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Questions about Suffering
I find Buddhism very interesting, but I don't have clarity on some of the most important points. I hope someone can enlighten me. 
Are there Buddhists who don't believe in reincarnation? To me, reincarnation is an unsupported take-it-on faith supposition not very unlike the concepts of Jesus as divine and heaven and hell. Yes, I admit I have a big problem with this particular notion!
It seems that the major drive behind Buddhism deals with the idea of how do we best deal with suffering. If so, this is a laudable goal. But it seems to me that Buddhists believe that suffering can eventually be extinguished. And that would mean that the individual (who is ironically less "individual" and more interconnected) would not need to be reborn and then would enter a state of Nirvana.
If I have the idea above correct, does this mean the person (after many lifetimes, presumably) stops suffering while alive and continues his or her living years this way in a state of Nirvana and does not get reincarnated into another person in a future life? Or does Nirvana not take effect until after the person dies?
It also seems that Buddhists believe that suffering is a part of life and people suffer for two reasons. The first reason is because of karma (resulting from actions) from previous lives, and the second reason is because they have not developed their minds to the point where they can fully address and stop the causes of suffering (desire, craving, and ignorance).
But what about when one is born into abject poverty? What if one is a victim of random torture? Suppose someone has an absolutely horrible disease like MS? Do Buddhists believe the above situations result from past lives? Or do some Buddhists believe that events are simply random and that bad things happen just like good things happen?
Of course, bad cannot exist without good. If someone transcends the good/bad duality, does good no longer exist?
When I think about a victim of torture or disease or poverty, the desire is for the suffering to stop. At least that's how I see it. I don't see it as the person desires things and that the desire leads to suffering. I guess I can imagine some advanced soul could somehow transcend having a body that has become almost totally nonfunctional but still meditate and experience blissful moments or even Nirvana. But this would be a tall order! But what happens when the brain is affected by disease and the sufferer no longer can think right? Does Buddhism address these questions?
Thanks for indulging this newbie.
Are there Buddhists who don't believe in reincarnation? To me, reincarnation is an unsupported take-it-on faith supposition not very unlike the concepts of Jesus as divine and heaven and hell. Yes, I admit I have a big problem with this particular notion!
It seems that the major drive behind Buddhism deals with the idea of how do we best deal with suffering. If so, this is a laudable goal. But it seems to me that Buddhists believe that suffering can eventually be extinguished. And that would mean that the individual (who is ironically less "individual" and more interconnected) would not need to be reborn and then would enter a state of Nirvana.
If I have the idea above correct, does this mean the person (after many lifetimes, presumably) stops suffering while alive and continues his or her living years this way in a state of Nirvana and does not get reincarnated into another person in a future life? Or does Nirvana not take effect until after the person dies?
It also seems that Buddhists believe that suffering is a part of life and people suffer for two reasons. The first reason is because of karma (resulting from actions) from previous lives, and the second reason is because they have not developed their minds to the point where they can fully address and stop the causes of suffering (desire, craving, and ignorance).
But what about when one is born into abject poverty? What if one is a victim of random torture? Suppose someone has an absolutely horrible disease like MS? Do Buddhists believe the above situations result from past lives? Or do some Buddhists believe that events are simply random and that bad things happen just like good things happen?
Of course, bad cannot exist without good. If someone transcends the good/bad duality, does good no longer exist?
When I think about a victim of torture or disease or poverty, the desire is for the suffering to stop. At least that's how I see it. I don't see it as the person desires things and that the desire leads to suffering. I guess I can imagine some advanced soul could somehow transcend having a body that has become almost totally nonfunctional but still meditate and experience blissful moments or even Nirvana. But this would be a tall order! But what happens when the brain is affected by disease and the sufferer no longer can think right? Does Buddhism address these questions?
Thanks for indulging this newbie.
0
Comments
Others in this forum may have a different view
Non-suffering is remaining unborn, Nirvana is non-suffering,
I was just privileged to spend a bit of time with a highly respected teacher. Someone asked him about after he dies. He answered "I don't know, I haven't died yet".
"(greed, hatred and delusion) Suffering is a consequence of contracting around these factors. The practice is not to stop them, but to unbind them by remaining open and aware of them, not contracting around them and automatically acting out.
On the level of conventional action and morality you are a good person, and not destructive. You work to fix. heal. support, be responsible, for life.
Naturally
There are some confused ideas here about Buddhism, but one point that should be made clear is that the basic psychological health of the person becomes stronger. Our ability to function in the world and be of use is greatly enhanced when we are not contracted into a defensive ball of muscle.
This book is a great intro that clears up most of your questions...
http://www.buddhanet.net/4noble.htm
And again, there will probably be many different views on these things. Practicing Buddhism doesn't mean "drinking the Kool-aid":D
Terrible events may take place in your life, physical pain and deseases may afflict you body etc...
But suffering because of these is optional.
Peace is not dependant on the situation.
However, simply because someone who has been tortured, diseased or stricken with poverty does not necessarily mean that they are suffering. Take this guy for example. He has no arms and no legs. Most people would think that is a terrible situation, except he does not. Because, he does not desire for things to be different. Therefore, not having arms and legs is no problem. And because he does not have this desire for things to be different from reality, he does not suffer from having no arms and no legs.
Most people think that having to live in poverty is automatic suffering. Not always true! Upon traveling to Haiti once and meeting many very very poor people I noticed many of them were also quite happy. How is that possible?! Because they did not have a desire to not be poor and were accepting of their situation and because of that they were not suffering.
As for someone who is in pain because of being tortured or diseased, the pain is not what really causes the suffering. The resistance to the pain is what causes the suffering. So it is the desire to not have pain that causes the suffering, not the pain itself.
This one guy, Shinzen Young, put this concept into a math formula, which make is pretty easy to understand.
This man is a practising monk in Dharamsala.
I believe it was he, who once asked during a press conference, what his greatest fear had been, in all this time, replied:
"My greatest fear was to lose my Compassion for the Chinese."
Actually I'm not sure what your question is, too many ? marks in your post.
Namaste
Briefly take the guy with MS. He has MS whether he is buddhist or not. He still has it. But if he believes in karma he can take the view that he is purifying that karma. Not exactly like putting money in a bank but more like making a good life out of something bad. With his best intentions he can do the best he/she is able to and practice in the situation that he/she is in.
It would be a disempowerment to think how I must be evil because I have MS and since I am evil I cannot make any spiritual progress. That is the wrong understanding.
Thanks, seeker242, this helps me realize that pain by itself does not equal suffering. Very important. An inspiring tale mentioned occasionally in my Dharma center. I did not know his name or the details of his case until you posted this Federica; thank you very much. A sterling example of compassion, and one I have difficulty wrapping my head around.
"Rebirth as cycle of consciousness
Another view of describes the cycle of death and birth in the context of consciousness rather than the birth and death of the body. In this view, remaining impure aggregates, skandhas, reform consciousness.
Buddhist meditation teachers suggest that observation reveals consciousness as a sequence of conscious moments rather than a continuum of awareness. Each moment is an experience of an individual mind-state such as a thought, a memory, a feeling or a perception. A mind-state arises, exists and, being impermanent, ceases, following which the next mind-state arises. Thus the consciousness of a sentient being can be seen as a continuous series of birth and death of these mind-states. Rebirth is the persistence of this process.
In the practice of Vipassana meditation, the meditator uses "bare attention" to observe the endless round of mind-states without interfering, owning or judging. This limits the power of desire which, according to the second noble truth of Buddhism, is the cause of suffering (dukkha) and leads to Nirvana (nibbana, vanishing (of the self-idea))."