You are a mathematician. I love mathematics too because a mathematics brain is quite critical and precious. It does not feel nice going around from here to there. Of course, the Buddha teaches people ‘The Law of Cause and Effect’ or ‘The Law of Action and Reaction’ as Isaac Newton said ‘There is an action; there is always the same reaction to it’. It is a very simple example quite similar to the Buddha’s Teaching , ‘The Law of Cause and Effect’.
Actually, my life of Buddhism started comparatively understanding the law of cause and effect with Isaac Newton’s theory when I studied physics at young age both in high school and university. A mathematician can understand it very easily. Of course, if you believe in Buddhism as a religion that is completely based a Creator God, there is nothing to do with scientific approach to its truth or its goal.
However, in my understanding, Buddhism is not like other religions that train their people unquestioning faith on God. Buddhism has never encouraged or discouraged people to believe in God or not to believe in God because there is nothing to do with the idea of God in the the Buddha’s Teaching but with understanding.
Now, you can see how it could be possible for a human to be reborn in animal world after death according Buddhism. To be reborn in human world or in animal world it does not depend upon whether you are Buddhist or non-Buddhist but it depends upon your volitional actions by deeds, by words or by thoughts. There are two different types of action we can do: one is wholesome and another is unwholesome.
Wholesome actions will make you reborn in human world or heavenly world or wholesome destination. Unwholesome actions will make you reborn in animal world. There is nothing to do with the idea of God in the the Buddha’s Teaching but with understanding.
Now, you can see how it could be possible for a human to be reborn in animal world after death according Buddhism. To be reborn in human world or in animal world it does not depend upon whether you are Buddhist or non-Buddhist but it depends upon your volitional actions by deeds, by words or by thoughts. There are two different types of action we can do: one is wholesome and another is unwholesome.
Wholesome actions will make you reborn in human world or heavenly world or wholesome destination. Unwholesome actions will make you reborn in animal world or unwholesome destination. Therefore, you can see there is nothing to do with Buddhism to make you reborn in human world or animal world but all the actions wholesome or unwholesome you have done throughout your life will decide where you must be reborn in the next. This is the reason why Buddhist people are doing meritorious deeds or services to the monastic, to the temples, to the meditation centers and even to the elder in general.
The wholesome actions must not be based on greed, hatred and delusion. Whatever you do can be called unwholesome actions when your action is based on greed, hatred and deletion. Reciprocally, when your action is based on non-greed, non-hatred and non-delusion, these actions can be called wholesome actions.
If you learn this teaching critically, you can see how this teaching works. It works very positively with your life here and now. You should not treat anyone badly because this bad action will make you reborn in animal world. This is the reason why Buddhist people treat their friends nicely with nicer heart, nicer words and nicer actions to keep their friends warm and friendly and happy.
By practicing nice words, nice thoughts, and nice action will they be blessed and rewarded by their own volitional actions as a saying goes thus, ‘Virtue is its own reward’. Now, I hope you can learn from the Buddha’s Teaching for your question. If one has often done unwholesome actions, one will be decided by one’s own actions to be reborn in animal world.
Nobody can help but if one can correct one’s actions by mindfulness and wisdom, one can become a better person in one’s moral and spiritual quality. Only then can one be saved from being reborn into animal world. Therefore, one must do all nice, beautiful and wholesome and meritorious actions very often in life because we are so easy to do ugly, bad, unwholesome and demeritorious actions quite often.
Meditation is the best antidote to remove all of unwholesome thoughts, speeches and actions that can make us reborn in the negative destination including animal world. This is why many Buddhist people are fond of meditating when they find somewhere quiet and serene. I hope you get it now.
Q: Yes, it is quite clear why a human can be reborn in animal world. It is also quite inspiring us to do good thoughts, speeches and actions. Thank you so much Sir for your Dhamma Teaching.
A: You’re welcome.
