If a newbie Buddhist asks how might a person free themselves from the cycle of birth and death there are several answers a modern Zen teacher might give. Perhaps one is that the cycle of birth and death is about reincarnation and since the Buddha doesn't believe in a soul that reincarnates, there are no cycles of birth and death. This is the last life. There are no others beyond it—enjoy it while you can. But as any well read Buddhist can see, this answer is hogwash. It takes no account of the Buddha's real teaching.
First, it is necessary to grasp the real meaning of samsara. In a nutshell, to be in the condition of samsara means that one, as spirit (sattva), is trapped in the cycle of birth and death in which one is bound up with an uninterrupted succession of psychophysical (skandha) existences. One has never known otherwise than this condition.
Beings or sattvas according to the Buddha are unable to discern the most primordial (pubba koti), which is to say, they are unable to discern that which is free from samsara which is the primary substratum of all. Were, in fact, beings able to discern the most primordial they would realize that samsara heavily depends on beings seeing only a transitory image of reality, an image to which they automatically cling, going thus from one temporal body (skandha) to the next without interruption.
What the Buddha is really saying is that if beings connect with ultimate reality, from which all things are composed, they would automatically cease clinging to the delusion that things are unique and substantive. This would put an end to the cycle of birth and death. In addition, they would realize that things have never been other than illusory formations of the absolute substance which is Mind.
Once awakened to ones true nature, at a time decided by the awakened, the casting off the ageless yoke of suffering , the corporeal body and the mind that regenerates it, is done with a Mind fully at ease with itself.
The overhelming sensation of possessing the ability to leave the worthless body of suffering behind at any given moment and walk on the now fully visible path of the shining ones, is awesome.
Bodhidharma did it without hesitation at the end of his life, so did the western bodhisattva Jeshua (jesus christ), and many many other Mind masters (bodhisattvas). Once one has full command of the truth body (dharma-kaya) there are no fears, no concerns or desires of anything belonging to samsara. Not of material possessions, ideas, causes, family or anything that concerns those doomed to countless rebirths due to such attachements.
It is not possible for the truth body to be one with everything in samsara. That is a grave misconception of the new age fanatics whom have not lived a single moment in the deathless. A christian whom calls himself a christian and cannot say he lives in the deathless reality of christ, is not a true christian. To merely believe will not keep the evil one away. The same goes for a Buddhist whom cannot live in the everpresent light of the awakened ones, the Buddhas. To merely sit like a buddha believe in buddha or pray to buddha, will not keep Mara away and where Mara is, there is also the chance of error and suffering.
Truth and illusion are never one and the same. That which is primoridally imageless can never be one and the same with an image as stated in the Lankavatara sutra. Yet this simple fact is impossible for the greater part of all sentient beings to realize, hence the neverending stream of desires, fears, ignorance and suffering. Many have opinions about buddhism and especially zen buddhism but very very few can say they live in the very reality of the Buddhas and bodhisattvas. You need a very very special body and Mind for that purpose.
Buddha asked a very simple thing of all his disciples. Realize your truth body and compare it to your present body. Once you see the difference you will know what to do.
Posted by: minx | February 19, 2011 at 01:40 PM
I liked this post. Can you recommend any primary sources for this idea of temporal bodies (skandhas) and pubba koti?
Thanks
Posted by: joachim | February 18, 2011 at 01:15 AM