Expert: Justin Choo - 6/10/2008

Question
Hello there,

Having just completed a somewhat basic AS level course on Religious Studies which focused on Buddhism, I may have discovered a "flaw".
According to my OCR course, Buddhism has no "discernible beginning."  There are two points I need to establish: the cycle of life, Samsara, the universe, has always existed.  Therefore, time up until now has already been infinite.  Secondly, everyone has a chance of reaching enlightenment, of reaching Nirvana.  It is a possibility for everyone; we will all eventually reach it and human race would come to an end.
However, if time has been infinite, then all possibilities, all potentials would have actualized.  Why are we still here?
But, let's just say that's the way it is; time has been infinite but we're still here.  We'll just accept that as fact.  This leads on to another problem: if we've all had an infinite amount of time to reach Nirvana yet haven't, doesn't that mean we never will?  After all, we've had infinitely long to reach it.  So why are Buddhists still aiming for Nirvana?
I doubt Buddhism would have overlooked such trivial problems.  If there's anything that I've overlooked, please say so as this is bugging me quite a bit. :)

Thank you

Answer
Hi Alex,

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Hi Alex,

Thank you for asking me.

When we talk about time-scale in the cycle of existence, we need to free our mindset from the conventional measurement of time.  If you study the subject of astronomy, then you would realize that the time-scale is unimaginably long, stretching to billions and billions of light years.  The life span of our lives is just a very minute fraction of a mere dot in the time-scale.  What we seem to be a very long time is actually a minute fraction of a blink of the eye.

Apart from time-span, we also need to consider the countless number of life-forms spreading across the endless universe and also in different dimensions which we could not see and comprehend.

Realizing these universal dichotomy of "endless time" and "countless life forms", how could we discern the mysteries of the end of time and the end of life-forms?  There cannot be an end nor a beginning.  The subject of astronomy is a very fascinating one. If you understand the nature of this vast universe, you will understand the Buddha's teachings.  The universe has no end; that's why the most appropriate term used is "space". We try to measure distance and time.  In actual fact "distance" and "time" do not exist in the universe.  There is just "existence".  This "existence" is cyclical in nature, but stretching to extremely unimaginable time-span.  Such is the length of time that the Buddha called it an aeon; incalculable time period.   Our present existence is but a cycle of "formation, evolution, dissolution and destruction".  In astronomy, scientists could observe this "phenomenon" of formation, evolution, dissolution  and destruction of planets and stars.  There is no beginning and no end.  The beginning is from the end, and the end is going to be the beginning! It is a perpetual cycle.  It has been like this in time immemorial and will be likewise forever, ad infinitum.

Within one cycle, there is the "creation" of world systems.  Life appears from other planes of existence and evolves.  The cycle will again go through the stages of "formation, evolution, dissolution, and destruction".

At this point in time, countless world systems go through the different phases of this cycle of existence.  Ask any astro scientist and he will confirm this truth.  The Buddha, with his mind power (omniscience) could see through all these phenomena.

Coming back to your question as to why Buddhists still strive to attain Nibbana (Nirvana) even though it is near impossible.  The point is; if this goal is not attained, we will still have to exist in this perpetual cycle of life and death.    

Hope this helps.

Smile from justinchoo :-)