| by Ishara de Silva
( June 14, 2013, London, Sri Lanka Guardian) Yes. The Universe has a purpose. Karma and Rebirth are there to develop the mind or soul or heart, to qualify us for higher levels of existence, in other world systems, perhaps, and the world is like a school where we learn such things as compassion and universal love to get there.
This is the theory being proposed by one thinker, who preferred to stay anonymous, for now, a master of philosophy from Kings College, London, who challenges the view in Theravada Buddhism that it’s all about ending Karma and Rebirth so that our lives therefore end in “nothing”.
Instead, the Universe, Karma and Rebirth are there for a reason. It is not just the way it is. If we fall foul of Karma, we suffer in this life, and, perhaps, over Rebirths, but if we act in accordance with Karma, we flourish, far better, and move to higher realms – an infinite number.
It’s all about developing the mind, the teleology (or purpose) - that Aristotle assigned to mother nature, saying that the physical manifestation of exterior existence is meaningful.
All of this makes life worth it!
Karma and Rebirth have an objective purpose: to develop the mind, precisely. In some realms, we could envisage the mind being superior to matter whereby mind can determine bodily existence, not succumb to death etc. Nor need all universes be temporary. The mind is on a journey. And this is just a single life episode designed to cultivate the mind in that direction.
It’s not just a changing stream of consciousness that migrates, life after life, as in Buddhism, but a developing or potentially developing mind.
This is the purpose of the universe and existence, then!
So, does this hypothesis stand up?
According to Flora Graham, the digital Editor of the New Scientist, the prestigious scientific journal in the UK, there is no scientific proof for Rebirth and Karma. The scientific consensus, she says, at present, is, that the universe began with the Big Bang, and prior to that there was nothing. Nothing turned into something and nature is just developing according to certain laws.
Leaving aside the work of Dr Ian Stevenson, who tested child memories of kids who could remember past lives, Buddhism, too - in some quarters, says the universe started from nothing.
But if Karma and Rebirth do exist, then how could something so intricate have developed from mere nothing? Perhaps, the starting point was “potential energy”, not just nothing. And from this, Karma and Rebirth emerged to develop mind into ever higher levels, with a DNA-like origin.
Paul Harris, Spiritual Director of the Aukana Trust, a UK Buddhist centre of the Theravada tradition, however, says that both Karma and Rebirth exist in the same way that the law of gravity exists; they are all part of nature. He adds that proof of their existence comes through mindful examination of one’s own subjective experience. For instance, personal knowledge of which actions actually lead to pleasant results which means that you will be able to make intelligent choices about your behaviour and therefore enjoy far more happiness in your life.
He goes on, this does not mean that the laws of Karma and Rebirth have any inherent ‘ultimate purpose’ any more than gravity has an ‘ultimate purpose’. For the Buddhist, life is an endless flow of conscious experience with no discernible beginning or end. True freedom is not a destination, rather it is simply understanding how life works born of careful observation of one’s own experience.
So far, the question of whether existence has an objective purpose remains unresolved, as now does whether Karma and Rebirth reinforce this view. For now, the scientists have yet to fully explore the consequences of Karma and Rebirth theory, for understanding our world.
But if the ancient philosophers, like Plato and Aristotle, are right, then, perhaps, there is a reality beyond what we commonly experience as life, which is free from suffering and strife. And the purpose of life, aided by Karma and Rebirth, is to develop the mind in order to get there.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ishara de Silva is the former Asian Times Editor (UK) and was invited by Opinion Leader (UK) to participate in global research on future leaders. He is a regular contributor to the Sri Lanka Guardian.
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