We have given strong evidence that there is, in fact, reincarnation, and that causal relationships dominate reincarnation. In these examples we have mentioned those who killed others received miserable consequences, and those bloody murders caused bitter retributions; it is already so embittering to be a human, let alone the three evil paths of hell, ghost, and animal. Do we have any way to transcend the everlasting bitterness of birth and death?
Modern science has not advanced enough to study these questions. Scientific research can only go so far! To contemplate further, we still need to rely on Buddhist sutras. Our mentor, Master Chin Kung, said,
It is a pity that scientists nowadays
do not read Buddhist sutras.
If they did,
scientists would have more
profound contemplations,
and science today would be more advanced.
Can people transcend reincarnation?
Buddhism has the answer!
Scientists should also move toward this development. This concept was also endorsed by Albert Einstein, the Father of Modern Physics.
Natural And Spiritual, In One Meaningful Unity - Einstein
Einstein discovered the theory of relativity, quantum mechanics, and the photoelectric effect. His discoveries laid the foundation for modern science and built a basis for the development for astrophysics. He won the Nobel Prize for his contribution to photoelectric effect theory. In an article called Religion and Science, Einstein wrote:
The religion of the future
(referring to the religion of the 21st century),
will be a cosmic religion.
It (this religion) should transcend a personal God
and avoid dogmas and theology.
Covering both the natural and spiritual,
it should be based on a religious sense
arising from the experience of all things,
natural and spiritual, in a meaningful unity.
His words “in a meaningful unity” are marvelous. Einstein spoke of the universe as one unity! His last sentence is the most brilliant:
Buddhism is the religion described above.
If there is any religion that would be able to
cope with modern scientific needs,
it would be Buddhism.
Einstein had the wisdom to be the Father of Modern Physics. He had pointed out, decades ago, that future scientific development would have to rely on Buddhism.
So, can people transcend reincarnation?
Only in Buddhism can we find the answer!
To understand why people reincarnate, we must first learn the root cause of reincarnation.
Manifested By The Heart
Of course, there can be many reasons to reincarnate. Each of you might have the answer in your heart. Yet the Buddha told us that:
The root cause is because we are deluded,
deluded about the truth of life and the universe.
Due to this delusion, we then create karma,
and due to creating karma we suffer from reincarnation.
This is what is described in sutras as “The wheel of
being deluded, making karma, and receiving retribution.”
As a matter of fact, reincarnation can be an endless cycle, like a wheel. The Buddha simply used three words — delusion, karma, and suffering — to expound the root cause of this endless birth and death for us. But we have to ask,
Since the root cause is delusion,
what are we deluded about?
The most fundamental delusions, in Buddhist terminology, are:
●The delusion of view and cognition:
Erroneous views and cognition, which hinder nirvana, preventing one from seeing emptiness and attaining nirvana.
●The delusion of dust-sand:
Mental disturbances of a bodhisattva when dealing with innumerable details like dust and sand to help all beings, which hinder one's bodhisattva path. It is the hindrance to understanding the true nature of all phenomena, so one does not have enough skillful means to lead sentient beings to liberation.
●The delusion of Avidya:
The affliction arising from primal nescience which hinders one from the Middle Way. It is
the subtlest affliction that prevents one from fully realizing the ultimate reality.
A deeper discussion of these belongs to the theory of doctrines. But the most basic delusion is: we separate ourselves from the “one meaningful unity of the universe and all things” as Einstein referred to. The truth of the universe is “one unity.” All things and all beings are the common
thread of one life community. If we are deluded about this point, giving rise to a deluded mind, it is called ignorance (avidya). If we think we are not part of one unity, this is ignorance that leads to attachment and discrimination.
Once we differentiate you from me, we have thoughts of selfishness. We might even harm others to benefit ourselves, creating boundless evil karma. Of course, this evil karma will beget retribution — and that is why we suffer endless reincarnation. So the fundamental delusion is denying that we are “the common thread of one life community.”
Where does this community come from?
According to Buddhist sutras, the common thread of one life community is
Merely manifested by our heart.
The universe is one unity, and the one unity is our heart!
Buddhism reveals to us that the universe is manifested by self-nature (true heart, true nature, noumenon, thusness, Buddha nature). Our self-nature manifests the vastness of dharma-realms in one thought, manifesting the universe and all things.
Manifest In A "Ksana*"
You may ask, how long have the universe and all the things in it existed? The Buddha told us the truth: its time is only within one thought. The universe and all things manifest in an instant because the thought of our hearts is constantly changing. Our self-nature creates and recreates the universe instantly, yet manifestation also ceases instantly. When another thought arises, it manifests a new realm, and the whole universe is manifested again.
Think of entering a dark room. We turn on the light and the whole room can be seen clearly. Turn off the light, and the room goes dark again. Our thoughts are just like this, on and off, arising and ceasing — too fast to be detected. It is arising and ceasing in a “ksana.” This is the truth of the universe and life. The “on and off” is so fast that we cannot detect it, so the Buddha called it “non-arising, non-ceasing.” In fact, non-arising, non-ceasing is not without arising and ceasing — but the speed of the arising and ceasing happens so fast — in a “ksana”— that what we see is, essentially, non-arising and non-ceasing.
This is the truth of the universe and life!
* Ksana is a Sanskrit word for a split second, an extremely short time.
