Question asked by Silk
Dear Pastors,
I have this dying inquisitiveness about still born babies. What causes them to make a halfway trip to here and then back again. Where do they go? What can be done for them. I am also curious to know what about the unborn if their taking rebirth as human and being aborted then where do they go? When do they take rebirth again and what can be done for them in the buddhist context and what can be done for the humans who interfered with their taking rebirth as human. Would greatly appreciate your guidance in this area.
Dear Silk
In Buddhism, we learn about the first noble truth, the truth of suffering which we all can observe, and will experience..sooner or later. We see birth, sickness, aging, and death for all forms. No one can escape these experiences. Noble truths which Buddha taught applies to all irregardless of time, culture, age, race, etc. We don’t have to just believe by faith but it is easily observable.
What is important is to recognize the sufferings we all go through at every stage of our existence. We may have forgotten certain very negative experiences we have had because it happened very long ago but nevertheless, it happened and we had to go through it
Timing of birth and death various. Lifespans of all beings varies. Still born babies are no exception and is subject to this truth just the same. It’s lifespan in this particular form is very short. Just like the still born babies, death will come one day for us just the same…
Where do the still born baby go? Where do we go when we die? In Buddhism, the body is temporary but it is the mind that continues thus, the teaching on reincarnation. Where we are today is due to our thoughts and actions committed the moment before, yesterday, the day before and so on. Where we are tomorrow is based on now. Where we go after death depends on what we do in this life. Thus, we have the teaching on karma which explains the causes of all our problems including how it affects our lifespan when we die and when we take rebirth and what type of rebirths.
What we do to others or not, what others do to us or not all contributes towards the karma we take with us.
Reciting Om Mani Padme Hum, light offerings, animal liberation, take vegetarian vows are beneficial for us to do for still born babies or any one who has passed away. Engaging in purification practices are beneficial for us all as we have caused harm directly or contributed in some ways towards the sufferings of others.
You might find these teachings helpful to understand reincarnation and the workings of the mind.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3PqGNdP-Ks&feature=plcp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdcGSk4x6cg&feature=plcp