The Eternal Mind and Karma, The cause and effect relationship

[God is love]

I read Buddhists believe that the mind is seperate from the body and does not die when the body dies. The mind hasn't a beginning or end. The word I thing of is eternal.
I believe this is true. The mind is seperate from the body and does not die when the body dies. The mind does not have a beginning or end. Intelligence always existed.

I believe we had a consciousness before we received a body. I think that in the spirit realm where we had consciousness, we learned there.

I also think that some developed talents there. I'm not saying that Buddhists believe this but they may think so. I believe that when some spirits came to earth, their talent seemed already developed such as child prodigees. Mozart is an example.

Mozart already had {it seemed}, symphonies in his head and could play at 3 or 4 years of age. Some inventors like Benjamine Franklin and Edison may have come to earth with ideas of inventions already in their minds. Just waiting to be activated. I've heard the saying "Necessity is the mother of invention", as soon as there was a need the idea was already in them. It just needed to be activated, brought forth with something.

Buddhists believe in reincarnation. Whether these spirits had former bodies or {as I think} were spirit intelligences before they arrived on earth, these spirits were some how capable of learning about the world before they came and able to develope talents such as composing music. Amazing! When they exhibit these talents on earth, it was like remembering.

I believe the mind does not die after death as Buddhist believe. That is why the title "etrnal mind" seemed fitting. I believe we will live as a conscious spirit, the spirit is eternal.

Buddhists believe the personality is made up of five changing factors:
1. Body
2. Feeling
3. Perception
4. Mental activity {the will}
5. Consciousness

They believe there is no permanent because of the changing elements but I propse there could be an eternal soul with body, feeling, consciousness, perception, will, that experiences changing perceptions but holds the wisdom, enlightenment already gained. In other words some feelings, perceptions and will remain attached to the mind. Otherwise all the enlightenment gained would be lost. I've heard an expression, "old soul". I did not hear this in any Buddhist article. It was from another source. I hear that old sould have more wisdom because they gained and retained wisdom.

I read that Buddhists believe that the cycle of death and rebirth is a result of ignorence. I interpret that to mean that because they haven't learned good conduct or don't practice good conduct {what they've learned}, they repeat the same mistakes that cause suffering, whether to themselves or to others.

Betty Eadie in her book, 'Embraced by the Light" {about her after daeth experience} mentioned bad habits, repeating the same mistakes over and over again and causing the same negative results unti there is learning and the will to improve, to not repeat the mistake. I think of it as repentance.

Obviously there is good reason to {somehow} retain the enlightenment gained so as not to repeat the same mistakes and cause more suffering.

Part 2 "Karma" to follow

 

[God is love]

I forgot to mention in the prvious post that Buddhists believe enlightenment is seeing things as they really are.
Because {sometimes} things don't appear to our natural eyes as they really are, enlightenment is essential to perceiving truth. It enables us to see past the surface, perhapps allusion, and see the truth, see things as they really are. My understanding of enlightnment is,through a process, seeing a truth or the truth.

I thought I should correct my typos before proceeding with the next topic, "Karma"
Speaking of making the same mistakes,
I keep making the same mistake of making them.
I wish some patiant person would explain how to use the typo correcting {click by click}
I glanced over the post but because of glare on the screen, I turned the light down to the lowest level of light viewable. This causes me to overlook typos.

I capitalize the word mispelled
(I don't want you to think I am shouting at you, I know you appreciate calmness}
First correction
"The word I THINK of is eternal."
Second correction
"They {Buddhists} believe there is no permanent SOUL because of these changing elements..."
Third correction
"I HEARD that old SOULS WOULD have more wisdom because they gained and retained the wisdom."
I may have spelled other words wrong but some I wouldn't know how to correct.

On to the next subject "KARMA"

The Buddhists believe whatever we do causes either a postive or a negative effect. Doing negative causes suffering and doing positive brings happiness.

Intention, why we do what we do determines whether the heart is unpure or pure.

I believe that whole heartedly. I refer to Betty Eadie's book again an quote."Within the universe is negative and positive energy. They are in opposition to eachother. Negative attracts negative and positive attracts positive."

Positive energy, for example, is Truth and Love.

Betty learned in her after death experience that there are spiritual laws as well as physical laws. These complement eachother and serve a purpose.

Not living the laws {of good conduct}, weakens us and sometimes destroys positive or good. Drug addicyion, alcoholism, gambling, polluting the environment, etc are destructive habits. You punish yourself with self destructive behavior. It is a viscious cycle.

When we live the laws of good conduct, we receive wisdom. That is if our minds are receptive to it, not distracted, unclouded, pure.

I beieve that each person you have helped in this life will add to your joy in the next life. {my opinion again}.

In her book she described how she received knowldge instantly, like faster than the spped of light during her after death experience.

If any are interested in reading more or her experience or what she learned, you can look up the post "Life After Death, Medical records" that I posted in Comparative Religeon.

The Buddhists believe that if you have negative Karma you will be reborn in a lower state such as an animal.

The only way I could relate to this concept is with this opinion
{not how I interpret the religeon, just my opinion on this subject}
If you live on the level of an animal, like an animal, {what I've heard called, the carnal nature, just living to eat, sleep and satisfy physical appetites}, in this life, you will live in the next life at a lower state or degree of joy.

The Buddhists believe if you have good Karma, you are reborn as a human or god.

My version of this {again opinion} is
If you have good Karma {good conduct} in this life, we will live in the next life at a higher state or degree of joy or glory. We will have the godlike qualities we acquired, developed while on earth.

Swedenborg spoke of 3 levels of Heaven. These levels are similar to the 3 degrees of heaven revealed to a prophet of God, Joseph Smith. They are:
1. Telestial
2. Terrestial
3. Celestial

The Jews have 3 levels as well
1. the sinners
2. The Average
3.the Righteous

Christians believe if you are obedient to God's principles of "good conduct", we are able to experience a glory in His presence. The Church of Jesus Christ of latterday saints believes this too and with our companions and children.

I believe all will receive a resurrected body eventually. I believe it will be a human form.

Stay tuned for a Buddha quote that I love

Thank you for a chance to share with you, I appreciate your attitude of graciousness towards others. KARMA!

 

[syoonsh]

Yes, in short, KARMA is universal law of balance, of cause and effect, where everything both good and bad must be paid or balanced out. According to teachings from Buddha, if you suffer pain now, it is caused by some previous life. Because it is all connected to the current life. If you want to know your future life, look your CURRENT LIFE now, and if you look CURRENT LIFE, you will be able to see past lives.

But if you keep medidating Diamond Sutra, Buddha taught us that your KARMA will be erased due to you recieve KARMA from this lifetime and it will be painful for a while but it is a good sign of it.