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Rebirth vs. Reincarnation
Could someone please explain the difference between rebirth and reincarnation? I don't understand what the difference is. Thanks!
Kim
Kim
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Where to begin? You want the long or the short answer? Well, no matter what you want you're getting the middle length answer from me.
Reincarnation is more of a Hindu belief that is sometimes confused with the Buddhist idea, which is generally called rebirth. Reincarnation is the transmigration of the "self" from one life to another. Another way to look at it is a soul that leaves one body at death to then be reborn in another body. New skin but same old personality. It's like changing clothes. The key idea is that there is some permanent entity that makes this tranmigration.
The Buddha taught anatta. That means no-self in Pali. It states that there is nothing in this body as a whole, or in parts that can be called a "self", or a permanent lasting entity. Basically it means we do not have an eternal soul. There is no "self" that gets reborn. Since there is no-self being reborn Buddhists tend use metaphors to help explain what happens.
A few examples of them are: when a sprout is born from a seed, there is no substance or soul that transmigrates. The seed and the sprout are not identical; when we light one candle from another candle, no substance or soul travels from one to the other, even though the first is the cause of the second; when one billiard ball strikes another, there is a continuity -- the energy and direction of the first ball is imparted to the second. The first ball is the cause of the second billiard ball moving in a particular direction and at a particular speed, but it is not the same ball; When we step twice into a river, it is not the same river, and yet there is continuity, the continuity of cause and effect. (Examples taken from Tree of Enlightenment by Peter Santina)
So, rebirth is saying that our thoughts and actions cause effects. They produce results. Also think about the fact that from moment to moment you are not even the same person. Every thought is different, every cell in your body is changing. In about six years, every cell in your body right now will be replaced by new ones. You will be an entirely new person, yet you are still you.
At death I cannot say exactly what will happen. It's a very difficult idea to understand with the rational, intellectual mind. The Buddha said this is so, but he also said that you can come to a realization of this idea which will be clear to you.
Here is where practice comes in. The short version goes like this: First you must observe the precepts to gain virtue. With this virtue you then begin to meditate. This meditation will eventually become focused, and you will become concentrated. After a while this concentration will lead to insght or wisdom into the subjects that you investigate. Now you will have direct knowledge of these concepts like dukkha, anicca, and anatta (roughly translated as unsatisfactoriness, impermanence, and no-self). This understanding destroys your ignorance (avijja) to the Truth (Dhamma) and you will be free (nibbana) from the cycle of becoming (samsara).
There is no more rebirth because you will have stopped the flow of kamma and vipaka (Kamma = action vipaka = results).
I hope this explaination helps.
*Notes* Words in ( ) are the the Pali words used in most Buddhist discussions. This view of rebirth vs. reincarnation is from the Theravada point of view. Other schools of Buddhism may have different explainations.*