Brahman and Reincarnation

[Jaskaran Singh]

The idea of re-incarnation as a life-after-life, temporal progression of incarnations is clearly a culture-bound fantasy.

Reality is an illusion, a dream. Our ordinary perception of the world violates the laws of physics.
There is no time -- no past, present or future.
We dream various lives just as we may play various video games. Some set in the present, some in the past, some in the future. We can play any of these any time.
It's all maya. It's all lila.

Who's lIlA, do explain...

 

[George-ananda]

The idea of re-incarnation as a life-after-life, temporal progression of incarnations is clearly a culture-bound fantasy.

Reality is an illusion, a dream. Our ordinary perception of the world violates the laws of physics.
There is no time -- no past, present or future.
We dream various lives just as we may play various video games. Some set in the present, some in the past, some in the future. We can play any of these any time.
It's all maya. It's all lila.

This is great and I'm sure true from the ultimate perspective.

But from the common man's perspective what is this saying. What happens when he dies. My answer is in most cases he will proceed to a higher plane and then reincarnate.

At the perspective you're coming from perhaps it's all a dream but reincarnation is also real from another perspective; that of the common man.

Reality can be seen from different perspectives is my point.

 

[NobodyYouKnow]

I love Advaita and Hinduism, but I have a very hard time accepting reincarnation.

You don't have to accept or believe in reincarnation.

I'm an Advaitin, but I am not going to say I believe, or I do not believe.

I'm willing to keep an open mind on the issue, but I don't want to even think about what happens after I die...it's not going to make much difference to how I live my life, no matter if there's a 'next life' or not.

I figure that if I pray to Siva and worship Him in this life, then whatever happens after that is His domain...His fate for me.

It's not like I am going to remember any of this anyway, so why worry?

Om Namah Shivaya

 

[Aupmanyav]

That's how I see it as well actually!

That's more in line with NeoAdvaita someone told me, but I don't subscribe to NeoAdvaita.

This is advaita, what is 'neo' in it. But if you are not satisfied check other 'matas', some view that will have Gods and souls. But there you will need to accept reincarnation.

 

[NobodyYouKnow]

This is advaita, what is 'neo' in it. But if you are not satisfied check other 'matas', some view that will have Gods and souls. But there you will need to accept reincarnation.

I always wonder if 'Neo-Advaitins' believe in 'Neo-Brahman'.

Om Namah Shivaya

 

[Aupmanyav]

Reincarnation implies the belief that consciousness is more than physical plane activity. So the answer to your question is, 'No' what you describe is not reincarnation.

Have it your way. I suppose that is not a big problem. For me, advaita, atheism, science, religion are all same. The important thing is 'dharma' (Am I fulfilling my duties and are my actions righteous, 'praopakaram punyaya, papaya parapeedanam').

I always wonder if 'Neo-Advaitins' believe in 'Neo-Brahman'. Om Namah Shivaya

Well, yes. In a way. I like to equate it with 'physical energy'.

 

[Maya3]

Have it your way. I suppose that is not a big problem. For me, advaita, atheism, science, religion are all same. The important thing is 'dharma' (Am I fulfilling my duties and are my actions righteous, 'praopakaram punyaya, papaya parapeedanam').Well, yes. In a way. I like to equate it with 'physical energy'.

I'm Advaitin and very scientifically minded.
I think that Science and evolution, astronomy, astrophysics and all these interesting subjects just confirms my beliefs.
And I don't think that my belief in God and reincarnation contradicts this.

One of the biggest reasons that I believe in reincarnation is that I knew a child who remembered his past lives/life. What this little kid said simply blew my mind. There was no doubt. Not only did he remember things, the way he viewed his body...well I have never seen anything like it.
To put it simply and not in very dharmic terms, my spontaneous reaction when I think of him is "Holy Sh---t they are not kidding!"

Maya

 

[NobodyYouKnow]

Well, yes. In a way. I like to equate it with 'physical energy'.

LOL

I unsubscribed from that....theory.

I mean, what the heck is a Neo-Advaitin? Is there even such a thing?

Om Namah Shivaya

 

[Aupmanyav]

I do not think there is. Advaita is advaita, whatever strain.

 

[Maya3]

LOL

I unsubscribed from that....theory.

I mean, what the heck is a Neo-Advaitin? Is there even such a thing?

Om Namah Shivaya

People like to say that there is, often as a derogatory term unfortunately.

Maya

 

[Aupmanyav]

Right. It does not amuse me too.

 

[Jaskaran Singh]

Who's lIlA, do explain...

Dang, I can't believe I made such a ridiculous typo (writing "who's" rather than "whose") and didn't notice it until now! I'm usually able to distinguish between possessives and contractions (like their and they're), but ones like "whose" and "who's" and "its" and "it's" are so annoying, lol. I wish I could edit it.

 

[Ravi500]

I've gotta say that I'm fascinated by the Brahman theology you've got here, it's quite attractive and influential to my personal beliefs. However, there's one thing that I'm stumped on.

Correct me if I'm wrong but Brahman is all, or more correctly All is Brahman, as a Supreme Reality and One body, One soul.

If this is so, what is reincarnation? A process that never moves? If all are One, then what is being moved? What body would I reincarnate into if we're all one body? With what soul would I reincarnate with if we're all one soul?

