reincarnation project
TRANSCRIPT
ReincarnationProject by: Haleigh SullivanHU 281 Professor Lee12/1/14
What is Reincarnation?
● Reincarnation literal translation:Carne= Flesh Incarnate= Soul or spirit entering a human body.To RE incarnate means that you do this over and over again, in a cycle. Reincarnation is also known as transmigration or metempsychosis
Reincarnation in Hinduism
Hinduism believes that one’s soul (atman) is infinite and must pass through many different bodies (jivas) and experience many deaths and rebirths in order to become divine and return back to it’s original source. Each jiva has an ego arising from attachments and desires. This ego creates ignorance causing the physical body to react on it’s desires, which inevitably causes suffering.
WHEEL OF LIFE
Reincarnation in Hinduism Cont.
● In Hinduism there is a belief that a person cannot overcome all of their imperfections in just one lifetime. This is why the cycle of samsara exists.
Samsara is the cycle of death, birth, and rebirth that one goes through on their quest to enlightenment (moksha). The goal is to ultimately free one’s self from this endless cycle. You can do this with a combination of: Good Karma and Dharma
In order to free yourself you must perform the duties of a righteous life. This is called Dharma, or the universal laws (Which when followed) relieve you from suffering.
http://www.world-religions-professor.com/reincarnation-karma.html
KarmaKarma is know as the Law of Cause and Effect.
*Every action MUST have a resultKarma includes thoughts, desires, and actual deeds performed by each person…It is considered the PERFECT JUSTICE.The actions you perform in in one life will determine the conditions of any future existences. Long story short… YOU are the master of your own fate. Hinduism believes that if you do good in one life that you will enter the womb of a Brahman or other divine being. If you do bad, you will enter the womb of a dog or a swine.
How to find salvation...Hinduism offers many different paths to salvation,
they include: The way of Discipline, the way of Duty, and the way of Devotion.
THE WAY OF DISCIPLINE: This way consists of the different forms of Yoga. The goal of yoga is to gain control of both physical and mental processes. The favored end result would be a union with the divine (how to become a Brahman).
*It is the separation of spirit from matter. 1. Hatha Yoga- Complete mastery and control
over the body. Literally means “violent effort”. *without a perfectly healthy body, one cannot know bliss. 2. Jnana Yoga- Shortest and most difficult route. It
is the way of knowledge. *3 main parts: Education, reflection, and meditation
Shiva (lord of yoga) meditating
How to find salvation: Through discipline
Karma Yoga- Way to salvation through work. The idea that you can find god in the everyday world.
*Every action performed on earth has an imprint on the mind*Tasks in daily life become a way of devotion*all work is done without a sense of attachmentRaja Yoga- Road to reintegration by psychological experiment. *realization of a true passion for finding yourself*include the 5 abstentions from: Injury, lying, stealing, sensuality,
and greed. *Includes the 5 observations: Cleanliness, contentment, self control,
studiousness, and contemplation of the divine. *Also includes the mastery of meditation to find atman.
How to find salvation through devotion and
KnowledgeDEVOTION: *In order to find salvation through devotion you must accept the
lord Krishna as the supreme lord. Once you can surrender yourself to him, you will be able to find your true self.
*There is no separation between brahman and atman. KNOWLEDGE:
*Acquiring the truth through meditation*constantly devoting one’s self to living without expectations
and without belonging.*Deep focus on the mind and a devotion to remaining abstract.
Reincarnation in Buddhism
Buddhists believe in spending most of your energy on performing deeds that will result in happiness in the future. That means staying away from actions that will produce pain, and working to reverse the effects of bad deeds done in the past.
Buddhism is an off shoot of Hinduism, meaning that many of it’s beliefs are closely related to Hindu beliefs.
8 Fold Path: How to end suffering
The Noble Eightfold Path is also known as the Middle Way. It is a series of actions that one must abide by in order to end suffering in their life. It helps separate them from the belief in the infinite self and one’s ego.
