My aunt passing

Guys. Let me ask. How do you tell by experience that one has been reborn? I know its written but then I hope that my aunt is in a good place because of her actions. I know The Buddha says not to ask questions f rebirth. Though, I’m sure this is a way to understand a glimpse by experience or observation?

Meditate until you reach the 4th jhana then develop the abhinna (supernormal power) called divine eye. To develop this kind of abhinna the meditation object used should be the white color kasina.

Im not familar with these meditations only breathing and some insight. I havent a teacher. Can you explain this and how this helped you experience understanding of rebirth?

With this ability you could literally see with the mental eye the rebirth of beings.

This: http://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/view/document/obo-9780195393521/obo-9780195393521-0112.xml I havent heard of supernatural powers in relation to buddhist insight. You’d have to explain it more in regards to definition and rebirth

My words feel wholly inadequate, so I used the above to start.
Speculating on what happens after death is a, probably, inevitable part of the grieving process. In my experience, preoccupation with those thoughts keeps the mind stuck in a place of pain. Performing an action, such as making offerings to the sangha on death anniversary days or some other meaningful ritual, can help redirect the mind and allow some space for healing. :heart:

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Offerings. Thats a good idea. When I went to the Uposatha (spelling off?) and took the precepts we also had been given flowers (Zen Vietanmese) red, white, or pink. In general, does one give offerings during full and new moon days? Im not familar with theravada since they are three hours from me. Will go on are retreat hopefully this spring

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The supernormal powers are associated with concentration (samadhi) practice and not insight, and are usually looked down by the insight practitioners. As to the relation to rebirth, one of the powers i.e. the divine eye (dibba-cakkhu) literally allows you to see how beings are being born in another realm. For more specific explanation you can read chapther XII of the Visuddhi Magga.

Offerings are made in the name of the deceased so that when the deceased (in their current realm) see the act of kindness they generate a wholesome thinking and can be reborn to a happier realm. This only works if they are being born as a certain type of Petta. Thus the time does not matter.

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Why the confliction between concentration and insight practitioners? Both are in the EBT. They compliment each other. Id thing first glance its common sense.

Insight practitioners targets nibbana. Why would you spend time developing abhinna first if your goal is nibbana?

Accept my deepest sympathy.
It appears you are in the right frame of mind.

Im not sure I understand. If one does concentration meditation, it settles the mind. Then one does insight meditation their mind is free to learn more (cant figure the terminology. Just the basics) So, one would first do concentration to calm oneself. Then insight, say rebirth, and I can more. Cant think of a good way to explain it.

Thank you. The Dharma is helping me out. Really. It is. :slight_smile:

That’s not how abhinna is developed in theory. As I said before, abhinna is the result of jhana, not vipassana.

I dont understand what you mean. I just know insight and concentration. I dont know the sanskrit words. It just makes sense that once would concentrate before they meditate on a given topic or whatever the case may be. I dont see why its a conflict. One is serenity and other is insight. Both in the EBT

We are talking about the development of abhinna (supernormal powers) here and not about serenity development (samadhi) and insight development (vipassana).

In any case concentration is the basis of insight, but there are multiple levels of concentration just as there are multiple levels of insight. The development of abhinna requires an advanced level of concentration while depends on the text, insight only requires a good enough concentration.

By the way the language used mostly here is Pali not Sanskrit (e.g. pali: kamma, sankrit: karma). Sanskrit is used mostly by Mahayana & Tantrayana.

Also I never said that the development of concentration is separate from insight. I only said that from the viewpoint of vipassana meditation, developing abhinna (note: abhinna, not concentration) is unnecessary. Developing concentration in any case is a requirement.

Id have to study this. I cant understand by one read. Supernatural powers arent clicking in my head.

Im more talking about this statement:

The supernormal powers are associated with concentration (samadhi) practice and not insight, and are usually looked down by the insight practitioners.

Taking out supernatural powers, since that (or hungry ghosts?) is confusing me, why would consentration practitioners look down on insight practitioners?

Givin “conentration is the basis of insight” I dont see the problem between the two.

Taking out ahinna, supernatural powers for a minm

What I meant was the practice of abhinna is looked down by the practitioner of insight meditation.