[Buddha-l] rebirth

[Mike Austin]

In message <1138469324.5020.17.camel at localhost.localdomain>, Richard P. 
Hayes <rhayes at unm.edu> writes

>If one recalls past lives or believes the testimony of others who say
>they recall past lives, then rebirth is real enough. If one does not
>have such experiences, then there is really no need to give rebirth a
>second thought.

Quite the opposite, I feel. If we give it no more than a first thought, 
we will, on the one hand,  either prematurely abandon a teaching of the 
Buddha, or, on the other hand, blindly adopt a dogma. It is in the very 
'thinking about' and 'meditating on' that Buddha's teachings are proved 
to be beneficial.  It is for this reason that I accept the teachings on 
rebirth. I do not believe them, but I believe in them.

-- 
Metta
Mike Austin