2 posts were split to a new topic: Should one have desire for nibbana?
Are all branches of math and math itself, pannatti?
The only realties are mentality and materiality, the five khandhas.
While thinking about a maths problem the khandhas are arising and passing away - they are real. The visible objects , the colors , are real, the thinking processes are real. But the object of thinking - the maths problem - is pannatti, a concept.
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If there is no soul, no self then who or rather what is it that goes to visit places, eats, sleeps and does things? Is it the citta?
5 khandas is what does the visiting and eating etc.
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If one day machines gain consciousness, can one be reborn as a machine?
no, however, we are similar to and should be looked as machines. If you learn about abhidhamma you can understand this better.
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In the human and animal realms specific types of rupa are suitable places where patisandhi citta can arise.
This rupa would be difficult/impossible for science to replicate so I doubt that there could be a machine where citta can arise.
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Is looks, intelligence a product of kamma or just pure genetics?
It is the product of kamma. Giving food or even other items which help with looks are a major cause. Loving-kindness and sīla faith will make one look beautiful in this life and beyond.
That is why we say.
Abhivadanasilassa, niccam vuddhapacayino;
Cattaro dhamma vaddhanti, ayu vanno sukham balam.
This means that if they habitually respect and honour their superiors (such as parents, teachers, elders, those who have higher moral virtues and spiritual attainments), they will grow in longevity, beauty, happiness and strength. This is, in fact, a practice of humility. All of you who come here to make offerings respectfully are already practising generosity as well as respect and humility. So you will be receiving these benefits in abundance. Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu! (From ven aggacitta)
There are plenty of dumb people who look very pleasing. On the other hand… Those who are very beautiful can attract successful and wealthy men. Those men usually have high intelligence and intelligence is proven to have a correlation with genes, but obviously not always. The Tipitaka sayadaw I know comes from a normal village family and his brother is a taxi driver.
You can read the culakammavibhanga sutta and also learn about memes and how they affect genetics and evolution.
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If there is no ‘self’ then doesn’t that mean that no one is equal, higher or lower?
Are there any new beings in samsara or are all the beings that are in samsara have been reborn before?
As far as I know it is all recycled. However, beings come from different worlds and also different intelligence levels. Perhaps you are asking about overpopulation and where beings come from. Even in this world alone, there are far animals in the world, what more could be said about insects? When we used to drive at night, the windsheild used to be smudged with insects. That does not happen anymore. Eventually the world will be destroyed and then it will have life again. Where do the beings come from? They come from other world systems and other realms.
It is my personal belief that as the animals become less and less because humans have a bigger presence, the animals will be reborn as humans, but will still have that animal habitual kamma. This would explain why humans are less humane than they were before.
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I am specifically asking about whether or not there are beings that have never been reborn before? Could it be that there are beings who’s current live is their first live?
This is not possible.
What we call a being is actually a stream of arising and ceasing nama and rupa, the five khandhas.
And each moment of arising is conditioned by past moments- there must be antecedents.
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I was speaking in conventional terms… based on kamma. As @RobertK says it is correct. But no… there are no new beings that arise like you are saying.
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If one does not realize nibbana, is he eternally trapped in samsara?
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YES. A big fat YES…
unfortunately … that is how it is and that is what samsāra is all about.
The end comes with parinibbāna
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‘‘Everything that has a beginning has an end.’’
1.Therefore, because nibbana is without beginning, it is without end, therefore, it is permanent.
2.Therefore, because samsara is beginningless, it is endless, therefore, it is permanent?
I know that samsara is impermanent but isn’t one eternally trapped in it if one doesn’t realize nibbana? Doesn’t that mean that it’s eternal in that sense that it changes eternally but never gets completely destroyed as that would mean nibbana for all beings in samsara?
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Bhante can u explain in details…
Can giving food only result in good look in future birth…or do one need to donate things like makeup kit to someone… jewellery. Or clothes…
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