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Reincarnation & Rebirth- A belief system?
[Note: I italicize phrases I borrow from the chapter, and link to phrases I borrow from other chapters to help tie chapters together. Some say that this makes reading it tedious at times... oh well 
]
Because the way is vast and resembles nothing, Taoism will be around a million years from now, when the other more explicit religions have faded into a distant memory. In fact, when I 'breath in' the [chref=1]manifold secrets [/chref] hinted at throughout the Tao Te Ching, I feel very temporally connected to the old folks back then who were likewise 'breathing in' the mystery, as well as to those who will do so in the distant future. That's enough immortality for me!
Not daring to take the lead, compassion, and frugality are really the same thing to me. In other words, only when I'm not taking the lead do I experience compassion, and only when I feel compassion can I not take the lead. Moreover, without frugality neither is possible. Frugality is much deeper than its material meaning. It is like holding the reins of life and so as to [chref=15]desire not to be full[/chref] and [chref=64]desire not to desire[/chref].
Now, I must confess that my views here are born out of personal experiences. Countless times have I forsaken frugality for expansion, and so on. Fortunately, so far anyway, not ending in death. Actually, it is not the physical death which is the loss I lament, but the death of a sense of universal connection that compassion brings. This is why these are treasures I hold and cherish. The more I cherish them, the more likely I am to not dare to take the lead.
Why has it taken me a life time to gradually come to (more or less) truly cherish them? Being frugal and not taking the lead are not among life's most instinctive goals - just the opposite, if anything. Alas, we must truly and viscerally feel a goal is worth it before we are willing to invest true effort.
]Because the way is vast and resembles nothing, Taoism will be around a million years from now, when the other more explicit religions have faded into a distant memory. In fact, when I 'breath in' the [chref=1]manifold secrets [/chref] hinted at throughout the Tao Te Ching, I feel very temporally connected to the old folks back then who were likewise 'breathing in' the mystery, as well as to those who will do so in the distant future. That's enough immortality for me!
Not daring to take the lead, compassion, and frugality are really the same thing to me. In other words, only when I'm not taking the lead do I experience compassion, and only when I feel compassion can I not take the lead. Moreover, without frugality neither is possible. Frugality is much deeper than its material meaning. It is like holding the reins of life and so as to [chref=15]desire not to be full[/chref] and [chref=64]desire not to desire[/chref].
Now, I must confess that my views here are born out of personal experiences. Countless times have I forsaken frugality for expansion, and so on. Fortunately, so far anyway, not ending in death. Actually, it is not the physical death which is the loss I lament, but the death of a sense of universal connection that compassion brings. This is why these are treasures I hold and cherish. The more I cherish them, the more likely I am to not dare to take the lead.
Why has it taken me a life time to gradually come to (more or less) truly cherish them? Being frugal and not taking the lead are not among life's most instinctive goals - just the opposite, if anything. Alas, we must truly and viscerally feel a goal is worth it before we are willing to invest true effort.
Comments
some people remember their past lives, some are affected by them, and some people just make them up (many people claim to have been cleopatra, for instance).
if i may, i would recommend a book: many lives, many masters.
You ask, "Is this belief system any better than what Christians, Jews, Moslem have etc.?" It's all the same to me. Don't we hold on to our beliefs, whatever they may be, for emotional security. Without belief, the [chref=5]void[/chref] is a very mysterious place. Even stronger may be the boost beliefs have for boosting tribal identity. Tribal instinct pulls us to conform in all aspects of life: clothes, politics, education, haircuts, myths. Belief plays a role in all these.
Lastly, I can see the idea of reincarnation as stemming from pre-science people noticing the genetic transfer of information. Not knowing the microscopic world of biology in general and DNA in particular, the idea of reincarnation offers an explanation of what people see happening. This type of interim understanding helps people make sense of the things.
However, here this innate sense of group elitism is species wide ? not just the usual parochial versions as found in politics, sports, and of course, the myriad religious sects who claim they alone know the 'truth'. Certainly, Native American cultures had plenty of ways to express tribal elitism, which may be why at least the less 'civilized' among them didn't need to incorporate it into their cosmology. Their world view seems to have been a more holistic one, with humans viewed more as part of nature, not above it. Now, I must confess, my thoughts here may stem from a romantic 'media' induced sense of the ancestral Native American mindset. Still, myth usually reflects at least a bit of truth.
Following this romantic thread brings to mind the fact that Native American people came from far east Asia. Maybe they brought the precursors, the pre-written forms, of Taoism with them? I wish the Native Americans of today success in returning to these roots. All the post Colombian circumstances sure didn't do them any good.
Cheers
there is always an answer to all querry.so the rebirth is a belief or not
depends on each of our capability to belief in it. there are many people
that belief in many things and to proof it is something that hard to come out but for those that are confidence in their belief i am sure this person must have something that he can feel,see,sense or even hear it personally
although other people might not know it and this is where we want to share
our knowledge on it.so the question of rebirth is a belief is not important
but the experience of this person is what we want to know.i also belief that
around this world there must be those have experience it or feel it or see it but didnt have chance to share with us.perhaps you can tell me more about why you are so confident that your belief is true in nature?its very interesting to me to see your reply and because of my search for truth
i join this discussion and hope you can tell me how you can feel it?
I don't know about that. It feels egotistical to say we can answer any question. We humans think we are so smart, but there are some questions with answers too too big for us to wrap our little brains around. On second thought, there are some questions we can't even imagine. This is the mystery. Let it be.
we can actually experience truth but only that we never realise it.let say
whatever you do right now is actually towards the true path but you didnt seem to notice it but only you feel its the right thing for you to do it.so the
self realisation is important as many of us are not realise what we are doing
but when other comment then only we know.in order to see the truth we need the third eye to see things more clearly and realise more better.this third eye have different meaning and its not that you have another
eye but its something like you can see more things clearer compare to others.
you are right that our brains are too small too wrap up everything but
there is still another brain that help us to store up.to discuss this brain
is something you need to practice and for your info i dont think this is
the right forum to discuss it as it involve meditation and etc..if you cant imagine the question then i cant help you to answer it.so let it be and dont crack your head for question which do not benefit us in our life.the reason
our life is a suffering one because its full of mystery as you said and to get
the answer we need to unlock this mystery so that we can achieve less
suffering state.please dont get me wrong as i am not going to prescribe
medicine when you are ill but i will tell you why you get ill.so once you know why you are ill its easier for you to counter it yourself.so now you see i dont
cure you but you cure yourself if i tell you the cause of your illness.so its same as when i preach , this wisdom will help you to realise what happen to you but to cure it is purely up to you and not me.
What is your definition of "truth"? :yy:
Your comments appear to be the "Four Noble truths" that you are alluding too, but not saying so. Am I correct?
In my practice, the truth is the path to enlightenment and to know the truth
you need to gain wisdom and to gain wisdom you need to practice and also
when the time is ripe then wisdom will come in by itself.So whatever I preached here will be something that sometimes will have the same meaning or same concept as other religion and also sometimes have the
same practice as well.Due to this , dont get the impression that I copy
other religion practice and believe as I have my own practice and guidance.
Hope that answer your querry but if its still not clear then you can ask again.