Something you have probably heard about Buddhism is "reincarnation."
First, reincarnation is not a term a Zen Buddhist uses frequently, because it puts too much emphasis on the self. It gives the erroneous impression that you have a diamond-hard soul that "reincarnates" throughout all time. This is not what a Zen Buddhist has come to understand.
At the karmic, ordinary level it is reasonable to say that "you" will reincarnate. However, this is unimportant really because being something different, better, or worse in another life does not matter. All that matters is what you do with your life right now.
A Zen Buddhist practices enlightenment (compassion, fearlessness, reason), and it does not matter "when" or "who." A Zen Buddhist works to free herself from conceptions and labels: and this means being free of concepts like reincarnation. Indeed, it means being free from every single thing you can possibly think of, because you cannot think of a single thing without labeling it "something that I thought."
A Zen Buddhist realizes that, really, we are not separate from the universe in any meaningful way. Every flower you touch, every smile you see, is yours. Every bit of suffering you see is also yours. So why would a Zen Buddhist concern herself with reincarnation, if all forms are Ultimately cyclical and indistinct?
To a Zen Buddhist, what matters Ultimately is not a thing. And the best way we can describe "not a thing" is "buddhahood," which is being the drop in the ocean (you or me) as well as being the ocean itself (all things).
Seeking to quell the stormy seas of dogma and ideology, a Zen Buddhist practices co-existence: love, freedom, and wisdom.
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𝘾 𝙖 𝙡 𝙢 🌼 A Pocket Guide To Breathe Easy
RandomName a negative emotion. This guide discusses the Zen Buddhist method to calm it. Each chapter focuses on a negative feeling, a hurtful action, or a cause for despondency. I hope this guide helps you to breathe a little easier!
