“My issue with that idea is that how can there be perception of anything along with conscious ability to think and do bodily actions if there is no self in reality?”
- The innate sense of a “me” will be there (at different levels) until one attains the Arahant stage.
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“Furthermore, when an arahant realizes that there is no “me”, do they suddenly become talking corpses?”
- No. Their mind would be free of even a trace of greed, anger, and ignorance (about the true nature of the world.)
- Instead of becoming corpses, they will have the best clarity of mind.
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“By “goal”, I wasn’t referring to the ultimate goal of ending rebirth process but the understanding one needs to have in this context.”
- Without believing in the process, one cannot understand the “true nature of the world.”
- It is up to each person to believe or not believe in the rebirth process. However, Buddha’s teachings (at least the more profound aspects, like the absence of a soul) cannot be understood without a rebirth process. The laws of kamma (explained via Paticca Samuppada) operate not only in this life but also in future lives. For example, person X may kill another and be able not to get caught by law enforcement. But he will not be able to escape the consequence of that immoral deed (kamma vipaka) and being born as an animal or worse.
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“If each existence represents different “person”, why should one worry about future suffering?”
- Future lives are not that different from present lives. Were you the “exact same person” when you were five, ten, or twenty years old? Did you look the same at those stages, have the same ambitions/goals or outlook on life, etc., as now?
- Whether you are worried about suffering in the coming years or not, suffering will increase as you get older (it applies to all of us). In the same way, at least according to the Buddha, suffering in future lives cannot be avoided until one cleanses one’s mind of greed, anger, and ignorance (about the true nature of the world.)
- P.S. What aspect of “Lagrade” has remained unchanged over the years to make it a specific and same exact “Lagrade”?
