pratityasamutpada, karma and rebirth

• What did the Buddha teach about metaphysical beliefs?


  The Buddha taught his followers not to waste time speculating about the existence of God and other metaphysical questions (Parable of the Poisoned Arrow - Majjhima Nikaya Sutta Pitaka). However, when he experienced enlightenment, he gained an understanding of the nature of the universe as interconnected, which he taught his followers.
• What is Pratityasamutpada?


  is the Buddhist belief in the interconnectedness and interdependence of all things, through karma and rebirth. Christmas Humphreys defines it as "The Theory of Causation". It demonstrated through the iconography of the bhavachakra. This is a wheel diagram, which shows the 6 Realms of Existence into which Buddhist believe we can be reborn, the 3 Poisons of Hate Greed and Ignorance, which tie us to rebirth, and the 12 Links of Dependent Origination, which show how every event is caused by another.
• What is Karma?


  the law of cause and effect. It is the belief that our own actions affect our own life and future lives. Christmas Humphreys Definition: "The law of cause and effect"
• What does the Dhammapada say about Karma?

  Dhammapada, Chapter 1 'The Pairs' "If a man speaks or acts with an impure mind, suffering follows him as the wheels of the cart follows the beast that draws it... If a man speaks or acts with a pure joy, joy follows him as his own shadow."
• How is the karmic consequence of an action determined?

  The Karmic consequence of an action is affected by the intention behind the act. The Buddha states in the Dhammapada "It is will, O monks, that I call Karma" e.g. if I accidentally run someone over that is not as bad as if I do it deliberately.
• How does Karma affect us?


  Karma can affect what happens to us in this life. E.g. the parable of the Beggar who wished he could chop off the king's head. It affects the realm we are reborn into, and the kind of person we are. Karma also affects our Karmic Conditioning - which is part of the Skanda of Mental Formations, which carries on after rebirth. When we do bad actions, we also affect our own selves. For example, if we repeatedly lie will become accustomed to it until we are a liar. Dhammapada Chapter 9 'Evil' states "should a person do evil, let him not do it again and again, let him not find pleasure in it. For painful is the accumulation of evil."
• What is rebirth?


  is the belief that two of the Five Skandas which make a living being, our Consciousness and our Mental Formations continue after our body (the Skanda of Form) dies, and are reborn in another body. The type of being we are, the Realm of Existence, and the circumstances into which we are reborn are all determined by our Karma. For Buddhists life is a continuous cycle of rebirth, called samsara. Christmas Humphreys definition: "No immortal entity passes from life to life, but each

  life must be considered the karmic effect of the previous life and the cause of the next life"
• What did Nagasena say about rebirth?

  King Milinda asked Nagasena if a person was the same in the next life or different.

  Nagasena replied "neither the same nor different" and used to analogies to illustrate this. As an infant changes into and adult it is neither the same nor different. As a candle flame burns it is neither the same nor different. But in both example what connect the changing thing is that the earlier version caused the later version. This is the same as rebirth - the previous life causes the next life.
• What do Buddhists believe about the realms of existence?

  Many Buddhists such as Tibetan, believe that there are Six Realms of Existence into which we can be reborn - as shown in the Bhavachakra.

  Devas or Gods in a Heavenly Realm

  Asuras or Jealous Gods in the Titan Realm o Manushuras in the Human Realm

  Tiryakas in the Animal Realm

  Pretas in the Hungry Ghosts Realm

  Narakas in the Hell Realm

  Whilst the Gods live a life of pleasure, it is not the best realm for Buddhists as it still involves ignorance. The optimum realm for reaching enlightenment is the human realm as all the others are distracted by too much pleasure or suffering. Many Buddhists think these Realms are symbolic of mental states.

  Continued rebirth necessarily involves dukkha, and therefore Buddhists want to escape it by reaching enlightenment and Nirvana.
• What is Nirvana?


  Nirvana in Sanskrit literally means "blowing out". Christmas Humphreys defines it as "Extinguishing due to lack of fuel" and it means extinguishing the three fires or poisons of desire (tanha) hatred and ignorance which rage inside us, and tie us to rebirth. This can be seen through the story of the Buddha's enlightenment when he defeats the temptations of Mara, of desire, fear and attachment to the ego. When Buddhist reach enlightenment and understand the truth of existence, they will achieve this. They are then called an Arhat in Theravada Buddhism and a Bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism.
• What do Buddhists believe about Nirvana?

  Nirvana can be experienced in this life. Once someone has reached enlightenment they understand the truth, and will have ceased all craving, and therefore no longer experience Dukkha. The Five Grasping Skandas continue to function, tied to existence by the form (body). Having a body is seen as a limitation. We still feel physical pain, but this will not affect our mental state. On the death of the body the other skandas will cease to function and the Buddhist will achieve Pari-Nirvana, or full Nirvana. Nirvana cannot be expressed in language, but only experienced for oneself. (Link - the story of the Turtle and the Fish, the turtle cannot explain dry land to the fish because the fish has not experienced it)
• Why might someone believe the teachings of pratityasamutpada, karma and rebirth are representative of reality?

  There is evidence - some people have memories of past lives, some people have had near death experiences when they feel like they are being pulled towards their next life or seeing past lives. Dr Stevenson investigated huge numbers of these cases and concluded that rebirth was "the best, but not the only, explanation". we sometimes see karma in action, and our actions do seem to affect the kind of person we are.
• Why might someone not believe the teachings of pratityasamutpada, karma and rebirth are representative of reality?

  there is no evidence for rebirth, materialist argue that they body is entirely physical and ceases to function at death leaving no part which can continue to be reborn. There are other explanations for Dr Stevenson's "evidence". E.g. children's' imagination, wishful thinking. we see plenty of evidence against karma such as good people experiencing terrible suffering. The only reason for accepting these beliefs is the authority of Buddha, so it becomes a matter of faith. Also, these seem to be the kinds of metaphysical beliefs which the parable of the Poisoned Arrow suggests we should reject as unknowable.
• Is it really legitimate to reject questions about the existence of God?

  Yes - clearly these beliefs are unknowable as people have been debating and disagreeing for centuries. It is better to concentrate on this life and helping others

  No - many people have experienced God and therefore "know" he exists. It seems unreasonable to accept that the Buddha "knew" the truths of rebirth and karma on his enlightenment but not accept these experiences. Also, belief in karma and rebirth seem to be the kinds of metaphysical beliefs which the parable of the Poisoned Arrow suggests we should reject as unknowable. Why are they accepted but not belief in god?