|
| |
After death one has to be reborn
again
Dear Rene',
Last month, my friend who is really interested in Buddhism and Thai cultures invited me to
the funeral. The he said...
"After death, everything comes to an end; only ash is
left."
"There is more to death than that!"
"Oh, of course, for some people their honor and fame
outlive them."
"Those are only worldly things. In Buddhism it is believed that after death our mind
still exists; only our bodies decomposes...
...So cremation rite is an unbroke tradition of Buddhists since the time of Lord
Buddha."
"So where does the mind go after the body breaks
up?"
"Well, according to the Buddhist comcept, as long as one hasn't completely rid
oneself of defilements from one's own mind and attained arahatship, one's life must
continue..
...That is, after death one has to be reborn in either in either a heavenrealm or the
realms of woe depending on one's
good or bad past deeds...
...To use a worldly parable, when one's house gets derelict or collapses, the owner of the
house has to find another
house or build a new one...
...One's potential to afford a house of high quality depends on one's financial status...
...When one dies, whether one is rich or poor one can take no prossession with him when
one goes...
...the only noble possession that must automatically accompanies one's mind is good or bad
deeds...
...these two deeds can be compared with one's financial status in worldly view."
"You mean that we have to make merit as much as we can
while we are alive, right?"
"That's right. Good deeds not only lead the doer to be reborn in the heaven realm in
his future but also they can bring progress, peace and happiness to society and the world
at present."
So little Rene', as you are Buddhist, do you have faith in reborn and willing to make the
merit? That's all for now....Take care :)
Love always,
Sister Zasha
|