The Return Of Self-Nature
Einstein stated that the universe and all things are merged into one unity. But where does this one unity go? We must know that it goes to our “one thought.”
This “one thought of self-nature”
is the origin of the universe and all things,
which is the “noumenon” of the universe and all things,
they merged into one unity here in our “one thought.”
This is called the return of self-nature.
If we are deluded about this truth of the universe and life, we will be subject to delusion, discrimination, and attachment, where we repeatedly create karma and receive retribution. The Buddha understands the truth of the universe and life, He is not deluded, so He will not create karma, and of course, He will not receive retribution. Although He no longer creates karma, the Buddha will still demonstrate cause and effect in order to edify and liberate all beings.
So, even the Buddha would not intervene in causality!
Although we have been talking about the truth of the universe and life in Buddhism, and each of you might understand it, I am afraid that when you finish reading, you will forget again. You will have all sorts of wandering thoughts, therefore being deluded, creating karma, and receiving retribution again. Due to our “karmic habits,” we sentient beings — even if we comprehend this truth — will still find it difficult to transform our minds.
Does that mean that we have no way to transcend reincarnation?
There Are Ways!
Transcend Reincarnation With The Pure Land Method
Shakyamuni Buddha had great compassion. He knew that we sentient beings would not be able to transform our minds and eradicate our sinful karma, even if we understood it. He thus prescribed a special method for us, which is:
Reciting Amitabha and seeking Sukhāvatī rebirth —
to be reborn into The Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.
This method of reciting Amitabha is rather profound in theory. If we do not understand “the essence of self-nature,” we will not have a deep comprehension of The Pure Land Method. But due to His mercy, Buddha taught us to simply recite a chant to find liberation!
The Buddha let us cultivate from the root. Our “one thought” is the root. The universe and all things merge into one unity, and this one unity is the noumenon of our “one thought of self-nature.” Therefore, we should start to cultivate and discipline our thoughts. But how?
The Buddha let us recite Amitabha — using this “one thought” to replace all sorts of our wandering thoughts! Because the thought of Amitabha is a pure thought. If we can recite the pure thought of Amitabha again and again — Amitabha, Amitabha, Amitabha — our thoughts will be purified. If we recite this Buddha's name incessantly, our minds will be purified before we know it. When our thought is purified and limpid, just like the saying in The Zhong Feng Thrice Yearning Ceremony,
When reciting Amitabha —
just as the “crystal bead” goes into a turbid water,
sinking little by little and turning the water limpid —
your heart will be purified bit by bit
as your recitation of Amitabha continues incessantly.
Pure Land of Our Own Heart
Then we ask, what kind of realm will this purified mind manifest? That is The World of Ultimate Bliss, Sukhāvatī. The World of Ultimate Bliss is called Pure Land. Pure Land is manifested merely by our own true heart. It is the pure land of our true heart.
This concept is extremely profound. If you understand it, that is great — but if not, no matter. Why? Because if you just recite Amitabha, Amitabha, incessantly, you can also reach this pure thought. As long as it is a pure thought, you can manifest The Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss as well.
So as death approaches us, we rely on the pure thought of reciting Amitabha, Amitabha will then manifest in our thought and escort us to rebirth. Where will we be reborn? We will be reborn into The World of Ultimate Bliss (Sukhāvatī) of our own thoughts. The masters in the past said,
Though being reborn is definite,
one actually doesn't go anywhere.
You did not go anywhere! It is still within the dharma-realm of your “one thought.” Yet you are definitely reborn into The World of Ultimate Bliss. Why? The manifestation of your thought is The World of Ultimate Bliss — it is the Amitabha you recite!
This method is extraordinary. It tacitly coincides with the wonderfulness of Dao (Tao). Unknowingly, you enter The World of Ultimate Bliss by reciting Amitabha. This method can indeed help sinful mortals like you and me to be liberated eternally from the reincarnation of birth and death within this one life. The Buddha said to us, we sentient beings with deep, sinful karma can only be liberated by this method of reciting Amitabha. The Infinite Life Sutra indicates to us,
All people, divine beings, and all sentient beings
of present and future, will all be liberated by this method.
In conclusion, let me summarize what I have shared here in three points:
●First, a great amount of scientific evidence has revealed to us that the soul definitely exists and reincarnation is definitely real.
●Second, reincarnation is dominated by karma.
●Third, the most remarkable cause and effect in reality is
“Reciting Amitabha is the cause, and
becoming a Buddha is the effect.”
This method includes this phrase: “Namo Amitabha,” which means, “Homage to Amitabha.” If you wish to be free from the misery of samsara eternally, you can only rely on reciting Amitabha to be reborn into The Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss (Sukhāvatī). I wish for us all to recite Amitabha conscientiously and be reborn into The Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss together! Thank you everyone!
Namo Amitabha!
related post: Additional Remarks～The Law Of Causality～By Master Chin Kung
Source Of Information:
《The Scientific Proof Of Causal Reincarnation》, by Dr. Zhong Maosen (Venerable Ding Hong), translated by Mahayana Pureland Team, published by Mahayana Pureland Organization, distributed by: Persatuan Penganut Agama Buddha Amitabha Malaysia, 90 & 92, Jalan Pahang, Gombak, 53000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.)
*** The information provided above does not contain personal opinion of this blog.
No comments:
Post a Comment