Definition of Religion
Name: Kenia Ramirez
Professor: Rayka Rush
Assignment: Buddhism
Class: PHIL 2200
Date: April 30, 2014
I chose to talk about assignment 2. The question to discuss in this essay is very contradictory because one of the beliefs of Buddhism is the reincarnation, but what confuses me is that they do not believe in soul. Buddhism as Jains and Hindus believe in reincarnation but unlike those two religions, however Buddhism does not believe. The basic concept of these three religions is the belief in reincarnation. However they are also attached to samsara and karma. Well what I understood from the textbook is that basic idea or concept is one view quite easy...it is part of their religion that people can be reincarnated, and some of them actually believe we have souls...so it depends on the person. Another view: In Buddhism, it is believed that your consciousness continues after your physical death and not your soul. Buddhists do not believe in an unchanging or eternal soul, which would move on from one life to the next. Instead, reincarnation in Buddhism is based on the law of cause and effect (karma) and the acceptance of a beginning less continuum of consciousness. Consciousness can continue after your body dies because mind and body are seen as distinct (even though they do influence each other) and thus each have a separate continuum. Your inherited past actions remain as a subtle potential within the continuum of the mind. When activated, they cause the bringing together of mind and body, thus leading to a particular rebirth. Likewise, when the potential of these inherited past actions is exhausted, and then the continuum of your mind is separated from your body. So, the continuum of your mind or your consciousness does not die with your body but continues to your next rebirth ( Rangjung Yeshe Wiki). According to these religions, one's karmic "account balance" at the time of death is inherited via the state at which a person is
Professor: Rayka Rush
Assignment: Buddhism
Class: PHIL 2200
Date: April 30, 2014
I chose to talk about assignment 2. The question to discuss in this essay is very contradictory because one of the beliefs of Buddhism is the reincarnation, but what confuses me is that they do not believe in soul. Buddhism as Jains and Hindus believe in reincarnation but unlike those two religions, however Buddhism does not believe. The basic concept of these three religions is the belief in reincarnation. However they are also attached to samsara and karma. Well what I understood from the textbook is that basic idea or concept is one view quite easy...it is part of their religion that people can be reincarnated, and some of them actually believe we have souls...so it depends on the person. Another view: In Buddhism, it is believed that your consciousness continues after your physical death and not your soul. Buddhists do not believe in an unchanging or eternal soul, which would move on from one life to the next. Instead, reincarnation in Buddhism is based on the law of cause and effect (karma) and the acceptance of a beginning less continuum of consciousness. Consciousness can continue after your body dies because mind and body are seen as distinct (even though they do influence each other) and thus each have a separate continuum. Your inherited past actions remain as a subtle potential within the continuum of the mind. When activated, they cause the bringing together of mind and body, thus leading to a particular rebirth. Likewise, when the potential of these inherited past actions is exhausted, and then the continuum of your mind is separated from your body. So, the continuum of your mind or your consciousness does not die with your body but continues to your next rebirth ( Rangjung Yeshe Wiki). According to these religions, one's karmic "account balance" at the time of death is inherited via the state at which a person is