Kamma, Samsara and Rebirth
The Buddha's Middle way reflects the realization that once human beings have met their basic needs for food, clothing, shelter and medicine, to be known as " Four Requisites " then the very biological nature that makes survival possible becomes a basic discovery and self - realization. This biological nature depends on the biomechanical processes of " attraction " and " repulsion " common to all living things in what scientist call " the more evolt animal forms "
According to the Buddha's teaching, these processes have developed into desire and craving. These help us find food when we are hungry, clothing and shelter when we need protection from the element or danger, and a mate when we feel lust, thus guaranteeing that we live long enough to create more human beings. Without a way to reduce or eliminate, or regulate craving, our biological nature continues to do its job and we continue to experience the attraction and repulsion of everyday life. Thus our instinct hidden within the biological nature can drag us endlessly along, caught in the treadmill of birth and death, known as Samsara or " The cycle of Existence " in Buddhist term.
Generally, most of Buddhists believe in the cycle of birth and death or Samsara. Such belief is based on the recognition of the continuity of a series of lives from the past to the present and from the present to future. The present life is not the only one, and it does not dissolve in to nothingness at death.
According to most Buddhist concept, Samsara means that there exist lives prior or this one, and other existence will continue after its determination. Force of kamma sustains the process and the continuity of life, willful action based on desire, attachment and ignorance. This instinctive clinging to life, which is a universal attribute, is a determining factor for the continuation of existence.
Samsara also implies a plurality of different realm of existence, in which rebirth take place according to the nature of kammic energy. Some plane of existence are painful and are a result of evil and unwholesome kamma while others are filled with happiness and pleasurable experience, and are attained through the positive energy of wholesome kamma. The human realm is one, which contains a mixture of experiences, both pleasurable and painful. Is such interpretation questionably under the influencing ideals of Uppanisadic philosophy ?
Detailed explanation in these kinds of faiths and beliefs among Buddhism, Uppanisadic and some western idealistic philosophy, have been discussed in the fourth chapter of this book which the author quoted and gleaned some parts from the valuable English edition - Satre's Existentialism and Early Buddhism, written by the venerable Phra Medhidhammaporn [ Praya Mererk ] or in the present, Phradhevsophon, Rector of Maha - Chulalongkorrajvidhayalai.
In another way, Samsara can be also interpreted to refer to the changing state of consciousness within the mind. Some scholars construe Samsara to signify the stream of experiences that come within the sphere of perception. Thus, according to these interpretations, Samsara may either be viewed simply as a state of consciousness, or the many experiences with which an individual becomes involved. It follows then that there may be many births and deaths occurring from moment to moment in different planes of thought or experience. Such of this interpretation merely sounds too more compatible with the theory of Anatta or Soulessness in the Three Common Characteristics, according to the Buddhist philosophy.
Anyway, the ultimate goal in Buddhist practice is to be free from this cycle of birth and death. Samsara is considered undesirable as it lacks security and is liable to the vicissitudes and uncertainties of existence such as old age, diseases, death, pain, and suffering. Although the concept of thought about Samsara is unquestionable, many western theologians ever blamed that Buddhism is merely a negative or non - affirming religion.
According to Buddhism, the force of kamma producing defilements perpetuates the cycle of birth and death, chiefly by ignorance, craving and attachment. In order to achieve Nibbana, these defilements must be eliminated from the mind. This is by no means easy task for lay people. However, many are content to follow some basic ethical principles of Buddhist morality, such as generosity and moral precepts, in order to accumulate positive kamma in the hope of being reborn in a happy human or heavenly realm of existence.
By THE BUDDHA'S Core Teachings
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