What knowledge do we take to the next life?

[Sati1]

Hello,

I was wondering how much of what we cultivate in our practice in this life we get to take with us to the next life. I presume that we take some knowledge, since noble disciples (eg stream enterers) must have enough knowledge when they are reborn to continue on the Path. But do we take meditation skills, understanding about the Four Noble Truths, devotion to Buddha, etc?

Thank you,

[m0rl0ck]

Who is there to take it?

[martinfrank]

Hello,

I was wondering how much of what we cultivate in our practice in this life we get to take with us to the next life. I presume that we take some knowledge, since noble disciples (eg stream enterers) must have enough knowledge when they are reborn to continue on the Path. But do we take meditation skills, understanding about the Four Noble Truths, devotion to Buddha, etc?

Thank you,

I'd like to answer your question. Part of it is easy:

Imagine that when you die what is left of you is a bullet shot through a paper wall. You arrive in your new life with a direction and a speed (and a full bag of kamma) but no knowledge of the "this is that" kind.

Noble disciples don't get born with whole discourses memorized in their brains. They need to stumble upon Buddhism to remember that they were Buddhists before. But then within a short time they re-find faith and devotion.

There are meditation prodigies, there are prodigies of dhamma understanding, there are morality wunderkinder. All this results from the direction and speed of the bullet.

The difficult part is that some people remember parts or all of their death-to-rebirth journey and/or some former births and/or some teachings. This I cannot explain.

[Bhikkhu Pesala]

I can't remember.

[Sati1]

Dear martinfrank,

Thank you very much for your answer. This makes sense. I remember reading that Ayya Khema once recalled one of her past lives and saw that she had been a Sinhalese woman who had practiced the Path already. Nevertheless, it took Ayya Khema until late in her thirties before she "returned" to Buddhism. There was also a case in Sri Lanka of a boy who could meditate and recite suttas that were not available to him in this life at a very young age. Later, he forgot most of that, but as an adult he became a meditation instructor.

This must also mean that there are possibilities to find and learn the Path in the deva realms, since otherwise how could noble disciples "rediscover" it if they forget it at birth (unless devas do remember the precise knowledge they had in their previous life).

With metta,

[SarathW]

What knowledge have you accumulated since your birth?
Do you remember everything you learned in the school?
Do you remember that you were in your mother womb or your birth?
The question to above answers will provide some answers to the OP

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According Sutta it appears Buddha remembered many lives about him self and others.

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What I believe is that the average run off the mill person (Puthujana) will carry only the seven Anuusaya (latent dispositions) in to the next life.
Latent dispositions:
Seven latent dispositions: the latent dispositions to (1) sensual lust, (2) attachment to existence, (3) aversion, (4) conceit, (5) wrong views, (6) doubt, (7) ignorance.

Different people may have different degree of latent dispositions.

[Sati1]

Dear Sarathw,

Thank you for your reply. I would agree that the latent dispositions are probably what we carry with us. I was just wondering if there are any references as to this matter. It would also be interesting to know if devas and humans differ with regard to what they remember. Since devas are created instantaneously, they might not have the trauma of birth to forget what happened to them before they became devas.

On another note, I instructed my younger brother today, who has a 1.5 year old son, to observe if the boy reveals anything about his previous life. This might be a perfect real-time experiment!

With metta,

[phil]

Hi Sati, all

Technically speaking, sometimes the rebirth citta is accompanied by panna but usually it isn't . I assume that is an important factor in how much potential for awakening there is in the lifetime to come. The root of the rebirth citta must eliminate any potential awakening right from the beginning for most beings. If I recall correctly, this is decided by the object that is taken just before the death citta arises. Of course this is talking about potential, not accumulated knowledge.
I find it very interesting how some people just do not seem to have a natural tendency towards lust and powerful appetites and others do, that has something to do with the balance of the roots that are brought from the past life/lives I guess.

