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