Somehow these two things seem to me to be related. One, is the explanation of Samsara and rebirth from Chung Tai Dharma Zen Monastery teachings. The other, a video explaining the physics of our Universe.
1.
After death, the experiential states we have attachments to will appear in our consciousness. Seeing these states, we consequently give rise to greed and afflictions, which become the karmas that drive us to take rebirth again and again in the cycle of samsara. It is because of this that afflictions and attachments are the root cause of samsaric life and death. Sexual desire, ignorance, denial of causality, not knowing the intrinsic buddha nature of sentient beings—all of these are afflictions.
Ordinary people misunderstand “birth” as the moment they are born from their mother’s womb, and “death” as taking their final breath. If we focus our efforts on this form of life and death, we will have no way to reach liberation. This is because it is a karmic result that has already manifested; if we want to be liberated, we cannot run away or kill ourselves. Instead, we must work on the present causes: overcome the afflictions in the mind, eradiate unwholesome thoughts, and undo the knots in the heart. With untying these knots and awakening to the mind, comes liberation.
The reason we are born is because after we died in our past lives, our consciousness could not control itself. As a result, it was carried along by karmic forces in the cycle of samsara. Thus, we must use samadhi stillness and prajna wisdom in order to master ourselves. If we want to be free from life and death, we have to learn the Buddhadharma—cultivating both samadhi and prajna. This very mind must be clear and lucid, remain in right samadhi, and know that all things are illusory and insubstantial. To reach this state, we should regularly cultivate samadhi stillness and apply prajna wisdom to reflect with awareness. Know that the buddha nature inherent in sentient beings is non-arising and non-ceasing; the mind-nature of our intrinsic knowing and pure awareness is ever-present. Throughout our daily lives, always reflect inward with the light of awareness, transform our afflictions, and contemplate the empty nature of dependent arising, as well as the principle of causality. In this way, we will overcome our greed and attachments to perfect both samadhi and prajna, thus transcending life and death.
Therefore, transcending life and death is something we must do at every moment. By cultivating this way until all our afflictions and attachments are eradicated, we will fully realize our true mind, our intrinsic nature. It is the one that is non-arising, non-ceasing, and not subject to life and death. Realize the state where we do not raise a single thought. Then we will be free from the cycle of samsara and reach true liberation.
2.
The lesson from the video is that it’s all energy, interconnected, beautiful, changing, flowing. We are part of that mystery. To think that we are able to influence the whole positively, that is mind-blowing.
One Seeker's Story 