[Sati1]

Hi Phil,

That is very interesting, thank you. Is this from an Abhidhamma text? Do you remember the reference?

Thank you,

[theend]

I presume that we take some knowledge, since noble disciples (eg stream enterers) must have enough knowledge when they are reborn to continue on the Path.

I would not call that "knowledge". The noble disciple has eradicated 3 or more of the 10 fetters. No "knowledge" is needed in order to "maintain" that freedom. So wherever he is born, he will experience things "unfettered" (to a certain degree), i.e. he will experience things as stream-enterer or as once-returner or as non-returner, independent of past life memories or meetings with other "Buddhists".

[Sati1]

Hi theend,

That makes a lot of sense. I am just wondering how loss of the fetter doubt can be transmitted without some "knowledge" or memory of Buddha. Also the fact that unwavering confidence in Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha is an attribute of a noble disciple makes me think that such confidence must be transmitted to the next life:

9. "And what, Ananda, is that teaching called the Mirror of Dhamma, possessing which the noble disciple may thus declare of himself?

"In this case, Ananda, the noble disciple possesses unwavering faith in the Buddha thus: 'The Blessed One is an Arahant, the Fully Enlightened One, perfect in knowledge and conduct, the Happy One, the knower of the world, the paramount trainer of beings, the teacher of gods and men, the Enlightened One, the Blessed One.'

"He possesses unwavering faith in the Dhamma thus: 'Well propounded by the Blessed One is the Dhamma, evident, timeless, [18] inviting investigation, leading to emancipation, to be comprehended by the wise, each for himself.'

"He possesses unwavering faith in the Blessed One's Order of Disciples thus: 'Well faring is the Blessed One's Order of Disciples, righteously, wisely, and dutifully: that is to say, the four pairs of men, the eight classes of persons. The Blessed One's Order of Disciples is worthy of honor, of hospitality, of offerings, of veneration — the supreme field for meritorious deeds in the world.'

(from http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .vaji.html)

Many thanks,

[theend]

I am just wondering how loss of the fetter doubt can be transmitted without some "knowledge" or memory of Buddha.

Like this: "Enough, Vakkali! Why do you want to see this foul body? One who sees the Dhamma sees me; one who sees me sees the Dhamma. For in seeing the Dhamma, Vakkali, one sees me; and in seeing me, one sees the Dhamma." (SN 22, 87)

Also the fact that unwavering confidence in Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha is an attribute of a noble disciple makes me think that such confidence must be transmitted to the next life:

If the Buddha's teachings are still available in his surroundings, he will be able to recognize Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha "externally" for what they are, i.e. he will have "unwavering confidence" in them. But the noble disciple already belongs to "the four pairs of men, the eight classes of persons", i.e. to the Sangha (of the noble ones). He is part of the "Triple Gem", he "is" the refuge and not someone who has to take it. So an external encounter with Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha (including memory of such encounters) is not necessary for him to be "confident". He sees for himself, being a living manifestation of it.

[Sati1]

Dear theend,

Thank you, this is extremely helpful. I guess someone who is then born as a stream enterer would have a certain intuitive understanding that there is no self and that rites and rituals don't make any sense. If he doesn't encounter Buddha, he naturally keeps shedding attachments, and if he does encounter Him, he immediately "gets it" and probably joins the order to continue his path.

With metta,

[SarathW]

In regard to OP, we have to keep the following in our mind:
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16:.Appropriate attention (yoniso manasikara) is the ability to focus attention on questions that lead to the end of suffering. MN 2 lists the following questions as not fit for attention: "Was I in the past? Was I not in the past? What was I in the past? How was I in the past?... Shall I be in the future? Shall I not be in the future? What shall I be in the future? How shall I be in the future?... Am I? Am I not? What am I? How am I? Where has this being come from? Where is it bound?" The discourse also lists the following issues as fit for attention: "This is stress. This is the origination of stress. This is the cessation of stress. This is the way leading to the cessation of stress

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html