Nonsense in Buddhism II (1 of 2) - Life After Death - Rebirth and Reincarnation

An investigation into some of the nonsense that is commonly taught under the name of Buddhism.

This video is a response to:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZZupDuprhU

This video is not to be understood to be a criticism of the Buddha or his teachings, which I believe are something else entirely.

Links to references:

Is your brain really necessary?

http://www.sciencemag.org/content/210/4475/1232

http://www.flatrock.org.nz/topics/science/is_the_brain_really_necessary.htm

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Buddhism
• rebirth
• Reincarnation
• Buddha
• Buddhist
• Philosophy
• life
• Gautama Buddha
• Meditation

[cartoonhead5]

@KevinSolway Yes just like the parts of the car can still be used on others or an organ can be transplanted to a living person the car is still gone and the person is still dead though some of their "parts" might survive. That is something the believers in reincarnation cannot or do not want to understand.

[KevinSolway]

@cartoonhead5 Yes, it would only be continuation of memory. There is no "self" apart from memory, and other such things, just as there is no "car" apart from the parts of a car. This was the essence of the Buddha's teaching of "anatma" ("no-self"), but this fact is lost on Buddhists, who have no comprehension whatsoever as to what the Buddha taught.

[cartoonhead5]

@KevinSolway I agree with your above comment, but what I was getting at was even if reincarnation was true (which of course its not)it would not be personal survival just continuation of memory. Do you agree or disagree with that?

[KevinSolway]

@cartoonhead5 My view is that we are not the same person for two consecutive moments, since all things are changing all the time. Some times things change more rapidly than others, such as in the case of brain damage, or death. My issue with Buddhist reincarnation is that cause and effect doesn't happen in neat, separate channels, but that one cause has many, simultaneous effects. It's not the case that one thing turns into another one thing, but that one thing has countless simultaneous effects

[cartoonhead5]

Part 2 - But it is not impossible that somehow my memory could be preserved and implanted in the mind of a clone or something. Or yet that we live in a kind of dream world and when the body dies a dreamer wakes with all memory of the dream still intact. But my question is, is that clone or the dreamer "me"? Is that PERSONAL survival or not? What are your thoughts on this Mr. Solway?

[cartoonhead5]

In thinking about this issue of life after death, I cannot yet decide whenever it is one of those extremely unlikely things or an absolutely impossible one. This has to do with the question "what is the self"? It cannot be the personality because it can be lost (through brain damage and the like)nor can it be the body because the body like all things is always changing.

[AmpsforBuddha]

Are we here to find the truth or to win the argument?

[TheVopepigota]

i recomend people actually watch the ajahn brahm video he has sampled so biasly. its proably about a practical life problem and the skillful ways of going about handleing life problems. 99% of buddhism is practical and expirential. those who say otherwise are, sadly, the ones who could benifit from buddhism the most :(. metta, karuna, mundita, upekkha

[KevinSolway]

@grubelsucht "Such pontificating and braggadocio from one who "knows Buddhism" deserves insults"

Typical Buddhist illogic on your part.

You need to demonstrate, using reason, that I am wrong. It is because you can't do this that you resort to insults.

Yes, you are a beginner.

[grubelsucht]

@KevinSolway Such pontificating and braggadocio from one who "knows Buddhism" deserves insults, but I did not make them. You made them in your mind. Yes, I am talking about nothing, I must wake up. I have traveled the world and sat many hours in meditation for many years and I'm still a beginner. Do not comment further.