Rebirth means the re-emergence of personal existence, whether immediately after death or after an interval. The project assumes this possibility when choosing how to act. If death permanently ends personal existence, it also ends the possibility of subsequent unhappiness. If existence re-emerges, neglecting it could forfeit the present opportunity to influence its conditions. Research therefore focuses on how re-emergence works and how present choices can affect it, rather than proving that it occurs.
The re-emergence of consciousness is the most rational outcome
Naturalist theories of consciousness posit it as an epiphenomenon, but even in this case, it is only reasonable for consciousness to rearise in another brain since many multitudes of human brains are arising each and every day.
Even if humans went extinct, the relevant conditions will likely form again in the future
Explore other theories of conscsiousness
Content/Project Empyrean Draft.md
Transmortal Causality
This is also a necessary assumption
If there’s no transmortal causality, then nothing you do matters anyways. Again, plan for being wrong.
Now we need to ascertain how it most likely works.
Content/Authors/Shashank Rajesh/Rebirth By Choice.md
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A human enjoys a stable existence due to the longevity of their physical basis.
It is however bound to decay and die, and thus, seeking a superior vessel, one should develop their mind in the appropriate direciton.
If the habitual formations of the mind have any significant influence on the arising of a new body after death (see the sutta “Rebirth by Choice”), then it is wise to develop and stabilize a mental model of that body and realm as vividly as possible.
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Experience Constrained Rebirth
What if our rebirth destination was primarily driven by our experiences from the current life? In that case, humans would most likely be reborn as humans until they somehow evolve into a more sophisticated model of experience, upon which a new realm or species is generated to satisfy that model. It would make sense in this case that the content of one’s dreams would need to be of a heavenly quality if one wishes rebirth in such a realm.
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Rebirth
Rebirth can be directed by developing the mind onto a particular destination. It seems that enlightenment itself can also be achieved in a similar way. [@MN120Sankharupapatti][@MN120Sankharupapatti]
The desire to be reborn as a deva is seen to be a breach in celibacy. [@MethunasuttaBhikkhuSujato]
From The Buddhist Cosmos: [@punnadhammomahatheroBuddhistCosmos]:
Except for the Noble Ones, all beings will eventually become unrightous.
Devas do not even know of the name of dissatisfaction for the vast majority of their lives.
Upon birth, Devas of little merit are confused and afraid until they are told where they are. But Devas of great merit know exactly where they are and why they have arrived there.
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Mind
The mind seems to be chief in determining the contents of dreams. Sleep could be seen as similar to death, with subsequent rebirth in the dream. Without phyical support, the mind generates its own forms, seemingly in response to its desires. So then, do the contents and tendencies of the mind also affect the process of rebirth? The wise certainly say so.
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The potential cause of past live amnesia
Perhaps when the consciousness binds to the fertilized egg, there is an overwhelming discomfort which, after subsisting for those many months of pregnancy, gradually resides through settling on a physical basis that is the brain. Then, only what is physically apparent tends to be remembered, while that non-physical memory becomes far out of reach.
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The afterlife
The idea of a conscious existence beyond the death of the body has persisted throughout human history.
Through logical analysis, we can ascertain two possibilites: a permanant cessation of subjective existence (annihalationism), or a continuation of some sort. In those cultures that posited an afterlife, they are
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Possibilities of the next life
Annihilationism
Eternalism
Rebirth
Limbo
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After Death
Dissatisfaction within the human experience is quite evident, and does not require much elaboration. The question remains: is there dissatisfaction after death?
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Birth
Having been born into this world,
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The Shell
Contextual and responsive to the current conditions. Can be destroyed and recreated as needed while preserving the seed.
Gradients
The shell should transition seemelessly between incarnations, ensuring the seed is preserved throughout. (Research of the mechanics of rebirth.)
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Seating of experience
To establish stability of being in a particular world, mind binds itself to a body residing in that world, being subject to its various laws. Gross bodies are bound tightly to their worlds, subtle ones more free to move around.
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Conditioned Happiness Beyond Humanity
Have it good or bad, all will die relateively soon. A hundred years of existence is not much at all. So, we must turn our focus to the potential existence beyond death: the afterlife.
It is apparent that upon death the material constituents of the body remain in this world, bound to decompose and decay into dust. Thus, whatever existence there may be beyond the destruction of this body is most likely to be influenced not by any material in the body or the world, but rather by the mind itself.
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Death and the Afterlife {#death-and-the-afterlife-1}
Now, there is evidence for the afterlife, and it it far more rational of an explaination compared to annihilationism, […]
Human existence is nominally locked to the body and senses
Out of body experiences, including dreams, are observed to be interstitial to embodied consciousness
We leave other possibilities open, but practically focus on experience as a psychophysical system
Content/Project Empyrean Draft.md
The Problem
Discomfort rests on subjective exitence
Subjective existence has in fact arisen
If it has arisen now, it can arise again after death.
Therefore, any attainment of comfort restricted to this life is ultimately futile
Priority shifts to future existence
Related topics (AI recommended)
Nekyia proposes investigating continuity after death. Karma concerns possible causes, while rebirth by choice presents a Buddhist account of directing a future existence.