06-26-2010, 12:01 AM
Cyclic existence and reincarnation.
When considering reincarnation we tend to focus on the aspect of physically dying and then at a later point being reborn in another body. But let me extend another view for what it is worth.
If we have made any progress at all with our examination of existence we start to uncover some key aspects. I want to focus on birth life and death. It is referred to as “cyclic” existence because it keeps recurring. The terms birth life and death are what have propelled consideration of reincarnation towards the idea that a soul keeps getting reborn in a new body. So instead of those terms if we focus on beginning, middle, end or coming into being, enduring for a period and then ceasing or as Nagarjuna has framed it, “arising, enduring and dissolving” we might draw closer to the opportunity to get off the merry go round. Hopefully we can uncover the deeper significance of Nagarjuna and what are the implications for us.
For something to be considered existent it had to be considered to “come into being” and be manifest. Once in being it can be expected to endure and at some point pass out of being.
That which is [being] cannot dissolve. That which is [being] cannot not-be. Nagarjuna
Being cannot dissolve if it could it cannot be considered being. Also being cannot, not be if it could it could no longer be considered being. (He is not endorsing being only considering its logic.)
31. That which is not [non-being] cannot dissolve. Can the beheaded be beheaded a second time?
32. Dissolving does not dissolve itself, nor is it dissolved by another dissolving, just as arising can neither arise from itself nor from another arising [as shown above].
33. Since arising, enduring, and dissolving cannot happen, there are no real things that arise, endure, or dissolve. If there are no such things, how can the ordinary phenomenal world (actually) exist?
It is all a dream, an illusion, like a city of the gods floating in the heavens. So much for arising, enduring, and dissolving. Nagarjuna
The four verses are the conclusive part. The exhaustive part are the preceding 29 verses. Once the logic of being is unraveled and one does not buckle at the knees under its implications the folly of apparent cyclic existence is exposed.
Now back to my reincarnation point. Buddha and Nargarjuna and many others continue to expose cyclic existence and how it works etc. Cyclic beings, caught in the cycles of arising, enduring and dissolving are continuously offered the opportunity to examine their perceived existence and break the cycle. However cyclic beings are so attached to the notions of coming into being, living and dying that the impulsion to exist propels back into the cycle. For example when presented with the information such as Nargajuna’s Fundamentals of the Middle Way, even though all the logic of being, non-being, existence, non-existence, eternal first cause etc is exhausted, the experience and attachment of existing, existence, and exister is so appealing, that cyclic beings in ignorance retreat from reality and back into the next cycle. Every time ignorance is embraced the “karma” of it must be lived out apparently again and again. So whenever a seed of ignorance is accepted (conception) it will bear fruit (birth), apparently arise, endure and dissolve, its appears to happen daily form moment to perceived moment. That is the nature of cyclic existence. It is better to let go what one does not know, instead of inventing and indulging fantasies.
When considering reincarnation we tend to focus on the aspect of physically dying and then at a later point being reborn in another body. But let me extend another view for what it is worth.
If we have made any progress at all with our examination of existence we start to uncover some key aspects. I want to focus on birth life and death. It is referred to as “cyclic” existence because it keeps recurring. The terms birth life and death are what have propelled consideration of reincarnation towards the idea that a soul keeps getting reborn in a new body. So instead of those terms if we focus on beginning, middle, end or coming into being, enduring for a period and then ceasing or as Nagarjuna has framed it, “arising, enduring and dissolving” we might draw closer to the opportunity to get off the merry go round. Hopefully we can uncover the deeper significance of Nagarjuna and what are the implications for us.
For something to be considered existent it had to be considered to “come into being” and be manifest. Once in being it can be expected to endure and at some point pass out of being.
That which is [being] cannot dissolve. That which is [being] cannot not-be. Nagarjuna
Being cannot dissolve if it could it cannot be considered being. Also being cannot, not be if it could it could no longer be considered being. (He is not endorsing being only considering its logic.)
31. That which is not [non-being] cannot dissolve. Can the beheaded be beheaded a second time?
32. Dissolving does not dissolve itself, nor is it dissolved by another dissolving, just as arising can neither arise from itself nor from another arising [as shown above].
33. Since arising, enduring, and dissolving cannot happen, there are no real things that arise, endure, or dissolve. If there are no such things, how can the ordinary phenomenal world (actually) exist?
It is all a dream, an illusion, like a city of the gods floating in the heavens. So much for arising, enduring, and dissolving. Nagarjuna
The four verses are the conclusive part. The exhaustive part are the preceding 29 verses. Once the logic of being is unraveled and one does not buckle at the knees under its implications the folly of apparent cyclic existence is exposed.
Now back to my reincarnation point. Buddha and Nargarjuna and many others continue to expose cyclic existence and how it works etc. Cyclic beings, caught in the cycles of arising, enduring and dissolving are continuously offered the opportunity to examine their perceived existence and break the cycle. However cyclic beings are so attached to the notions of coming into being, living and dying that the impulsion to exist propels back into the cycle. For example when presented with the information such as Nargajuna’s Fundamentals of the Middle Way, even though all the logic of being, non-being, existence, non-existence, eternal first cause etc is exhausted, the experience and attachment of existing, existence, and exister is so appealing, that cyclic beings in ignorance retreat from reality and back into the next cycle. Every time ignorance is embraced the “karma” of it must be lived out apparently again and again. So whenever a seed of ignorance is accepted (conception) it will bear fruit (birth), apparently arise, endure and dissolve, its appears to happen daily form moment to perceived moment. That is the nature of cyclic existence. It is better to let go what one does not know, instead of inventing and indulging fantasies.