Rebirth as a GOD

Exploring Theravāda's connections to other paths - what can we learn from other traditions, religions and philosophies?
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waimengwan
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Rebirth as a GOD

Post by waimengwan »

If we practice ethics and that leads us to the higher realms. And if we cannot become an Arhat in this life, how do we avoid a rebirth as a god or demi god whereby we will just spend all our good karma away and this results in us going to the lower realms?
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Ben
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Re: Rebirth as a GOD

Post by Ben »

Yes its a conundrum.

Unless we become an ariya then really the only option is returning as a human being. Given the chances of a putthujana returning as a human being are infintessimally small, then perhaps we should be focusing on striving for the first stage of awakening, sotapatti magga and phala.
kind regards,

Ben
“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.”
- Cormac McCarthy, The Road

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in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
- Sutta Nipata 3.725

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BlackBird
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Re: Rebirth as a GOD

Post by BlackBird »

There are Buddhist devas who are Ariyans who practice Dhamma. During the Buddha's life a number of Devas became ariyans.

Kamma is not black and white either, one does not simply use up all one's merit during one's life in the heavens and then go straight to hell by necessity. Many are reborn again as humans following a stint in the heavens.
"For a disciple who has conviction in the Teacher's message & lives to penetrate it, what accords with the Dhamma is this:
'The Blessed One is the Teacher, I am a disciple. He is the one who knows, not I." - MN. 70 Kitagiri Sutta

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taintless
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Re: Rebirth as a GOD

Post by taintless »

Why is this bothering you?
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waimengwan
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Re: Rebirth as a GOD

Post by waimengwan »

I wanted to know plus some people asked me during an online chat session I wasn't able to provide an answer to this conundrum. Yes some devas do get a human rebirth again not all fall into the lower realms again.
plwk
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Re: Rebirth as a GOD

Post by plwk »

alan...
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Re: Rebirth as a GOD

Post by alan... »

i have not the time nor energy to drag up quotes, but i'm fairly certain the pali canon has statements that imply roughly that one who is moral and practices the dhamma earnestly will be able to practice in the next life even if they do not become a sotapanna.

so if someone is very moral and helps others and all that they will be reborn as a god and live out life that way and then back down to whatever realms after death.

but if someone is very moral and helps others and all that AND practices the dhamma diligently then they will be reborn as some kind of being who will find the dhamma again.
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yawares
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Re: Rebirth as a GOD

Post by yawares »

Dear Plwk,

Thanks for The Bhikkhu Deva story...Please let me post it @ my SD/JTN Groups...

Love your story :heart:
yawares
*************************
Dear BlackBird/Alan,

I love your comments...that's what I think too.

yawares :anjali:
mogg
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Re: Rebirth as a GOD

Post by mogg »

Ben wrote:Yes its a conundrum.

Unless we become an ariya then really the only option is returning as a human being. Given the chances of a putthujana returning as a human being are infintessimally small, then perhaps we should be focusing on striving for the first stage of awakening, sotapatti magga and phala.
kind regards,

Ben
Remember that in the Buddha's time, the world population was approximately 20 million people, whereas now the world population is approximately 7 billion. The chances of returning as human being now, would be exponentially greater than in the Buddhas day (although this may well still be an unusual occurrence, who really knows?).
pegembara
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Re: Rebirth as a GOD

Post by pegembara »

Gotama was living the lifestyle of gods. He had everything- youth, wealth, health, good looks, power etc. That did not stop him from seeking the way out of samsara. Granted, most people having what he had would not be inclined to search. What is the point if life is all fun and games?
I was delicate, excessively delicate. In my father's dwelling three lotus ponds were made purposely for me. Blue lotuses bloomed in one, red in another, and white in the third. I used no sandalwood that was not of Kaasi.[I0] My turban, tunic, dress and cloak were all from Kaasi. Night and day a white parasol was held over me so that I might not be touched by heat or cold, dust, leaves or dew."

"There were three palaces built for me-one for the cold season, one for the hot season, one for the rainy season. During the four rainy months, I lived in the palace for the rainy season, entertained by female musicians, without coming down from the palace. Just as in the houses of others, food from the husks of rice together with sour gruel is given to the slaves and workmen, even so, in my father's dwelling, food with rice and meat was given to the slaves and workmen."
"Monks, there are these two searches: ignoble search & noble search. And what is ignoble search? There is the case where a person, being subject himself to birth, seeks [happiness in] what is likewise subject to birth. Being subject himself to aging... illness... death... sorrow... defilement, he seeks [happiness in] what is likewise subject to illness... death... sorrow... defilement.

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html
And what is right speech? Abstaining from lying, from divisive speech, from abusive speech, & from idle chatter: This is called right speech.
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