[wbeachcomber]

The Buddha himself points this out in the Maha Cattarisaka SUtta, MN 117. He calls the belief-centered ethical systems such as karma/reincarnation "right view with defilements" (sammaditthi sasava), and distinguishes his own Noble Right View from these belief-cantered ethics.

Thanks dear Stuka,

This is why practice requires to be done "just because" and not for the sake of a "better reincarnation" because this is not the Buddha teaching of the Eightfold Noble Path if it is done in accordance with the Four Noble Truths.

This word "sasava" is significant here -- its root is "asava", which is translated as defilememts, pollutants, taints, fermentations, effluents. These are the same "taints" or "effluents", etc., that the Buddha talks about elsewhere, and he declares the goal of the path is the ending of the asavas.

The Buddha defines the asavas as sensuality, becoming, ignorance, and speculative view, all of which we can see are intrinsic to ontology/belief-based ethical doctrines such as karma/reincarnation.

Thanks Stuka