Birth, Rebirth and Beyond

We had gathered together to celebrate several friends birthdays. It was a happy occasion because all the honored guest had been born in the same month and all were long time friends.
The old age jokes were circulating the room and everyone was in a very jovial mood. "G" approached, he wanted to discuss the Buddhist "idea" of birth and rebirth. He had listened to this writer speak several months ago on the subject. "G" asked, "L" I don't remember exactly what it was that you said at the time but it really hit me". "I just remember that you shocked a lot of would be "Buddhist" by saying that there is no such thing as reincarnation". I replied, Well it is such a silly thing, to be able to look forward to another life where you might be something that you are not today.

As has been said on many occasions there is only the moment, it is the eternal. All else is just the minds escape into illusion. A person needs to be reborn in each a every moment. That means that we leave it all behind from moment to moment. Nothing is carried forward. I know that this seems impossible to do and why would anyone want to be "empty" from moment to moment? But you have to get past logical inference, which is the application of the known, in order to understand the significance of a mind that is a rebirth. It is the birth of a mind that is not tethered to the old. Such a mind has original insight into something totally new and without any similarity to "what was". Actually we should remove the "re" from rebirth, because it implies a measure of continuity. To continue actually means to end. What we are referring to has no beginning and no end. It is the absolute moment of total realization, within which the self ceases to be an entity of separation and division. We are not being reborn we are realizing the true self, which is beyond life and death as a concept of defined division. If there is no death, how can there be reincarnation? Because we exist as the defined there is an end. But if we live as the undefined then there is no end. As the undefined we live only in the moment, because that's where the truth lies. The truth does not exist in our conceptual fantasy's, in our self created and self centered ideals.

"G" said "Whoa, L"! "that's it I remember now it has hit me again, what you said about living in the moment as the undefined". "I think I understand a little better now that I have listened to you again". "But I am having a problem seeing how that you can live and work if you are always in the moment?" Of course you have to use the known in order to function in society, but what is important is that you see and understand the limitations of a defined existence and what it does to you psychologically. As a defined entity you lose the ability to be truly creative. You become an automaton that is controlled by the logic of the known. When you live as the undefined then your true natural creativeness flows because you are not hindered by an assumed intelligence that is without originality.

So, one needs to be acutely aware of the process by which one thinks. How thought is formulated and why it is that there must always be a predictable result. Because we are defined we desire. And what we desire is a continuity of the past, because we are constantly in fear. Fear of an end to our defined existence.