DO YOU BELIEVE IN REBIRTH?

YES

BHIKSUNI THUBTEN CHODRON

As Buddhism travels to new countries, some of its tenets are called into question because they are unfamiliar to people there. The idea of rebirth is one of them. There is doubt among Westerners who did not grow up as Buddhists about whether the concept of rebirth is essential to the Buddhist view of samsara, and, by extension, to Buddhist practice.

Before I answer this question, it’s important to say that everyone, whether they call themselves Buddhists or not, can benefit from practicing the Buddha’s teachings to develop love, compassion, equanimity, forgiveness, ethical conduct, subduing anger, and so forth. People of all faiths can practice the teachings on how to cultivate concentration () that are