I have some proof here that there's no afterlife

Exploring Theravāda's connections to other paths - what can we learn from other traditions, religions and philosophies?
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gandy
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I have some proof here that there's no afterlife

Post by gandy »

so how does buddhism reconcile with this? you know there are bunch of people saying that they were seeing a tunnel of light felt a loving presence, some interpret this as god other's as a state of bardo

nevertheless here are the facts


> a study than only 4% of people having near death experiences

http://link.springer.com/article/10.102 ... 078#page-1


> another study on people who had heart attacks were in death like coma without a working heart and most of them didn't have near death experiences, almost all of them turned to a rationalist-materialist

http://www.pentathon.talktalk.net/lancet.pdf


> there is the option that near death experiences are just hormonally induced accidental lucid dreams

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucid_dream
http://www.lucidity.com/NL32.OBEandLD.html
http://lnco.epfl.ch/files/content/sites ... rience.pdf


> or just rare hallucinations induced by oxygen depravation

http://www.scientificamerican.com/artic ... oof-heaven


> and in some case it's just people looking for attention

http://www.thelancet.com/journals/unide ... L/abstract


> there is an experiment in which scientist induced near death experiences in living people using a magnetic beam

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCVzz96zKA0
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pilgrim
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Re: I have some proof here that there's no afterlife

Post by pilgrim »

And how does any of this prove there is no rebirth?
Your reasoning is faulty. It is like saying I can prove all the sounds you heard outside your house were made by cats, dogs, birds and farmyard animals, so it proves there are no such things as motorcars.
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Bhikkhu Pesala
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Re: I have some proof here that there's no afterlife

Post by Bhikkhu Pesala »

Just trolling IMO.
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purple planet
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Re: I have some proof here that there's no afterlife

Post by purple planet »

the logic is dont belive what someone says check it out for yourself - meditate and you might be able to "see" events from past lives - do i belive in afterlife ? not yet i dont have proof but from meditating and reading about buddhism it does seem more possible the more time passes not less possible

its not that one person say "i saw shiny lights" or "i saw my whole life flash before me" that makes buddhists belive in the after life - the after life happens when you die not when you half-die like in this stories

i dont say all those experiences are falls - they might be right - but i believe 95% of buddhists dont take them as proof of anything

i heard the logic of being able to "see" past life events goes like this : when you meditate you are more focused - if you try to remember what you ate for breakfast can you remember it ? what about yesterday ? last week ? - if you mediate a lot you might be able to - then it goes can you remember what you ate 5 years ago ? can you remember big events that happened to you 10 years ago ? and so on until you can remember stuff from past lives

I also heard when you meditate you are sure of "cause and effect" - by experience! not by thinking of it - and you because of this know you cant start out of nowhere and you must have existed before also cause things dont just pop out of nowhere

thats what i heard and know but there are much more and better explanations - also check http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=41
Last edited by purple planet on Sat Sep 28, 2013 8:40 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Modus.Ponens
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Re: I have some proof here that there's no afterlife

Post by Modus.Ponens »

Although I partialy agree with venerable Pesala, I don't think trolls are sufficiently commited to put an entire post full of links, assuming they are valid studies actualy read by the OP.

Well, I didn't even read one of the links. Rebirth is not falsifiable so it isn't the domain of science; it's in the domain of religion.

If you want to find out, get to 4th jhana and try to recollect your previous lives. If you're convinced that there might be something there, do a blind study about it, trying to make people who you met in a previous life remember your previous form.
'This is peace, this is exquisite — the resolution of all fabrications; the relinquishment of all acquisitions; the ending of craving; dispassion; cessation; Unbinding.' - Jhana Sutta
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Virgo
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Re: I have some proof here that there's no afterlife

Post by Virgo »

gandy wrote:so how does buddhism reconcile with this? you know there are bunch of people saying that they were seeing a tunnel of light felt a loving presence, some interpret..
Where is it written that near-death experiences have to be real and experienced for rebirth to be real?

I don't recall hearing or reading that the Buddha spoke or taught about them.

Did the Buddha use near-death experiences as a reason for believing in rebirth? If not, then your question is improperly formulated.

Thanks,

Kevin
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DNS
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Re: I have some proof here that there's no afterlife

Post by DNS »

gandy wrote:so how does buddhism reconcile with this?
Easy. It is called Near Death Experience for a reason. It really isn't death. It is just Near death. No one completely dies and comes back to the same body. That has never happened; according to Buddhism and science.
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DNS
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Re: I have some proof here that there's no afterlife

Post by DNS »

Why are there so many reports of NDEs? I don't know, maybe it's those who want to "prove" their religion with reports of seeing Jesus, Krishna, etc. Or maybe it's for the money. Eben Alexander has made millions selling his book "Proof of Heaven" during a time when his medical practice was not going so well.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eben_Alex ... #Criticism
In a wide-ranging investigation of Alexander's story and medical background, Esquire magazine reported (August 2013 issue) that prior to the publication of Proof of Heaven, Alexander had been terminated or suspended from multiple hospital positions, and had been the subject of several malpractice lawsuits, including at least two involving the alteration of medical records to cover up a medical error.[6][7] The magazine also found what it claimed were discrepancies with regard to Alexander's version of events in the book. Among the discrepancies, according to an account of the Esquire article in Forbes, was that "Alexander writes that he slipped into the coma as a result of severe bacterial meningitis and had no higher brain activity, while a doctor who cared for him says the coma was medically induced and the patient was conscious, though hallucinating."[6][7][8]
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tiltbillings
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Re: I have some proof here that there's no afterlife

Post by tiltbillings »

>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
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m0rl0ck
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Re: I have some proof here that there's no afterlife

Post by m0rl0ck »

Why is it that im supposed to care about an afterlife again?
Oh right, righteous retribution and just rewards. A local supermarket hands those out depending on whether you have your frequent shoppers card. I take my business elsewhere.
“The truth knocks on the door and you say, "Go away, I'm looking for the truth," and so it goes away. Puzzling.” ― Robert M. Pirsig
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m0rl0ck
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Re: I have some proof here that there's no afterlife

Post by m0rl0ck »

tiltbillings wrote:http://atheistforums.org/thread-21098.html

http://www.dharmawheel.net/viewtopic.ph ... iew=unread

http://www.thethinkingatheist.com/forum ... #pid386773

Very likely, this is a drive by posting. Gandy will probably not again darken our door.
So gandy is an atheist spreading the Bad News :jumping: man thats hilarious.
Next theyll be going door to door in cheap suits :rofl:
“The truth knocks on the door and you say, "Go away, I'm looking for the truth," and so it goes away. Puzzling.” ― Robert M. Pirsig
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retrofuturist
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Re: I have some proof here that there's no afterlife

Post by retrofuturist »

Greetings,
Bhikkhu Pesala wrote:Just trolling IMO.
Agreed.

And since others have made an effort to respond, Gandy can now make the effort to contact a moderator to explain why this topic ought to be re-opened, but as Tilt suggests... I doubt that effort will be made.

Metta,
Retro. :)
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
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