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From: courtney@inmet.inmet.com
Newsgroups: soc.religion.eastern
Subject: Re: Body and Soul?
Message-ID: <1990Oct16.052640.4686@nas.nasa.gov>
Date: 16 Oct 90 05:26:40 GMT
Sender: news@nas.nasa.gov
Organization: NAS Program, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
Lines: 39
Approved: prabhu@amelia.nas.nasa.gov


I would rather speak of rebirth instead of reincarnation.
Reincarnation presupposes some 'thing' that gets passed around.
This point of view is, I think, the hindu atman notion.  The
Tibetan buddhist point of view is that there is a stream of
consciousness or a continuity between lives that continues - but
there is no essential core.  The analogy that Alexander Berzin
has used is to a movie film where there is a meaningfull continuity
(explains karma, cause and effect) but there is no-thing that passes
between picture in the film. It is not a nihilistic view nor is it
an eternalistic (atman) stance - it is a middle 'view'.

I heard a talk by Lati Rinpoche (A very high tibetan lama) who
described the moment of conception as where the consciousness
comes out of a bardo state and conjoins with the mother and 
father.  I have no certainty about this - but their point of view
is that all these little babies are really very
old beings (actually we all are). It is interesting to hear them
discuss also that memories from the previous life can be easily
tapped into up to the age of 3-5.  After that it gets really
difficult.

As for consciousness 'coming out of matter'.  This is considered a 
diseased view.  They always stress that like causes like and that it 
is impossible that mind/consciousness/awareness can be caused
by matter (or the brain).  They of course will agree that states of
consciousness (gross ones) are effected by the body/brain but the
innate mind cannot be caused or originate from matter.  Now - this is
a view - and one I don't necessarily hold - but it is convincing
enough where I think I can base some actions of my life!  The
important issue I think is that if a person believes that
consciousness arises from matter - that is going to have an enormous
impact on how one lives a life.  On the contrary if you believe 
that this is one life out of a beginningless past - this could have
a significant effect on how one lives as well.

regards
D.C.
Dxx