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your "ego" controls your rebirth. The reason there is "rebirth" and various lives(which are all really you), is because of your illusory ego and its manifold desires.
In my tradition, it is not the ego of the Bodhisattva that enables him to be reborn into this realm, it is his power of seeing through others eyes that enables him to do it. He is not fooled by the illusion, he merely goes along with it to lead others out of it.
That is why the Bodhisattva has equanimity and remains undisturbed as he goes through trials. To us, being unenlightened, he is going through terrible experiences. But to him, it is all smoke and dust - not really "real" at all.
Nevertheless, choosing to join our illusion of reality, the Boddhisattva experiences our suffering, albeit not as his own. Even enlightened beings in this realm experience sadness, the difference is, they are not drawn into that emotion. There is no aversion there for them.
It is extremely difficult to explain, but I do think nearly all the objections to this view, that I have read, are based on fundamental misunderstandings. Lama Chime is really good at explaining it! But if you don't accept it, that's fine too.
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That is why the Bodhisattva has equanimity and remains undisturbed as he goes through trials. To us, being unenlightened, he is going through terrible experiences. But to him, it is all smoke and dust - not really "real" at all.
Nevertheless, choosing to join our illusion of reality, the Boddhisattva experiences our suffering, albeit not as his own. Even enlightened beings in this realm experience sadness, the difference is, they are not drawn into that emotion. There is no aversion there for them.
It is extremely difficult to explain, but I do think nearly all the objections to this view, that I have read, are based on fundamental misunderstandings. Lama Chime is really good at explaining it! But if you don't accept it, that's fine too.
plus Ksanti (patience); 3 years as bardo is... tiring.