Every morning we are born again. In this sense, the concept of reincarnation in Buddhism is not wrong. Every night we go to bed. In the sleep, we have no consciousness, which is as good as death. When we wake up, we still remember who we were yesterday, ten days, hundred days, and thousand days ago. This phenomenon is similar to the definition of reincarnation. However, if we have no memory of the past, it is called “rebirth” instead of reincarnation. This usually happens after the breaking up of the body. The Buddha never suggested that there is reincarnation after the breaking up of the body and it is not found in the Early Buddhist Texts (EBT) known as the Nikayas. However, Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism sects (which were created several hundred years after the Buddha passed away into Parinibbana) do believe in reincarnation after death.
Rebirth is different from reincarnation. Original Buddhism suggested that everything in this world is empty of a self or a soul. Every being is sustained by a flux of energy called “Asava”. The body is not the self, and the self is not inside the body. Asava is not the self or the soul. It is just a different kind of energy (compared to electromagnetic, nuclear, kinetic, gravitational potential energy, etc.). Asava doesn’t belong to the self, since everything is empty of a self. Without Asava, your body is just a construction from Earth, Water, Fire, and Wind which is no different from nonliving things. After the breaking up of the body, Asava leaves your body and gives vitality to another body which can be a Deva, human, ghost, animal, or Hell being. It is like a robot with the “ON” button activated. Strictly speaking, this new life is not you. It is not a reincarnation of you. While you are still alive, it’s unwise to worry about this future being which isn’t you. It is just your waste matter. Even if it is your clone, it isn’t you. Birth is the cause of death; one who is unborn is deathless. Aging and death are sufferings. Fear, anger, anxiety, depression, sorrow, grief, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair are sufferings. Out of compassion, Buddhist monks train and cultivate themselves to destroyed their Asava (and become Arahants) so that they don’t leave behind waste matter (aka Asava) which will bring suffering to others. It is a selfless, loving-kindness, and compassionate action.
“Suppose, monks, a great bonfire was burning, consuming ten, twenty, thirty, or forty loads of wood, and a man would cast dry grass, dry cow dung, and dry wood into it from time to time.
Thus, sustained by that material, fueled by it, that great bonfire would burn for a very long time.
So too, when one lives contemplating gratification in things that can be clung to, craving increases.
With craving as condition, clinging comes to be; with clinging as condition, existence; with existence as condition, birth; with birth as condition, aging-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair come to be.
Such is the origin of this whole mass of suffering.”
Existence, becoming and being are the same thing here. When one has clinging or attachment, he starts to see that he has a self. It is actually a delusion; he thought that he has a self but he hasn’t. He starts wanting to protect this delusional self. Therefore, he is born; the delusional self is born, here and now. With birth as condition, aging-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair come to be. This is another way to understand rebirth in Buddhism.
When one lives contemplating gratification in things that can be clung to, it’s impossible to really see the reality as it is or the Three Marks of Existence: suffering (dukkha), non self (anatta), and impermanence (anicca). Therefore, for the happiness of oneself here and now, he should dwells contemplating danger in things that can be clung to, so that craving ceases. With the cessation of craving comes cessation of clinging; with the cessation of clinging, cessation of existence … cessation of birth … aging-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair cease.
Buddhists learn to have no fear, anger, anxiety, depression, sorrow, grief, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair. It is not out of fear that Buddhists are committed to the Five Precepts (no killing, no stealing, no sexual misconduct, no intoxication, no wrong speech). Perfection of virtue, equanimity and wisdom are for the happiness of oneself here and now. Rebirth into the form of Deva or human is OK but not better than becoming unborn and deathless.
心地无非自性戒， 心地无痴自性慧， 心地无乱自性定， 不增不减自金刚， 身来身去本三昧。
One who has no greed will naturally have perfect virtue. One who has no delusion will naturally have perfect wisdom. One who has no restlessness will naturally have perfect equanimity. He sees the reality of no self, therefore no gain or loss. Such is the cessation of suffering and the way to become solid like diamond. He has perfect Samadhi (concentration on inner peace) no matter where he is.
The present body is not the self and the self is not inside the body. Similarly, whatever being in the future is not the self and the self is not inside the future body. Without a self, everything cannot have reincarnation. One who sees the reality of no self will have no rebirth.
RESILIENT KID 