M.J. Rose

The following intros belong to two incredibly erudite articles by Bhikkhu Bodhi, prolific writer, philosopher, and respected American Buddhist monk.

Ven. Bodhi has devoted much time to thoughts on rebirth and reincarnation and I recommend reading his essays, many of which can be found here – your brain and heart will thank you!

Props to our reader “buddhapada” for enlightening us to this superlative reincarnationist writer and thinker (pun intended).

Dhamma Without Rebirth?
by
Bhikkhu Bodhi

In line with the present-day stress on the need for religious teachings to be personally relevant and directly verifiable, in certain Dhamma circles the time-honored Buddhist doctrine of rebirth has come up for severe re-examination. Although only a few contemporary Buddhist thinkers still go so far as to suggest that this doctrine be scrapped as “unscientific,” another opinion has been gaining ground to the effect that whether or not rebirth itself be a fact, the doctrine of rebirth has no essential bearings on the practice of Dhamma and thence no claim to an assured place in the Buddhist teachings. The Dhamma, it is said, is concerned solely with the here and now, with helping us to resolve our personal hangups through increased self-awareness and inner honesty. All the rest of Buddhism we can now let go as the religious trappings of an ancient culture utterly inappropriate for the Dhamma of our technological age[…]

Does Rebirth Make Sense?
by
Bhikkhu Bodhi

Newcomers to Buddhism are usually impressed by the clarity, directness, and earthy practicality of the Dhamma as embodied in such basic teachings as the Four Noble Truths, the Noble Eightfold Path, and the threefold training. These teachings, as clear as day-light, are accessible to any serious seeker looking for a way beyond suffering. When, however, these seekers encounter the doctrine of rebirth, they often balk, convinced it just doesn’t make sense. At this point, they suspect that the teaching has swerved off course, tumbling from the grand highway of reason into wistfulness and speculation. Even modernist interpreters of Buddhism seem to have trouble taking the rebirth teaching seriously. Some dismiss it as just a piece of cultural baggage, “ancient Indian metaphysics,” that the Buddha retained in deference to the world view of his age. Others interpret it as a metaphor for the change of mental states, with the realms of rebirth seen as symbols for psychological archetypes. A few critics even question the authenticity of the texts on rebirth, arguing that they must be interpolations[…]

Spanish scientist has new angle on the resurrection –

A leading Spanish pathologist is claiming that Christ did not die on the cross but entered into a “superficial coma” which, he says, could account for the New Testament stories of his resurrection[…]

You can’t take it with you. Or can you? Buddhist culture has got it all covered just in case we need some bank notes or underarm deodorant in the afterlife. Shops such as San Francisco Chinatown’s First Incense Corp. are well supplied with “Hell” brand cigarettes (complete with matches) and French fries and Big Macs too in case your cravings get the best of you whilst traveling through the Bardo looking for your next incarnation. Of course, these goods are made of paper, which is probably best considering smuggling a real hamburger with you into your death could get messy. Then again, the Egyptians wouldn’t have batted a hennaed eyelash at tossing a few steaming burgers into the chamber with some slaves, cats and piles of golden kitchenware…but those guys were pretty darn literal when it came to their afterlife theories.

Burning Desires
(by Ellen Warren for A Chicago Tribune Web log)

“Everything in the store was highly flammable. A hand-written sign in English, obviously designed for clueless Westerners, explained why: “… papers are burnt to the Buddhists ancestors for a good fortune, luck, health, etc.”

Relatives buy these items for the deceased, then burn them to assure that their loved ones are well-supplied in the afterlife. Not limited to necessities, there was a miniature paper yacht for $88, a BMW for $45 and mansions for under $100.” (Read the rest of the article at The Chicago Tribune website.)