The Nuts & Bolts of Reincarnation

[Guest guest]

What would reincarnation do for me, but to repeat

Pete after my death? Do I want an encore of my

song and dance routine after the curtain falls?

Would that performer conjured from behind the

curtain, be me, Pete? Or just the same song

performed by an understudy, or a double, perhaps?

Does it matter? What part of me would I like to

reincarnate, do I know?

 

Reincarnation, or exact replication exists. We

see it every day. A tree reincarnates via its

seeds. One sycamore is as good as another. A

tree is a tree!

 

But a human is another matter, a human is not a

human in the same sense that a tree is a tree.

Okay, how about cloning? Would you accept, that

if you had a clone, an exact replica, cell by

cell the same, that would be you? No, still that

wouldn't be you. Then, we would have to consider

identical twins as double incarnations of a

former soul. No, is not an identical body that

we want reborn, it's our mind. But what exactly

is that?

 

Our minds do change. I don't have the same mind,

I had when young. This present mind might grow

senile. God knows what mind will I have the day

I die. So I think, it's not the mind we want to

survive, but then what?

 

Memories! We want our memories to survive. Well,

then write a memoir, and your most precious

memories will survive. But no one would be

fooled by that, we want our memories to be

alive, to feel they are inhabiting the same mind,

the same I.

 

The Lamas in Tibet, have solved that one. When

they want to reincarnate, they have their

subordinates select a baby and feed the babies

the defunct lama's memoirs. They brainwash the

child to believe, he is the reincarnation of

the dead old guy. Well, that's mighty close,

but no cigar. Besides, neither you, nor I are

big shots Lamas, so, we might as well forget

that one.

 

I don't think it's only memories we want to

survive. If it is not the body, nor memories,

nor the mind, what is the I, that we want to

survive? Go inside and search among the

perceptions, the sensations, the feelings, the

consciousness of being alive, search every nerve

fiber for that " I don't know what " you'd like to

survive, but don't accept words, words are not,

surely, that. Maybe you won't find it.

 

Maybe reincarnation is an unexamined urge, a

vague fear, not of death, but of never having

been really alive, just a wish for another

chance.

 

I really don't want to survive, or come back in

any form. Men just like me lived in the past,

are alive now, and will live when I'm gone. Men

with my IQ, education, ideas, attitude and point

of view are not uncommon, but even that

consolation I don't require. To be, or not to be,

or any point in between is good enough for me.

But let me be candid, no one asked for my consent

to be born, and no one will ask what fate I

prefer after my death. My beliefs and desires

count for not.

 

Pete

[Guest guest]

Nisargadatta , " cerosoul " <pedsie6 wrote:

>

> What would reincarnation do for me, but to repeat

> Pete after my death? Do I want an encore of my

> song and dance routine after the curtain falls?

> Would that performer conjured from behind the

> curtain, be me, Pete? Or just the same song

> performed by an understudy, or a double, perhaps?

> Does it matter? What part of me would I like to

> reincarnate, do I know?

>

> Reincarnation, or exact replication exists. We

> see it every day. A tree reincarnates via its

> seeds. One sycamore is as good as another. A

> tree is a tree!

>

> But a human is another matter, a human is not a

> human in the same sense that a tree is a tree.

> Okay, how about cloning? Would you accept, that

> if you had a clone, an exact replica, cell by

> cell the same, that would be you? No, still that

> wouldn't be you. Then, we would have to consider

> identical twins as double incarnations of a

> former soul. No, is not an identical body that

> we want reborn, it's our mind. But what exactly

> is that?

>

> Our minds do change. I don't have the same mind,

> I had when young. This present mind might grow

> senile. God knows what mind will I have the day

> I die. So I think, it's not the mind we want to

> survive, but then what?

>

> Memories! We want our memories to survive. Well,

> then write a memoir, and your most precious

> memories will survive. But no one would be

> fooled by that, we want our memories to be

> alive, to feel they are inhabiting the same mind,

> the same I.

>

> The Lamas in Tibet, have solved that one. When

> they want to reincarnate, they have their

> subordinates select a baby and feed the babies

> the defunct lama's memoirs. They brainwash the

> child to believe, he is the reincarnation of

> the dead old guy. Well, that's mighty close,

> but no cigar. Besides, neither you, nor I are

> big shots Lamas, so, we might as well forget

> that one.

>

> I don't think it's only memories we want to

> survive. If it is not the body, nor memories,

> nor the mind, what is the I, that we want to

> survive? Go inside and search among the

> perceptions, the sensations, the feelings, the

> consciousness of being alive, search every nerve

> fiber for that " I don't know what " you'd like to

> survive, but don't accept words, words are not,

> surely, that. Maybe you won't find it.

>

> Maybe reincarnation is an unexamined urge, a

> vague fear, not of death, but of never having

> been really alive, just a wish for another

> chance.

>

> I really don't want to survive, or come back in

> any form. Men just like me lived in the past,

> are alive now, and will live when I'm gone. Men

> with my IQ, education, ideas, attitude and point

> of view are not uncommon, but even that

> consolation I don't require. To be, or not to be,

> or any point in between is good enough for me.

> But let me be candid, no one asked for my consent

> to be born, and no one will ask what fate I

> prefer after my death. My beliefs and desires

> count for not.

>

> Pete

>

 

 

You do not have beliefs and desires.

 

There is no entity there that has anything.

 

The entity IS beliefs and desires.

 

And beliefs and desires die with the organism.

 

 

Reincarnation assumes incarnation.......and for the sense of

self.....neither apply.

 

 

 

 

toombaru