Zengriff-v2 - Zengriff

- mindfulness in plain english by Ven. Henepola Gunaratana

As people, do we have the choice to finish our lives out without reincarnating, after death? Is it possible to clear our karma to the point where that’s an option?

Awesome question, thanks for this!

I think the first important thing to address is the notion of karma. Often we imagine that it is like our cosmic bank account balance. Then our understanding is something along the lines of good deeds and bad deeds of various magnitudes factoring together to determine what happens after death (or even in life).

In actuality, the concept of karma is more nuanced than this. It is better to imagine karma as the imprints we take on due to our judgments (fixed perceptions), traumas (triggers), fears (rejections), and desires (attractions). I think a pragmatic understanding of it would be like this:

Imagine you developed complete amnesia and were dropped into an environment that knew nothing about you. How would you act and react? What kinds of insights and conclusions would you draw? What kinds of motives would arise? All of that is karmic stuff.

In life, thanks to our wonderful human brains, we have the ability to recognize these imprints in ourselves. We can choose to act counter to those reactions and instincts. Unlike most animals, which are innocent beings but they do not have the executive function to choose to go against their instincts--although there are of course exceptions to this.

In death, we no longer have the power of the human brain and therefore the karmas take over. It is then said that we experience a heaven or hell accordingly. If we lived violently and animalistically, thats the kind of after-death experience we have. If we behaved with love and kindness and wisdom, then that is the after-death experience.

But either way, once enough of that karma is exhausted during the after-death experience, we are pulled back to physical incarnation.

How much of this is real and true? I can't say from direct experience. But right now its part of my own modeled understanding derived from my direct experiences in meditation as well as the teachings of my Guru and many traditions.

So now to your question: Can we finish our lives out without reincarnating, after death? Is it possible to clear our karma to the point where that’s an option?

There are two perspectives from which to answer this question. One, which will be relatable and intuitive, and another, which may be a little abstract.

The first perspective is this--the only beings who never incarnate again are those who attain self-realization, complete enlightenment. Those are the beings for whom nothing remains to reincarnate after physical death. And it is said that no matter how those beings appear outwardly--angry, amused, etc--their minds never take on any imprints ever again. It's like drawing on the surface of water.

The second perspective is that of no-creation, which is nonduality or advaita. It kind of turns the question on its head. If you ask "is it possible to never incarnate again", it will answer your question with a question, "can you be certain you ever incarnated in the first place?".

From a non-dual perspective, nothing has ever happened. The universe was never created and will never be destroyed, just as the world you experience in your dreams has no real beginning or end. And just as the dream self you have experienced in dreams has no birth or death, neither have you ever truly incarnated or died.

Because ultimately, all of this is an illusion. BUT this doesn't mean it isn't Real! An illusion is defined as a misperception of something real--like mistaking a coil of rope to be a snake. It does not mean a hallucination, such as suddenly seeing a snake appear in an empty room.

All of This is Reality, Consciousness, the Self, Emptiness, The Divine, The Indescribable, etc. It is only due to our misperception (illusion) that it appears to be anything other than That.

I know 😅 wtf, right? That's...a lot.

I hope this at least gave you something to explore a bit more but in the end there's one thing I always recommend: daily meditation.

May you know peace, freedom, and happiness without exception.

Much love!

LY

Awkwardness is natural when you don’t fit into the choreography of the consensus.

Meet awkwardness with mindfulness; keep your sense of humor but do not conform.

Be at ease amidst discomfort. You’re good.

Therein can be found a lovely balance between charming and subversive.

Funda-in ‘芬陀院’ Kyoto, Japan.

Art: @plumvillagefrance

Japanese Imperial Palace photos: Sam Abell