Perhaps my entire understanding of Brahman is off as well, just wanted to make sure

See Brahman is really a state of consciousness. All is consciousness, but consciousness is what has become energy and then matter. Both energy and matter are consciousness in its most subtle element.

We are all souls who have evolved through karma, to the human body, having numerous existences as plants or animals in the past.

Life evolves from matter, slowly and steadily, to the state of consciousness where one perceive all as one or Brahman. This state is also called enlightenment. As per Advaita Vedanta, this is the state where no duality exists due to total obliteration of the ego and total expansion of the consciousness.

This is a very long process and takes lifetimes. The idea behind this, I believe, is the spiritual evolution of the cosmos.And your happiness and joy contributes a lot to this spiritual evolution of the cosmos .

However, if you are service oriented and do good karma, you can achieve this in a short period of time as well.

 

[Aupmanyav]

As far as we know now, consciousness does not change into energy or matter. Consciousness is a property of an impermanent brain/mind, it ends with death. Cosmos does evolve physically but there is nothing like a 'spiritual evolution of the cosmos'. If there is, kindly tell me something about it.

 

[Ravi500]

.3As far as we know now, consciousness does not change into energy or matter. Consciousness is a property of an impermanent brain/mind, it ends with death. Cosmos does evolve physically but there is nothing like a 'spiritual evolution of the cosmos'. If there is, kindly tell me something about it.

Krishna himself have stated that the soul or conscious entity moves from body to another body upon death. This is understandable to any Hindu who have gone through the scriptures.

Scientifically we have not come upon any formula which states that consciousness can change into energy or matter, but we have still come to an understanding scientifically that energy can become matter and vice versa.

Surely with time we may come scientificaly to the understanding that consciousness can also change into energy or matter. There is no need to completely disregard this possibility.

From your posts, I understand you are an atheist and your view point ends with matter. Even then , you can understand Advaita Vedanta through the feeling of love for all beings. In true love, you will find an heightened consciousness that sees no duality. If you are lucky enough to experience it. And love is the greatest experience on earth.

If you are stuck in the intellect and ego, you will only see divisions everywhere, a state of duality, and will probably miss the state of true love and the heightened consciousness which goes with it, all your life.

All your intellectual gymnastics till death, you will be philosophising about the state of non-duality ,though not experiencing it, and hence not reaching anywhere in the process.

 

[NobodyYouKnow]

See Brahman is really a state of consciousness. All is consciousness, but consciousness is what has become energy and then matter. Both energy and matter are consciousness in its most subtle element.

We are all souls who have evolved through karma, to the human body, having numerous existences as plants or animals in the past.

Life evolves from matter, slowly and steadily, to the state of consciousness where one perceive all as one or Brahman. This state is also called enlightenment. As per Advaita Vedanta, this is the state where no duality exists due to total obliteration of the ego and total expansion of the consciousness.

This is a very long process and takes lifetimes. The idea behind this, I believe, is the spiritual evolution of the cosmos.And your happiness and joy contributes a lot to this spiritual evolution of the cosmos .

However, if you are service oriented and do good karma, you can achieve this in a short period of time as well.

This is too easy. lol

Perhaps you may like to give comment on this thread here? I tried to say exactly the same thing.

http://www.religiousforums.com/foru...9039-what-if-brahman-not-conscious-atman.html

The forum is a very rich tapestry of thought where various threads get interwoven....you can piece together many stories.

I often wonder why it is I keep on trying to expand all you guy's 'conscious awareness' through my words to see the 'bigger picture' out there and how everything relates to everything else like an Einstein quote.

One day, this will all pay off....one day...

Om Namah Shivaya

 

[Ravi500]

This is too easy. lol

Perhaps. I would like to keep things as simple as possible.

There is a saying as well,'The greatest truths are the simplest.'

I often wonder why it is I keep on trying to expand all you guy's 'conscious awareness' through my words to see the 'bigger picture' out there and how everything relates to everything else like an Einstein quote.

One day, this will all pay off....one day...

Om Namah Shivaya

I think , perhaps, the issue is the "I" over here. The intellect and the ego usually go together.

I really appreciate your endeavour to expand my 'conscious awareness' and thank you for that. Here is some help from my side as well. We are all learning and trying to evolve.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Krishna himself have stated that the soul or conscious entity moves from body to another body upon death. This is understandable to any Hindu who have gone through the scriptures.

Well, whatever the scriptures say, I am an atheist, and I do not believe in Gods and Goddesses' or in existence of any thing such as soul or universal consciousness.

Sankara said that there are different realities. Non-duality at the 'Absolute' (Paramarthika) level, but duality at the 'pragmatic' (Vyavaharika) level. I do not deny any of these two.

 

[Ravi500]

Well, whatever the scriptures say, I am an atheist, and I do not believe in Gods and Goddesses' or in existence of any thing such as soul or universal consciousness.

Then why do you keep incessantly commenting on Krishna and Brahman, who is impersonal God Himself.

 

[Aupmanyav]

I have tried to explain it in my post http://www.religiousforums.com/forum/3662724-post18.html

Also see this http://www.religiousforums.com/forum/3661578-post20.html. This was posted on the day when you became a member of this forum.