DiscussWorldIssues - Socio-Economic Religion and Political Uncensored Debate - View Single Post - Theravada Reincarnation/Buddhist Reincarnation in General

**Kimeoffessyr** · 04-11-2010, 01:28 AM

So in this teaching, the Buddha has advised if a being abiding in the animal realm sees the Four Noble Truths, they can become human.

I think this is where the tradition comes from of reading the Dhamma to house pets and the like.
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@OP: In any event, rebirth is a very advanced sort of topic. It is an essential discussion to have, but in general pursuing it is skipping a lot of preliminary work. Two things are important for you to know:

The first thing is that whatever the view of rebirth one has, whether for or against or with reservation, it does not affect the practice of either Satipatthana (Four Establishments of Mindfulness, for Right Mindfulness), or Anapanasati (Breath Mindfulness, for Right Concentrarion).

The second thing, following directly from the first, is that Right Mindfulness (fulfilled independent of views on rebirth) leads to Right Concentration (also fulfilled independent of views on rebirth), and these then lead to Right Knowledge (which has to do with your question about rebirth), which finally leads to Right Liberation, or Nibbana. This is the process in the Gradual Training as described by the Buddha.

Right View, way back at the beginning, is a preliminary level of Right View that gets you going on the Path, and it has to do with understanding the Four Noble Truths in a general way. Paticcasamuppada, or Dependent Co-Origination (which is where the idea of Buddhist rebirth is taught), is a later and complex teaching that is to be pursued only when one has an appropriate foundation in Right Concentration.

Hopefully it becomes clear how discussions of rebirth can easily be enticing but are actually putting the cart before the horse. The Buddha said, "Come and see," and so you should, one step on the Path at a time. Prove things to yourself according to the Noble Eightfold Path, and let things come as they may.

04-11-2010, 01:28 AM	#14
Kimeoffessyr Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 514 Senior Member	So in this teaching, the Buddha has advised if a being abiding in the animal realm sees the Four Noble Truths, they can become human. I think this is where the tradition comes from of reading the Dhamma to house pets and the like. --- @OP: In any event, rebirth is a very advanced sort of topic. It is an essential discussion to have, but in general pursuing it is skipping a lot of preliminary work. Two things are important for you to know: The first thing is that whatever the view of rebirth one has, whether for or against or with reservation, it does not affect the practice of either Satipatthana (Four Establishments of Mindfulness, for Right Mindfulness), or Anapanasati (Breath Mindfulness, for Right Concentrarion). The second thing, following directly from the first, is that Right Mindfulness (fulfilled independent of views on rebirth) leads to Right Concentration (also fulfilled independent of views on rebirth), and these then lead to Right Knowledge (which has to do with your question about rebirth), which finally leads to Right Liberation, or Nibbana. This is the process in the Gradual Training as described by the Buddha. Right View, way back at the beginning, is a preliminary level of Right View that gets you going on the Path, and it has to do with understanding the Four Noble Truths in a general way. Paticcasamuppada, or Dependent Co-Origination (which is where the idea of Buddhist rebirth is taught), is a later and complex teaching that is to be pursued only when one has an appropriate foundation in Right Concentration. Hopefully it becomes clear how discussions of rebirth can easily be enticing but are actually putting the cart before the horse. The Buddha said, "Come and see," and so you should, one step on the Path at a time. Prove things to yourself according to the Noble Eightfold Path, and let things come as they may.
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