“If each existence represents different “person”, why should one worry about future suffering?”<br /><br />
Over the years I have seen the same or similar question brought up in different places. I can understand why others might think and feel this way.
What I can say in addition to already what’s been mentioned is that if my memory serves me correctly, I believe it’s a Theravada orthodox teaching that teaches one of the sufferings preta’s (hungry ghost) experience is that the preta’s would remember the unwholesome kamma they committed from their previous lives and unpleasant vipaka such domanassa (unpleasant thoughts), lamentation, pain, grief, despair or the dukkhakkhandhassa would continuously torment (come to back) their mind and body.
Here’s a PD post that can be related to this thread.
A perspective / way of thinking that helped me to see things from another approach is that regardless what myself and others might interpret / believe what anatta means, whether there is self or no self as well the question of whether one should worry about future suffering. As long we understand the 3 characteristics anicca, dukkha, anatta takes effect for any living beings phenomenon / experience in the present and into the future and how no living beings (satta’s) are exempt from these 3 characteristics in any realms of existence. I believe the wise, intelligent, important, right or most sensible thing to do with our current jati would be to strive / walk on the Noble 8 Fold Path to attain nibbana.
Currently we’re so fortunate to have the Buddha dhamma teachings still available to us living beings to learn and practice from. The resources we have today can be considered both unfavorable and favorable for us dhamma practitioners to at least attain the sotapanna stage. For us Buddhist practitioners, we should really use the best of this opportunity in our current jati for the betterment of our life stream and all sentient beings. As one of many examples that could be given, imagine one day being able to guarantee other living beings that one won’t cause / do harm to them. If there’s a path / way to attain such a characteristic, wouldn’t this be a wise / sensible / intelligent thing to carry out as a living being regardless if there’s a self or not?
