Sambodhi 2006 Vol 30

Author(s): J B Shah, N M Kansara
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 78

72
RAMANATH PANDEY
SAMBODHI
that make up an individual." Therefore, here we find an exclusive thoughts about the concept of rebirth. There are five aggregates or khandas, rūpa -material body', vedand feelings, samjñā perception, samskära - predisposition and vijñāna - consciousness. The combination of these five is cause of beings. These five aggregates proceed to the place of rebirth, so these are called suffering or pain".
The sensation springing from contact of the senses with outer world is vedană (of feelings), perception depending on contact of senses is samjñā, the sense of all created things is predisposition saṁskāra and consciousness is vijñāna. When these five aggregates combine with vasana then they are called upädäna-skandha and these cause rebirth. These five aggregates combine in the next birth by performing good and evil deeds in present life. When the Väsanā or saṁskāra completely destroy then these aggregates called skandha only otherwise upädänaskandha" because there is no possibility of rebirth again. After the attainment of arhat -position -the highest rank in Buddhist hierarchy the all created things are destroyed. The five aggregates remain till death of the individual who has attained the highest rank. But, samskāra vanishes after the attainment of highest rank i.e. arhatship. At the time of death the aggregates of a sainthood dissolve in nirvana, which means five aggregates never combine." According to Buddhism the death indicates that moment when ripening of aggregates of new deeds begins in new conditions. In Milindapañho, if there is no one to pass from present body to the next, then he will be free due to not taking birth through his evil deeds, but if he will not come into existence of birth then will not be free. The course into which an individual takes another birth is determined by the effects of his good and evil deeds therefore he cannot be free from his evil deeds. Similarly, the rebirth occurs without passing anything from a body to another 50
It is clear from the above statement that deeds are the main cause of birth. After death everyone comes into existence of another birth in accordance with his own deeds in various origin. Indeed, the subtle process of deeds and ripening of deeds continue every moment due to tanhã desire of an individual. Like a stream of a river, lineage of consciousness (cittasamtati) also flows continuously passing through various origins again and again.51 After death, accepting another life by an individual justifies the ripening of deeds Kamma-vipäka, of present life have to experience to its doer in this present life otherwise in next birth definitely, if it is not so, then an individual will not be responsible himself towards his deeds.