The Problem of Continued Existence

"Anamataggoyaṃ, bhikkhave, saṃsāro" – The Buddha declared that the beginning of Samsara (the cycle of rebirth) is unknowable. If one were to try to trace back the continuum of aggregates of a single being – thinking, "In the previous life I was a human, before that a deva, before that a dog," and so on – it would be endless, like smoke and clouds with no conceivable origin. This is why the Buddha made that statement. Even if one were to use the Buddha's incredibly swift and sharp Omniscient Knowledge (Sabbannutanana) to try and trace back the entire life-process of a single being to its very beginning, even if the Buddha spent all forty-five years of his ministry doing just that for one being, he could not finish reviewing the complete story of how that being's lives came to be. How could one possibly trace back the beginning of countless beings? It is because there have been such an incalculable number of lives, deaths, and rebirths that the Buddha did not attempt to point out the absolute beginning of Samsara. Furthermore, continuously looking back would not be supportive of attaining the Path and Fruition (Magga Phala); it would only be exhausting. However, the Buddha did reveal the origin of Dhamma (phenomena). In the discourse on Dependent Origination (Paticca Samuppada), he explicitly stated that it begins with Avijjā – ignorance of the Truth. While the specific history of a being cannot be known, the process of Dhamma is known. Due to past actions (Kamma) performed under the influence of ignorance (Avijjā), a continuum of aggregates arises in Samsara according to the force of that kamma. This is why, in the first Section of the Dependent Origination cycle, Avijjā (ignorance) and Saṅkhāra (volitional formations) are clearly shown. We may not know if we were a human or a deva in a past life, but the fact that there was Avijjā and Saṅkhāra is a truth according to the nature of Dhamma. Due to ignorance, all actions become kammic formations (Saṅkhāra), and because of these formations, we have obtained this present life with its five aggregates. In the process of Dhamma, the Avijjā from the past life ceased in that past life. The Saṅkhāra from the past life also ceased in that past life. They did not follow along into this present life. Although the present life started with rebirth-linking consciousness (Patisandhi Vinnana) and the five aggregates came into existence, not a single thing from the past life's phenomena came along. Understanding this, one realizes there is nothing permanent to be called "I" or "mine." The common notion that a "consciousness" or a "soul" leaves the old body at death and transitions to a new body arises from not understanding Dependent Origination precisely. To think that a permanent consciousness, a butterfly-like spirit, or a life-entity exists within the impermanent mind and body is to hold the wrong view of Eternalism (Sassataditthi). This kind of eternalist view is surprisingly common even among Buddhists. Phrases like "the life has departed" are said because of an underlying assumption that a "life-entity" has left. Even phrases like "has gone to another existence" are used. If the intention is that a consciousness or a life has transferred, and if the mind accepts that notion, then it is the Eternalist view. It would be more accurate to say "has passed away." When someone dies, people often perform rituals like "butterfly catching" or "butterfly dividing," fearing that if they don't, the deceased's spirit will take away or call upon the surviving children. In reality, the deceased has already taken rebirth in a new body instantly, without a moment's delay. Therefore, the past mind and body arose and ceased solely in the past. Nothing whatsoever came over to this present life. If one thinks something came over, it is the Eternalist view. Only when this perception is cleared away by insight does one become free from Eternalism. So, is the present mind and body a golden, permanent self, or did it arise without a cause? Neither. The kammic formation (Saṅkhāra) performed in the past life is the cause. The present mind and body are merely the effect resulting from that cause. The past life and the present life are not completely disconnected and separate. Cause and effect are still connected. The present body is an effect arising from a cause. The cause itself is not the effect; the causative kamma arose and ceased in its own place. It did not come along into this life. However, because of that past causal kamma, the present body has appeared. Therefore, although the past mind and body cannot and did not come along, cause and effect are still connected. When this is clearly seen with insight, the wrong view of Annihilationism (Ucchedaditthi) – the view that things are utterly cut off – dies. Some hold the view, "This life is it; there's no need to consider future lives." These are Annihilationists. Those who believe there is no next life also hold the Annihilationist view. According to the teaching of Dependent Origination, understanding that the present body is obtained due to past kammic formations makes it clear that one life is connected to another through cause and effect, thus eliminating Annihilationism. To assume that past mind and body come along is Eternalism. To assume a life-entity, a butterfly-spirit, or a consciousness moves from an old body-house to a new body-house is also Eternalism. To be free from this view, one must clearly understand that the past mind and body only arose and ceased in the past; nothing came over to this life. Only when one fully comprehends that nothing came over does Eternalism fall away. And while nothing came over, it did not happen without a cause; cause and effect are still connected. Understanding this eliminates Annihilationism. Therefore, one should reflect on the connection between links in the Section (1) and (2) of the cycle until it is clear in one's insight: "The mind and body from the past life did not come over to the present life; only cause and effect are connected." The past life and the present life are merely a continuum of mind and matter connected by the supporting condition of contiguity (Anantara Paccaya). All mind and matter, without exception, have the nature to arise and then cease. However, it is only because the previous mind and matter cease and are removed that the new mind and matter can replace them and take their place. The absence of the previous state (Natthi Paccaya) also acts as a supporting condition. By the fact that the previous mind and matter are no longer present, they provide the opportunity for the next mind and matter to arise. Thus, although the continuum of mind and matter – arising and ceasing – ceases and is stilled at the end of one life, it is not completely cut off. As long as there are causative kammic formations for a future life, new mind and matter will continue to arise. One must understand that it is a series where what has arisen ceases, and after ceasing, something new arises. Only then will the perception of something permanent and indestructible – the Eternalist view – be eliminated. It is also crucial to understand with insight that although there is arising and ceasing, cause and effect are still connected. Only then will the Annihilationist view – "once it's gone, it's finished" – be eliminated. The continuum of mind and matter of one being does not slip and cross over into the continuum of another being, creating a mix-up of kammic results. To assume such a mix-up is to fall into the Annihilationist view that "one suffers for another's fault." The belief that "if you apologise and confess your faults to the Buddha, they will disappear" is an Annihilationist view. The chain of cause and effect of one's own continuum of mind and matter only affects one's own continuum. It will not directly impact another person. When one thoroughly understands that there is only this process of arising and ceasing mind and matter, one is freed from the extreme of the Eternalist view of permanence (Sassata) and the extreme of the Annihilationist view of cut-off (Uccheda). And by knowing that there is only mind and matter, with no person or being, the view of Self (Sakkaya Ditthi) is also eliminated. Dr. Ashin Parami