Game of Life – Snakes and ladders
People from the older generation may be familiar with the old board game – Snakes and Ladders. Above is a sample of the board game. The game begins where a few people start at number 1. They roll a dice and move the number of steps according to the number on the dice.
When a person lands on a Ladder, he follows the Ladder upwards or forwards. When a person lands on a Snake, he follows the Snake and slides downwards.
According to my findings, this is similar to Samara in the Buddhist religion.
Assuming the following for illustration and simplicity -
A being (person) moves between the 3 simplified states with each rebirth. Depending on his Kamma and last thought at death, he moves up and down. When living, he makes more good and bad Kamma due to his circumstances. It is like a roll of dice. And he moves accordingly.
For practitioners of the Buddhist faith, the ultimate goal is to win the game (100) and get out of the game (Samsara). The pitfalls (snakes) are many. Note there is a Snake at 99 that leads down to 27 (Woeful States).
From what I know from the Buddhist teachings, it is similar. Doing good deeds and accumulating lots of Good Kamma brings him to the Heavens. But when his Good Kamma has been exhausted, his time in the Heavens will end. Leaving only Bad Kamma, he goes to the Woeful states (eg Hell) and starts all over again. Up and down, a person goes through the cycles of rebirths. One slip and he falls, starting all over again and again and again.
It is Not all that bad. There is an escape clause in the form of an Ariya (a Noble one). An Ariya will NOT have a rebirth lower than that of a Human due to his practice and attainment.
There are 4 types of Ariyas
Suffering is ever present in this Human Realm. If a person really wants to avoid going through all these again, the last 2 stages of Ariya, Anagami and Arahant are the only guarantees of avoiding the Human Realm altogether.
It is therefore necessary that a person practices diligently to attain, at the very least, the state of an Ariya. Otherwise, up and down a person goes with no end in sight. It can be millions of years before the next opportunity for Human rebirth.
A person is borned with nothing material and dies with nothing material. The MIND comes and the MIND goes with each rebirth. Buddhism Practice stays with the MIND because the practice is the conditioning of the MIND. Kamma follows the MIND because Kamma (Good or Bad or Neutral) acts on the volition (intention) of the MIND itself.
The MIND is the Chief. Rein it in.
The problem identified by the Buddha is stated in the 4 Noble Truths
The solution is in the last of the 4 Noble Truths = The 8 fold path.
Meditation is just 1 of the 8. The remaining of 7 out of 8 provides the necessary conditions for your Meditation Practice to bear fruits.
Without establishing in virtuous conduct, Concentration will Not arise.
Without concentration, Wisdom will Not arise.
Without Wisdom, Enlightenment (or states of Ariya) is Not possible.
The above are my personal findings from what I had read. Feel free to correct me.
Buddhist terms and doctrine can be found here = www.accesstoinsight.org
People from the older generation may be familiar with the old board game – Snakes and Ladders. Above is a sample of the board game. The game begins where a few people start at number 1. They roll a dice and move the number of steps according to the number on the dice.
When a person lands on a Ladder, he follows the Ladder upwards or forwards. When a person lands on a Snake, he follows the Snake and slides downwards.
According to my findings, this is similar to Samara in the Buddhist religion.
Assuming the following for illustration and simplicity -
- Cells 1 to 30 = Woeful states (Animal Real, Ghosts, HELL)
- Cells 31 to 60 = Human Realm
- Cells 61 to 100 = Heavenly Realms
A being (person) moves between the 3 simplified states with each rebirth. Depending on his Kamma and last thought at death, he moves up and down. When living, he makes more good and bad Kamma due to his circumstances. It is like a roll of dice. And he moves accordingly.
For practitioners of the Buddhist faith, the ultimate goal is to win the game (100) and get out of the game (Samsara). The pitfalls (snakes) are many. Note there is a Snake at 99 that leads down to 27 (Woeful States).
From what I know from the Buddhist teachings, it is similar. Doing good deeds and accumulating lots of Good Kamma brings him to the Heavens. But when his Good Kamma has been exhausted, his time in the Heavens will end. Leaving only Bad Kamma, he goes to the Woeful states (eg Hell) and starts all over again. Up and down, a person goes through the cycles of rebirths. One slip and he falls, starting all over again and again and again.
It is Not all that bad. There is an escape clause in the form of an Ariya (a Noble one). An Ariya will NOT have a rebirth lower than that of a Human due to his practice and attainment.
There are 4 types of Ariyas
- Sotapanna = Guaranteed Enlightenment within 7 rebirths.
- Sakadagami = Once Returner = Guaranteed Enlightenment within 1 rebirth.
- Anagami = Non Returner = Upon death, his rebirth will be at special place for Anagamis ONLY. He will attain Enlightenment there and get out of Samsara. Never to return.
- Arahant = Fully Enlightened. No future rebirth anywhere. Upon the exhaustion of his Kamma supporting his present life, he will get out of Samsara.
Suffering is ever present in this Human Realm. If a person really wants to avoid going through all these again, the last 2 stages of Ariya, Anagami and Arahant are the only guarantees of avoiding the Human Realm altogether.
It is therefore necessary that a person practices diligently to attain, at the very least, the state of an Ariya. Otherwise, up and down a person goes with no end in sight. It can be millions of years before the next opportunity for Human rebirth.
A person is borned with nothing material and dies with nothing material. The MIND comes and the MIND goes with each rebirth. Buddhism Practice stays with the MIND because the practice is the conditioning of the MIND. Kamma follows the MIND because Kamma (Good or Bad or Neutral) acts on the volition (intention) of the MIND itself.
The MIND is the Chief. Rein it in.
The problem identified by the Buddha is stated in the 4 Noble Truths
The solution is in the last of the 4 Noble Truths = The 8 fold path.
Meditation is just 1 of the 8. The remaining of 7 out of 8 provides the necessary conditions for your Meditation Practice to bear fruits.
Without establishing in virtuous conduct, Concentration will Not arise.
Without concentration, Wisdom will Not arise.
Without Wisdom, Enlightenment (or states of Ariya) is Not possible.
The above are my personal findings from what I had read. Feel free to correct me.
Buddhist terms and doctrine can be found here = www.accesstoinsight.org