questions about karma and rebirth

[codrina]

hello.i've been reading about reincarnation,but i still have some questions. first of all i want to say that until a few months ago i believed that we have no soul,nothing that remains after death,that all which we are is a bunch of molecules spinning around,making this body,rising the thought,and creating feelings which we take as ourselves.i came to this conclusion after seeing carl's sagan series of "cosmos" in which he explains how our body works and from what it's formed,in detail.it also says that we are all made from molecules which once formed stars and will again form stars.i realized then that it is stupid to hate anything that sourrounds us beacause i am everything and everything is me.we are all the same:same molecules spinning around.i was still wondering what is that force that makes all the molecules move the way they do and why.that's when i discovered buddhism.it made perfect sense.maybe the universal consciousness moves the molecules and makes us who we are. i think when we achieve enlightment we unite with this energy and become present in every single thing that forms this cosmos. anyway.. i think that is a very good question.why are we on earth? what happened with the consciousness?and if we really belive that all beings will become enlightened what will happen with the universe? will there be no one to fill the planets with life? and also how can a consciousness which is reborn in an animal can do something to be reborn in a human? i mean, animals are perfect.they don't have the knowledge of good or bad.they are driven by the instinct of survival.they don't kill unless they have to protect themselves or eat. also,the population of the globe has doubled in the last few years.where did all this new 'souls' come from? and if karma really works why are the most rich people also the most ignorant ones? i mean i don't think is normal for people to have 5 houses,which they use maybe once a year,20 cars which sit in a garage,and lots of very expensive and useless stuff which fill their homes.and other people don't have anything to eat. instead of buying so much stuff you don't use,you could help and make the lives of others better.and in my country(romania) i see that if you are without morals,you can live a healthy,rich ,carefree life.and if you try to be good and respect other human being you are taken as a coward and you get squashed.and also i see,as a global phenomenon,that people are getting more stupid and ignorant of what is really important.check out the most watched tv shows and what kind of lifestyle they preach.and most people really love that.and the people who have the most money and power also are responsible for most of this situation in the world.i mean there is the technology to stop global warming and to feed the whole world.but they rather earn huge amounts of money than to help others. so shouldn't karma regulate this? and if everything that happens is what it suppose to happen to you because of what you did in your previous life,did all the jews, russians,people in rwanda really deserved to die all in those horrible conditions? i would really like to find an answer for this questions because they bother me a lot. and i think that if there really are illuminated people who are staying on earth to help others,they should have the answers.maybe i just haven't found them yet.thank you. all the love!

[Ben]

Hi Codrina

You may wish to review the following:
Kamma: A Study Guide: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/study/kamma.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
kind regards

Ben

[Sanghamitta]

Has anything happened in your life recently that has brought you here at this point Codrina ? Or has it been a gradual build up of questions ?

[OcTavO]

Hi Codrina,

There are a few fundamental misunderstandings about Buddhism in your questions: Buddhism doesn't posit any "universal consciousness" nor such thing as a "soul" that transmigrates. And Kamma is not seen as a law that balances out some kind of system of rewards and punishments. A really good introduction to the basics can be found here: http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/basic-guide.htm.