1. Right Understanding2. Right Thought3. Right Speech4. Right Action5. Right Livelihood 6. Right Effort 7. Right Mindfulness8. Right Concentration
Maintaining 5 Buddhist precepts and refraining from..Causing death, taking property, sexual misconduct, lying, and drinking alcohol or doing drugs.
Meditative practice: helps purify the mind in order for it to gain insight and find bliss.
Develops compassionate understanding and ultimately a closer relationship with the Buddha.
Buddhism and RebirthBuddhists also believe in Samsara (cycle of rebirth)
Rebirth= movement of consciousness to a different physical foundation...
You can be reborn in fortunate bodies such as: God, demi god, or human
orYou can be reborn in more unfortunate bodies such as:
animal, ghost, or “hell being”Buddhists believe in “no-self”...a permanent self is seen
as only an illusion, and that believing in an infinite self is actually what CAUSES suffering.
● Person= chain of causes and effects driven by karma.
● To end suffering= necessary to understand an absence; to see that your self was never really there in the first place.
● Consciousness= mental and physical processes that makeup a person
Deeper understanding of
Consciousness...Rebirth is NOT a random occurrance…Mano= (sanskrit for “comprehending”)level of consciousness where one’s
actions performed on a daily basis are recorded and kept. (ie. relationships, memories, skills)
Alaya= (deeper level of consciousness) stores and records what motivates us to perform each action. This is where karmatic motivation is held.
Once you die….Everything stored in the Mano level of consciousness simply disappears. It is not
relevant for the things that will be done in your next life. Everything stored in the Alaya level of consciousness remains. It is held in the
field of “non-substansiality.” “Rebirth implies that the general tendencies of a new life are modulated or
affected by the tendencies of a past life.” (Ikeda, Unlocking the Mysteries of Birth and Death, 1988)
Differences between Mahayana and
TheravadaTHERAVADA:
● Practiced in southern parts of Asia
● Called “The Teaching of the Elders”
● More conservative● Seeks enlightenment first and
then returning to the cycle of samsara to help others.
● Practice more silent meditation● Goal is to get to achieve
enlightenment and liberation with less of a focus on the original path of Buddha.
● Follows Pali literature (earliest teachings of Buddha).
MAHAYANA:● Practiced in more northern
parts of Asia.● Called “The Great Vehicle”● Greater prominence of
Bodhisattva, and reaching Buddhahood.
● Believe in staying in Samsara a little longer in order to help others before gaining enlightenment.
● More of an emphasis on mantras and chanting.
● Goal is to reach enlightenment and liberation while following the path originally set forth by the Buddha.
● Emphasis on yoga to attain enlightenment.
Final notes on rebirth in Buddhism
*Buddhists believe that we are constantly learning and changing and that technically, we are being reborn all the time. Our consciousness flows with our karma. *By meditating one can understand the way things really are rather than just understanding what one perceives with only the senses. *Rebirth in future existences is not a reflection of the past personality or even a past social status. Rather it is a brand new beginning. *Everything goes through the cycles of birth and death ie. stars, galaxies, plants, animals, etc. *
Reincarnation in Buddhism video...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_
ZAg3IG2ZcMDifference between Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism…https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-UH1uaPEFI
Final videos on Reincarnation and differences between Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism...
Works Cited
Craig. "Buddhism for Beginners." Buddhism for Beginners. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2014. <http://www.taleofgenji.org/buddhism_for_beginners.html>.
Embree, Ainslie Thomas. The Hindu Tradition. New York: Modern Library, 1966. Print.
Ikeda, Daisaku. Unlocking the Mysteries of Birth and Death: Buddhism in the Contemporary World. London: Macdonald, 1988. Print.
Lopez, Donald S. The Story of Buddhism: A Concise Guide to Its History and Teachings. San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 2001. Print.
"Philosophy Home Page." Oriental Philosophy. N.p., 27 July 2000. Web. 29 Nov. 2014. <http://philosophy.lander.edu/oriental/yoga.html>.
Smith, Huston, and Huston Smith. The World's Religions: Our Great Wisdom Traditions. San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 1991. Print.
"The Buddhist Schools: Theravada and Mahayana." The Buddhist Schools: Theravada and Mahayana. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2014.