I Don't Want Another Life

[Leena]

Visvamitra:

I love reading the scriptures! I've read the Ramayana and am now reading the Mahabharata. I agree with the commentary breaking the flow. It is somewhat annoying, but helpful at times.

[karnvr]

Bhagwad Geeta should be the one, its worth reading. Read it & try to implicate. I read it & given up non-veg diet. Its amazing. Bhagwad Geeta 'As It Is' from ISKCON.

[ZarryT]

I have just begun my spiritual journey in Sanatana Dharma, and when the ship was sailed, I didn't realize how much there was to it. It seems overwhelming going at this alone with no help other than from this site,(which I am Extremely exited about having stumbled upon ), and I'm too shy (and socially awkward) to go up to people around where I live and ask, "Hey, are you Hindu?" I'm not giving up, but I wondered how much one needs to know before reaching Moksha, because I feel I'm ready for it, and really hope I can get there at the end of this lifetime.

Just remember that some 'reach' Moksha without any knowledge at all, and come to Hinduism after the fact.

I came to this thread because the title caught my eye; are you familiar with the eternal return? I could talk at length about it....

[Leena]

Bhagwad Geeta should be the one, its worth reading. Read it & try to implicate. I read it & given up non-veg diet. Its amazing. Bhagwad Geeta 'As It Is' from ISKCON.

I'm currently reading the Gita. I find it very theraputic, actually everything I've read so far has been theraputic. I agree, it is amazing!

Just remember that some 'reach' Moksha without any knowledge at all, and come to Hinduism after the fact.

I came to this thread because the title caught my eye; are you familiar with the eternal return? I could talk at length about it....

I don't think I'm familiar with the eternal return, but interested. It seems another term for moksha.

[ZarryT]

I don't think I'm familiar with the eternal return, but interested. It seems another term for moksha.

I have a completely unshakable sense of knowing it to be the case. I don't believe it is what happens, i feel like i know, for sure, as a result of the "enlightenment" experience.

The eternal return is the idea that when you die, you are born again, as yourself, at the same time and date to the same parents, and live the same life all over again, as if it was new.

This is because you can only ever be you - for you to be reincarnated as something else is simply incoherent; that is some other life, not you.

You are this; always this; never anything else. When you die, you are still this. Then you are born as this again.

This apparently is not an acceptable stance in Hinduism, however. So remember that my views are controversial.

obviously, you have no memory of it - otherwise it would be pointless!

[Leena]

I have had thoughts of that in the past, I just didn't know it had a term, but analysis raised a few issues in the theory. For one, how would we progress spiritually if we just repeated our lives over and over again making the same choices, the same mistakes, and so on? How would we reach moksha, and karma would be non-existent.

Because our bodies and souls are separate from each other, we wouldn't necessarily need to keep the same bodies, because the body is not who we really are. We are always the same soul, but can obtain different bodies. You would be the same if you were a peacock, but only with the actions and mind of a peacock.

This would be a terrible truth for those who had to repeat a life of nothing but hunger, disease, and seeing death on a daily basis. I'm not putting down this theory, as I have a very open mind, but for the sake of those people, I hope it's not true.

Maybe I'm not totally understanding the theory, so if I have misunderstood something, please tell. Thanks for your thoughts.

Leena

[R Gitananda]

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[PatrickMB]

I have just begun my spiritual journey in Sanatana Dharma, and when the ship was sailed, I didn't realize how much there was to it. It seems overwhelming going at this alone with no help other than from this site,(which I am Extremely exited about having stumbled upon ), and I'm too shy (and socially awkward) to go up to people around where I live and ask, "Hey, are you Hindu?" I'm not giving up, but I wondered how much one needs to know before reaching Moksha, because I feel I'm ready for it, and really hope I can get there at the end of this lifetime.

Hello Leena -- I'm with you, I don't want another material life either. However, an honest self-evaluation leads me to conclude that, barring a miracle, I am not yet ready for moksha. I practice Bhakti Yoga and strive to fulfill my duties to the best of my ability with no attachment to the results, but it's very difficult for me. To be more realistic, I'm hoping for a pleasant respite in the astral plane and then a higher birth. I have faith that my soul eventually will be ready for moksha, but I still have some lifetimes to go. I chant daily with the aim of making it so ingrained within myself that I die chanting the names of the Lord.

[ShivaIsLord]

I *don't* wan't Moksha, yet. I want to live a good life, gain good karma, and come back as a very wealthy man. Then get moksha :P

[Eastern Mind]

Vannakkam SIL: Be careful what you wish for. Karma has a role to play. If being a rich man means being the greatest humble philanthropist ever, then I too would be all for it.

All I want is the rare opportunity to hear about the renunciate path at at earlier age than I did in this lifetime, so that I have the opportunity.

Aum Namasivaya