity about the existence or non-existence of God - a waste of energy and time.

12-22-2010, 08:51 PM	#2
Immerymopay Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 492 Senior Member	Was the emphasis that some Buddhist schools placed on the doctrine of rebirth intended mostly for the purposes of morality ? What do you think? Do you think contemplation of post-mortem rebirth is useful to you ? It is plausible to me that the ideas of rebirth and, even moreso, karma had as their aim producing a concern about morality. I don't know enough of the details of Buddhist teaching to be able to support this comment with specific references. Post-mortem rebirth, and especially its link to karma, reminds me of the Christian obsession with "living a good life" to ensure entry into heaven ( analogous to nirvana in some sense?). It seems to me that, at best, the idea is a distraction and is of no use to me in my day-to-day life, and, at worst, is an attachment that hinders being in the here and now. In short, neither karma nor rebirth are ideas which have any influence on me. Ruminating about the truth or non-truth of rebirth is equivalent, to me, to the same activity about the existence or non-existence of God - a waste of energy and time.
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