[Buddha-l] Re: Magic

[Vicente Gonzalez]

Joy wrote:

JV> What the rebirth doctrine and Christian  dogma share is some sort
JV> of an immortal soul. Buddhism can try to  explain away that idea,
JV> but it will only convince those who accept  those explanations.
JV> Mostly Buddhists. 

there is not need of a soul to talk about rebirth. Moreover, rebirth
is an idea for the conventional knowledge.
Rebirth is not possible because there is not a self to continue.
Non-rebirth is not possible because there is not a self to die.

A deepest problem is keeping interdependence and emptiness when
using them. This philosophical side appears in depth with Fa-Tsang in
the Chinese Hua-Yen school, talking about the independence of dharmas.
The false rebirth keep the interdependence, while false non-rebirth
only is useful in moral purposes; in example to stress our effort in
the way. However, philosophically the non-rebirth drives to an
affirmation of the self in a strongest way than rebirth. Because
finally, there is a -self precisely because he can die. But when one
avoid to put a beginning or an end, then it can be contemplated like
an emptiness without falling in eternalism or nihilism.

In Thailand or China sure there is need of many explanations to show
the falsehood of false rebirth. However, here the spreaded falsehood
is the non-rebirth.


best regards,