Expert: Stuart Resnick - 1/5/2008

Question
QUESTION: In buddhism it teaches that all beings are trapped in a cycle of death and rebirth called Samsara and the only way to escape it is through attaining enlightenment. My question is that if this is so what would happen if all beings attain enlightment and are not reborn again except say 5 beings. If all those 5 beings died at the same time then would there not be anyone left to give birth to them again in the human world. Does this not prove Samsara to be false?

ANSWER: Buddha's teaching is pointing to the Truth of this moment. Right now, what do you see? What do you hear? What are you doing?

"Samsara" and "enlightenment" etc etc are just ideas, just thinking. They may be interesting academically, and they may be useful sometimes to inspire people. But if you actually want to understand what Buddha was pointing to, these words and ideas don't matter.

Just attend to your living experience of this moment. What are you? Throw away all ideas and thinking, and see for yourself.

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QUESTION: Does that mean to say that enlightenment etc are just ideas and concepts the buddha used to inspire people and so dont really exsist at all and all he was trying to do was to get people to focus on the here and now?

Answer
"Enlightenment" etc are just concepts that are sometimes used in teaching. The "Buddha" who lived centuries ago doesn't matter: the true buddha has already appeared in this moment, right in front of you.

This very moment is your opportunity to perceive your situation with clarity, and respond compassionately. What more do you want?