[Buddha-l] rebirth

[Joy Vriens]

Mike Austin wrote:

> Quite the opposite, I feel. If we give it no more than a first thought, 
> we will, on the one hand,  either prematurely abandon a teaching of the 
> Buddha, or, on the other hand, blindly adopt a dogma. It is in the very 
> 'thinking about' and 'meditating on' that Buddha's teachings are proved 
> to be beneficial.  It is for this reason that I accept the teachings on 
> rebirth. I do not believe them, but I believe in them.

Yes, it can be useful to think about it, because it can offer a 
different perspective. But I don't think one can say that rebirth is a 
teaching by the Buddha or that the Buddha taught rebirth. He certainly 
used it in his teachings, but he didn't specifically teach it as far as 
I know. He simply didn't need to. E.g. he didn't "teach" the existence 
of gods either. These things were taking for granted by many, or didn't 
need to be taught. They are not specific to Buddhism either. I am not 
saying they are or aren't necessary in order to practise Buddhism 
"properly".

Joy