Does the Nihilism view (natthika-dithi) actually deny rebirths?
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Is the Nihilism view (*natthika-dithi*) actually denying rebirths?
In Fuller's [The Notion of Diṭṭhi in Theravāda Buddhism: The Point of View](http://www.ahandfulofleaves.org/documents/The%20Notion%20of%20Ditthi%20in%20Theravada%20Buddhism_Fuller.pdf) , in the translation of the Sāmaññaphala-sutta, _natthika-ditthi_ is formulated like this:
> Nothing is given, nothing offered, nothing sacrificed; there is no
> fruit or result of good and bad actions; no this world, no other
> world; no mother, no father; no beings who are reborn spontaneously;
> no good and virtuous recluses and brahmins in the world who have
> themselves realised by direct knowledge and declare this world and the
> other world.
>
> The person is composed of the four great elements; when
> he dies, earth returns and goes back to the element of earth, water
> returns and goes back to the element of water, fire returns and goes
> back to the element of fire, wind returns and goes back to the element
> of wind, while the senses disappear into space. [Four] men with the
> bier as a fifth take up the corpse, the funeral orations last as far
> as the burning ground, his bones are a dull white, his offerings end
> in ashes. They are fools who teach alms-giving. The doctrine of
> affirmation (atthika-vāda) is empty and false banter. Fools and wise
> alike are destroyed and perish at the breaking up of the body, they do
> not exist after death.
The following statements are related to 'rebirth':
1. Denying the "fruit or result of good and bad actions" -- which, except this-life fruit or results, are rebirth-related.
2. Denying "the other world" -- if it's not rebirth-related then it would be interesting to understand what "other world" is actually supposed to mean.
3. Saying "they do not exist after death" -- description of death as complete destruction (without rebirth).
Asked by catpnosis
(2035 rep)
Jul 22, 2016, 11:06 PM
Last activity: Jul 24, 2016, 03:44 AM
Last activity: Jul 24, 2016, 03:44 AM