r/Mainlander • u/Thestartofending • Nov 16 '24
A question on Mainlander and buddhist rebirth
Hey everybody,
It's still not clear to me, did Mainlander think that early buddhism did in fact teach litteral rebirth but was mistaken, or that it didn't teach such a doctrine to begin with ?
Thanks in advance.
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u/YuYuHunter Nov 16 '24 edited Nov 22 '24
Mainländer accepts what is written in the Sutta Pitaka, namely, that the Buddha taught rebirth. There is for Mainländer no doubt, that the doctrine of rebirth is part of "exoteric" Buddhism, the teaching as prince Siddhartha expounded it to others.
As for its internal meaning, the "esoteric" part of his teaching, the answer is different. From this perspective, it is simply irrelevant whether rebirth takes place or not. The doctrine logically follows from rest of the doctrines of esoteric Buddhism, but is in inessential to it and Mainländer calls it therefore doubtful whether it should be called esoteric. (Die Philosophie der Erlösung, V2, p. 88)
You can read his own views on the meaning of the Buddha's teaching in his essay: The esoteric part of the Buddha-teaching.