[Buddha-l] rebirth

[Joy Vriens]

Stefan Detrez wrote:

> One possible reason for the Buddha to retain the 'belief' in rebirth is 
> 1) to have some incentive for moral behaviour, and 2) for the teaching 
> not to resemble nihilist philosophies like the lokayata or carvaka.

Possibly, but then it begs the question was such incentive necessary and 
why should the teaching not resemble nihilist philosophies? I think he 
simply "retained" it because he believed in it, although not out of 
choice like is the case for many of us, but out of habit, because it was 
taken for granted as you say.

> But 
> basically one can assume that belief in rebirth was taken for granted, 
> so in this sense the Buddha had more affinity with Brahmanism, then with 
> countercultural ascetics who did otherwise. Maybe a close tie between 
> khattiyas and brahmins is suggested by this affinity.

The Buddha seems a fine mixture of Dionysos and Appolo, non-dualism and 
dualism, which creates a strong dynamic. Later developments seemed to 
have stressed one of those aspects or both, without ever resolving the 
enigma. Not unlike our good friend Jesus.

> If you ask me, the references to rebirth are scarce and the content of 
> its discussion is often vague in the suttas.

Yes, that is the impression I have too.

Joy