An Invitation to Investigate

~ By Ajahn Jayasāro ~

When people say they don’t believe in other realms of existence, what they usually mean is that they cannot form a mental picture of them, or that the picture that appears in their mind cannot be reconciled with all that they have come to know as real. In other words, their faith in the power of their imagination to determine what is true, is stronger than their faith in the Buddha. Thus, I am suggesting, opposition to the teachings on rebirth amongst modern Buddhists is based on confidence in human memory and perception rather than any profound understanding of causality. I do not mean to suggest that this observation is proof that, therefore, rebirth must be true. I intend it simply as an invitation to investigate the root causes of resistance to this aspect of the Buddha’s teachings.

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"Food for the Heart", a series of Dhamma teachings handwritten weekly is posted on the Buddhadāsa Indapañño Archives page with Ajahn's kind permission.

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For other teachings by Ven. Ajahn Jayasāro, please visit the Panyaprateep Foundation website.