Rebirth and Mind

 

Rebirth and Mind 

Mind, Memory, Dreams and Consciousness are terms used to describe the working of the brain.       

None of these terms are inclusive nor exclusive in enlightening the understanding of the working of the brain. 

Brain is the most variable component of these elements, if this discussion is extended to the animal kingdom. 

I am going to exclude the brain and its physiology by default.

The reasons, I will briefly outline.

Brain can exist in a vegetative state with modern technological support as long as artificial ventilation is maintained. I have done this myself as an neonatal resident in UK.

One example is enough.

Obstetric Registrar delivered a baby by Cesarean Section. The baby’s heart had stopped a few minutes before. I was called in and I concurred, in fact, the heart had stopped.

I was in a dilemma.

If I do not resuscitate this baby, I will  fall into trouble for negligence with the superiors behind my back. 

This was a locum job not a permanent job.

I made an immediate decision to give intra-cardiac injection and got the attending nurses into full action gear. That included calling in the Senior Registrar for his approval before shoving in the needle to the baby’s heart. He said OK and the baby’s heart did start in a shutdown state. I did another stupid thing immediately afterwards. Shoved in an intra-arterial canula and pumped in saline to stabilize the blood pressure and open up the veins. Intra-arterial infusion was not in vogue, then, except at Oxford University. I used to call the Oxford Registrar for advice on clinical problems.

If I remember right she was a lady doctor.

After stabilizing the physiological state and opening an intravenous infusion, I transferred the baby to the ICU. This baby started fitting after six hours of resuscitation and for another six weeks. Everybody, including the parents were cursing me behind my back.

This was good on me.

I decided to leave UK for good.

I decided not to get involved in anymore of high tech Intensive Care Work.

Of course in later years, I was more comfortable in Pathology where decisions are made “after the fact” at postmortem. 

Even after postmortem only in about 60%, one can make reliable conclusion. The postmortem of this baby did not reveal new facts.         

In Ceylon this baby would have been declared dead without resuscitation. 

Not having technology is a blessing in disguise.

Now coming to my discussion, this baby’s brain was dead but not his heart. 

It was in a vegetative state without properly functioning brain. 

I followed my Buddhist instincts and fell apart with British colleagues. 

In my mind, I was not a God to decide the future for this baby’s life, in this life. 

I am not an arbitrator of Kamma in Evolution. 

I did what the physiology could support but could not intervene, in the evolution of the next life.

Like the “Near Death Experience” of cardiac arrest patients, if I could see into the next life my intervention could have been masterly inactivity.        

But, I have no discretion available according to the practice of Western Medicine except supporting life with artificial means.

The “Let Go” principle according to the nature of events unfolding is not something discussed in depth in the West.

I make following prepositions.

None may be correct, some may be correct, certainly, not all of them are correct.

1. Mind inhabits the brain when suitable but exists it when impossible for functioning. 

Body and Mind in a comforting cave of existence.

2. Mind does not become extinct at death.

3. It grabs another living body and brain by default.

4. The transition period is ill understood as seen in “Near Death Syndrome”.

There is no inter-phase or untar-bhava or elderly wise men helping the soul. 

The transition is quick and automatic without an intervening phase.  

It is like the transmission of an electron through a transistor gate. 

The mind enters the transistor portal and goes into the next “Bhava of Existence” instantaneously and it is one way ticket and no coming back. 

The mind floating in space and looking for a place of rebirth of choice with wise men helping in, is not at all plausible.

The wise men have no right to intervene except masterly inactivity. 

Imagine how all the souls waiting for a rebirth point of entry and thus keep floating in space.

There will be War or Clash of Souls.

I hope you got the point, I am driving at.

Each soul has his or her own pathway of transition. 

Not even so called God can intervene.

5. It either grabs the current body of existence (at least temporarily) with doctors’ help (resuscitation) or has no choice but to exit and enter its own individual path.

6. Mind can exist outside the body.

7. Body can exist without a mind.

EBENs of extraterrestrial origin, comes to my mind. 

EBENs do not have a soul or self but are biological robots.

This is where the bio-engineering would create biological entities / agents that can reproduce identical biological robots. 

The presumption here is that without a previous existence of the mind,          a “new soul” cannot be created de novo.

8. Highest level of mind’s existence is its detachment from the entanglement with the body (current or future existence) or Nirvana in Buddhist Terminology.

9. There have to be many minds of existences and there cannot be a “Unity of Mind” (as a God or super agent of creation).

10. All of the above is not true.

11. Some are plausible and some are not.