Expert: Justin Choo - 10/25/2007

Question
Although I consider myself a spiritual person, like a human being I question many times about rebirth and death?  If in fact "nothing dies but all suffers transformations"  if only the physical body dies and the spirit lives in another plane of existence, why can't we be sure of it?  Why do we want to believe that there is life after death, and this is nothing else but a way to transform our fear of death to create an hope of a new existence?  I want badly to believe we have another life, but then why after all these years we still don't have a scientifical proof of it and it continues to pertain to a mystery world... like a fairy tale to calm down our fear of death itself?  I have tried to answer to myself to this and other similar questions, have practiced a positive attitude and yet a doubt still clouds my mind.

Answer
Hi Maria,

Thank you for asking me.

I shall not try to debate on whether there is life after death, although the Buddha had revealed the cycle of birth and death.  Actually the purpose of the Buddha's teachings is not to convince us of anything, but to point out certain facts of our existence which we can experience here and now.  I assume that you are familiar with the Buddha's teachings.  The Four Noble Truths touch on the realilities of life, and the Noble Eightfold Path leads us to live a harmless and noble lifestyle, here and now.  That's all to it.  As for concepts like kamma, rebirth, and other esoteric subjects, the Buddha had explained in detail.  I am sure you know the Buddha's explaination and I shall not repeat here.  It is up to you whether to accept them or not.  If you find that they are not convincing enough, then you need not have to accept them. Due to our limited human capability to grasp and comprehend fully these subjects, we question them.  These concepts are beyond the human intelligence to analyze and prove beyond any doubt by using any scientific instruments or complicated mathematical computations.  It takes a higher intelligence to fully comprehend; and it is the pure mind power that we need.  This can only be achieved through proper Buddhist meditation and it is no easy task.  

As the Buddha advised, it is better to concentrate on this life than to speculate the "unknown".  It is more important to lead a wholesome and noble life by reducing our greed, hatred and delusion.  Then we can experience inner peace and happiness.

Smile from justinchoo :-)