Just like the Buddha took human birth,
not to speculate about what will happen in the future,
but to understand the present suffering and end the cycle of rebirth —
he focused on practice, observation, and realization.
He corrected the present — and the future naturally took care of itself.
“The Buddha does not ask you to believe. He asks you to observe your own mind — and verify it.”
If one truly understands anicca, dukkha, and anattā,
one stops asking “who is reborn?”
and starts investigating “how can I end rebirth?”
______
I spent a lot of time reflecting on this thought.
Eventually, I realized — the question itself is flawed:
“If, after death, there is no ‘me’ continuing into the next existence —
but instead, a new stream of viññāṇa arises with a different identity and form (say, as a ‘John’ or a dog) —
then what connection do I have with that future being? Why should I care?”
But if I have already seen — with Sammā Diṭṭhi — that there is no ‘me’ now,
then what ‘me’ is left to worry about in the future? 😄
This present “me” — made of thoughts, memories, identity —
is all arising due to dependent origination (paṭicca samuppāda).
And if I’ve seen its anicca nature clearly…
Then the game is over.
There won’t be a future “John”, “Julie”, or “jungle dog” version of me.
Because the ‘me’ I thought existed — was never really there to begin with.
It was just an illusion born of craving (taṇhā) and ignorance (avijjā).
Here’s how I see it now:
“If you are not here, what future bhava are you worried about?”
“If the ‘I’ has already been cancelled, what future subscription is getting renewed?”
“The EMI of ‘jāti’ only runs as long as moha keeps the credit line open.”
But now you’re debt-free, my friend. 😎No Me Now → No Me Later → No More Dukkha
The very idea of “me” is dukkha.
As long as we keep thinking, “What will happen to me in the future?”,
we’re missing the dukkha that exists right now —
and that’s exactly what we carry forward.
“Nothing is truly yours. Stop clinging. End the show.”
There is no fixed entity called “me”,
but the process of craving, clinging, and becoming continues.
You exist conventionally, not ultimately.
Rebirth is not a transfer of a soul — it is a process of conditions unfolding.
“You don’t exist now the way you assume,
and you won’t exist later the way you imagine.
But the fire of craving — if not put out — will continue to burn.
And what burns is dukkha.”
So the real question isn’t about future identity.
The right question is:
“What am I doing with my current gati, clinging, and anusaya?”
The one who sees this properly doesn’t try to “fix the future” — they break the rebirth cycle entirely.
Let’s put it this way:
You cannot worry about the future suffering of some “being”
once you realize that such a being is not you.
That being is just a new puppet, built from your current avijjā.
But if you’re already walking the Nibbāna-path —
that puppet never gets built.
Imagine we’re all on a train — let’s call it “Bhava Express.”
Now one person asks:
“Where will the train stop next? What will happen at the next station?”
Another says:
“Bro, I’m just here to enjoy the ride.”
But one must contemplate:
“Why don’t you ask why the train is even moving? Why are you in the train?”
“As long as the engine of taṇhā and the fuel of avijjā is running, stations will keep coming.”
So what’s the solution?
Turn off the engine. Cut off the fuel. The train halts. Rebirth ends.
As the Buddha said:
“I teach only dukkha, and the cessation of dukkha.”
“Suffering exists, its cause exists, its cessation is possible — and there is a path leading to that cessation.”
I would like to end with this
Suppose you plant a mango seed.
You put it in fertile soil, water it, and take care of it —
then, like it or not, it will produce mangoes in the future.
No need to cry, pray, or bargain — the result is guaranteed.
So don’t ask “Will mangoes grow?”
Just look at the seed you’re planting right now.
That seed is your future.
Thank you, Lal, for this wonderful website. You have shared immense knowledge.
Thank you to everyone who has replied to this post.