According to the
Buddha, the present life is not the first nor will it be the last. The life process contiues so
long as the craving for existence prevails in the mind, and this craving in turn, accumulates good and
bad karmic forces. Therefore, as
long as these conditioning forces and the craving for existence remain, rebirth will continue to occur.
Our existence does not begin with this human life nor does it end with an eternal life in heaven or hell. Our lives have been evolving over countless existences according to the
quality of our accumulated
karma. This process will continue until a person someday realisess the cause of his existence, and through realisation he works towards bringing this process to a complete and irrevocable end. That attainment is the final goal called nirvana.
As defined by Dr. K. Sri Dhammananda, in "The Buddhist Way"
John is attached to his material possessions, which he fails to see are as trivial as his meandering existence. His
blind journey down the pathway of life shall only add perpetual revolutions to the contiuity of his life. Perhaps in rebirth, he shall uplift the blindfolds of his surroundings and see the
true path down which to traverse. His cycle will be
broken and he shall attain the ultimate goal of nirvana.