Reincarnation / Cycle of Life, Death, Rebirth Eastern religions’ goal: freedom from cycle of reincarnation How? – Developing oneself spiritually – Doorways: boundless love, compassion, sympathetic joy, equanimity (i.e. steady calmness) – Impediments: ignorance, greedy attachment, hatred All life is changing

For Tibetan Buddhists “bardo” The actual moments of change – Life – Dying – Death – Rebirth – Dreaming – Meditation Bardo the only real state: everything is impermanent

Buddhist ideas of the mind Mind creates & projects images of the world from its collection of memories & habits – Projections usually negative Do not experience reality as it really is Recall from the Four Noble Truths: – To avoid suffering, follow the Eightfold Path – Structured program of morality, insight & meditation – Follow the dharma (teaching of Buddha)

Mind conditioned by habit To be ignorant of fundamental reality Two aspects of mind: – Primordial enlightenment Pure in nature The only thing representing reality – Corrupted version of enlightenment Thoughts & desires from ego Conditioned ignorance of true meaning of life  illusions

5 types of awareness Intrinsic primary,  ultimate reality Subtle, sees colour & form  free of judgment, sees cause & effect; – Remains detached, uninvolved, unconcerned Compassionate,  all sentient beings desire happiness – All beings held equally in immeasurable love Spontaneously discriminating  recognizes potential bliss in all beings Accomplishing  how a being can accomplish its need for fulfillment & its purpose

Buddhist ideas on Ego Ego – A parasitical illusion – A defence mechanism – No basis in reality – Continually reinvented as reality chips away at it – Gives false sense of importance – Barrier to enlightenment – Uses negative emotions to ensure its survival Read pages 336 to 338