| Indian sages took the position that human beings, and | | | | the religious world, the sages took the position that this |
| beings in general, don't live just one life, but cycle in a | | | | process didn't encompass just two or three lives |
| process of death and rebirth. What does this really | | | | strung together, but millions and millions of livetimes. |
| unique doctrine means for Buddhist and Hindu people? | | | | What does this mean? It means that anything that we |
| How does it change the way they live? | | | | accomplish or we plan to acomplish in our existence is |
| The process of death and rebirth is called "Samsara" | | | | meaningless compared to the cosmic existence that |
| in Sanskrit. Sanskrit is the ancient language of India. | | | | we are part of. Anything that we get or accomplish will |
| Samsara simply means to wander. This etymological | | | | pass away, nobody will remember it. |
| meaning gives you a taste of what this doctrine really | | | | Indians, and afterwards, Buddhists, came to view |
| means for religious people in India. They don't see the | | | | reincarnation as a problem. Samsara is really the |
| process of deaths and rebirths as a pleasurable one. | | | | problem that Indian religions try to solve. |
| In the Western world, we often think of reincarnation | | | | In another articles in my site you can further continue |
| as something positive. We think that it means that we | | | | your study and understanding of this deep and unique |
| are going to have another chance in a future life. If we | | | | tradition. |
| don't make it in this life, we're going to live again | | | | - Buddhism Through Buddhist Eyes: Here you will find |
| anyway and try again. Or we maybe think "I want to | | | | all the articles by author Pablo Antuna. He explains the |
| be a butterfly in a future life. How beautiful!". Well, it | | | | doctrines and teachings of Buddhism in a clear style so |
| doesn't work like that in India. | | | | everyone could understand them. |
| After the doctrine of reincarnation was accepted in | | | | |