I've been fascinated by rebirth since I was a youngster. I've studied the idea across traditions, including Zen, yet it's still amorphous because the mechanics of life and death remain a delightful mystery.
The question of incessant rebirth is a momentous one. Day after day, instead of trying to free yourselves from this bitter sea of life and death, you seem to go after tainted merits only (i.e. false merits which cause rebirth). Yet merits will be of no help if your Essence of Mind is obscured. [Hongren]
Is rebirth metaphor? I think so, yes. As Hongren says, " incessant rebirth." Moment after moment we die and are reborn.
But, is it JUST a metaphor? Given how many words have been dedicated to rebirth across Zen and other traditions, I'd say probably not. However, that begs the question: if the conditioned self is empty and impermanent, what, exactly, is reborn? I have my opinions, but don't hold onto any of them too tightly. I can't say I recall physically dying, so I don't really know.
What do you think?
Do not be deceived. Venerable Zen students, if you do not meet the Buddha at this very moment, you will circulate in the Three Worlds for ten thousand Kalpas and a thousand births. [Linji]
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Whether you be walking or sitting, you must restrain all discriminatory thoughts from one moment to the next. If you do not, you will never escape the chain of rebirth. [Huangbo]
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Every one of you must strive for himself to obtain [a better] rebirth. Don't futilely tramp around China's districts and provinces! [Yunmen]
For those who take the fact that we are whole and complete right from the start to mean that there's nothing to do, do you also believe that you are immune to rebirth?
For those who claim there's nothing to practice or purify, can you say with complete honesty and confidence that you transcend suffering and experience the bliss of nirvana all hours of the day? If not, what's your plan?
Put your own mind to use to look back once: once you've returned, no need to do it again; you wear a halo of light on your head. The spiritual flames leap and shine, unobstructed in any state of mind, all-inclusive, all-pervasive; birth and death forever cease. [Foyan]
Submitted February 16, 2023 at 11:02PM by FingersTyping https://ift.tt/fIHztgB
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