Practical questions - reincarnation, karma and samsara

[ChimpSage]

On 12/14/2023 at 12:03 PM, Sahaja said:

How did the concepts of reincarnation and karma become so important and widespread among people when seemingly so few people remember and feel accountable for behaviors in past lives?

 

How did belief in the importance of ending the cycle of birth and rebirth become so widespread among people when seemingly so few achieve enlightenment (are successful) and most people seemingly want continuance of life (regardless that it might entail some suffering)? 
 

I am trying to improve my understanding of how these views became widespread among people from a behavioral or practical perspective. Not from a belief or authority perspective. 
 

note I use the word seemingly to reflect that this is my life experience with people’s behaviors that may be different from others. 

It’s quite easy to explain actually. 
 

They are answers that come from within.

 

From soul and spirit.

 

From the creator.

[Master Logray]

 

 @Nungali   I move the reply to this thread.  Since that one has been peaceful for a while and concern this subject more.

 

 

12 hours ago, Nungali said:

 

here is a different example to yours :

 

yes, we are all undeluded aren't we  ? 

 

,Posts pics off staving babies , napalmed children , Gaza, irreversible environmental destruction , and other emotive images  >

 

Everything is going just fine ... move along , nothing to see here .

 

 

My observation is that western Buddhism is quite different from eastern Buddhism.  Karma is one good example.  In the past, if we saw suffering babies/children like mentioned by you,  a common response was - what have they done in their past lives that warrant such dire conditions?   And the 2nd common response is - what happened in their family that caused the suffering of the young?

 

Instead of referring Karma as more of a tendency in this forum, the traditional attitude is more an eye for an eye type.  If you have done good things in the past, you have a better life now.

 

The second difference is the collective/shared Karma.  We are not only affected by what we have done in out past lives, we are also affected by the Karma of the parents, family, ancestors, tribes, country.... both good and bad Karma.  Western view tends to be more individualistic. 

 

Delusion or not is more philosophical.   We are any how reaping the benefits or taking up the burden of multiple Karmas, which is more realistic and direct.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Maddie]

5 hours ago, Master Logray said:

The second difference is the collective/shared Karma.  We are not only affected by what we have done in out past lives, we are also affected by the Karma of the parents, family, ancestors, tribes, country.... both good and bad Karma.  Western view tends to be more individualistic. 

 

The Buddha's view was also individualistic. One of his famous sayings is that "we are all the owners of our own deeds."

[old3bob]

But the historic Buddha was not individualistic when it came to being physically self-reliant since in the time and place where he lived (and in cultures which still exist in many eastern countries today) begging for food and having support from householders for certain things was common and more or less built into their societies thus many monks and temples would not have lasted long without that factor of the give and take actions or karmas related to same!