From Birth to Rebirth
Written by Tenzin Norgyal
“Similar to how our genome stores memories of our previous ancestors, all sentient beings have the memories of every rebirth in its subtle mental consciousnesses. ”
Photo by Joel Filipe
Everyone enjoys and experiences the present life moment by moment, and the majority of us are so engrossed in here and now that we hardly look beyond it.
Very few people are interested in the notion of rebirth.
Many people dismiss the notion of past and next lives without thorough analysis or valid reasons.
Some people doubt its existence, which is a good sign because it means they are on the verge of understanding something that may or may not be significant, but will undoubtedly give us a new perspective on how to live present life.
However, the most basic aspect of it is that it remains abstract until you understand its significance in our present life.
But in this rapidly developing economy and with the emergence of new technologies, who cares about the value of past and future lives.
We are just engrossed in fulfilling our sensorial desires.
In the twenty-first century, the only dreams that hover in our minds are the latest phone, newest car or most stylish bike, untimely or unnecessary foods, tactile pleasure, fame, and millions of other seemingly important things.
Rebirth is one of the central pillars of Buddhism that after death, all sentient beings are born again.
In reality, everyone experiences multiple cycles of rebirth, death, and rebirth.
Similar to how our genome stores memories of our previous ancestors, all sentient beings have the memories of every rebirth in its subtle mental consciousnesses.
Because we spend the majority of our time having sensual experiences or having gross consciousnesses, we do not remember our previous lives.
Consequently, our subtle consciousnesses are dormant and only a handful of meditators can active the subtle consciousness after years of meditation practice.
So most of ordinary people hardly get that much time or dedication to realize it.
What an ordinary person can do is to study mental consciousness and the significance of rebirth or the system of birth and death.
By understanding this, our present life may become more meaningful and purposeful.
You may ask how? The concept of rebirth pops up from nothing but it comes from a very scientific reasoning or valid reasoning.
All things, including our mind or consciousness, arise in dependence upon a multitude of causes and conditions.
Understanding it in minute detail is complex or high-level realization.
However, even if we do not know or believe in its functionality, it will continue its functions like we do not have to understand our digestive system to digest food.
But as I mentioned earlier, there is a huge benefit if we understand what is mind and how our mind works and how is related to everything including rebirth.
Obviously, if we realize how our digestive system works, we would not give heavy loads on our liver, kidney, or any other vital organs.
Similarly, if we understand how our mind continues from one moment to another moment and continuously into cosmic time, then we may give focus on its impacts on who we are, how we come into this world, and why we have this body that lasts only 70 or 80 years.
We all know what happens to this body after death, but what will happen to our mind after death.
If we unbiasedly ask these questions to ourselves, then our focus on life may shift from merely fulfilling sensual desires to something deeper purpose.
“What an ordinary person can do is to study mental consciousness and the significance of rebirth or the system of birth and death.
By understanding this, our present life may become more meaningful and purposeful. ”
In general, We can say that our mind arises from its substantial cause and cooperative conditions.
The cooperative conditions of our mind could be anything even physical things, but the substantial cause of our mind must be a consciousness.
It is a big question or debate that how and when a consciousness enters into a fetus during the early developmental stage of an animal while it is in the egg or within the uterus of the mother.
Even though we are unsure of the exact mechanisms at play, we can say with certainty that a fetus develops consciousness in a specific way and at a specific time.
If not, we would not be conscious when we were born.
Thus, an old Tibetan saying goes; “If you want to know about your past life, look at your present physical state; if you want to know about your next life, look at your present mental state”.
Our physical, verbal, and mental actions play a significant role in how our past, present, and future lives which are interconnected. ◼︎
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tenzin Norgyal is a teacher at the Dolmaling Nunnery in Dharamsala. He is dedicated to his life-long practice of meditation and the translation of the Dharma Text.