Dialectic Two-Step – Are There Any Genuine Flaws in Buddhism?

Dialectic Two-Step  is an ongoing series of my thoughts on questions that come my way.

Wisdom lies neither in fixity nor in change, but in the dialectic between the two. - Octavio Paz  

Question: Are There Any Genuine Flaws in Buddhism?

Response: I think that Karma and Reincarnation are poorly constructed and flawed ideas.  My sense is that they are Asian cultural baggage and not critical to Buddhist cultivation.

The Sabbasava Sutta describes several questions which are unwise to dwell on, including What shall I be in future? The concepts are outside of experience in the conventional sense.  I’d also note that these two topics fall outside of the Three Dharma Seals of Impermanence, Not-Self (Anatma), and Nirvana.  The Seals are a litmus test for authentic teachings.

That said, spending the time debunking these concepts can sometimes provide epiphany, so all may not be lost delving into these topics.

Baked into the puzzle of reincarnation is impermanence and not-self.  How can someone be reincarnated if the there is no static (permanent) thing to be replicated in another life?

Baked into the puzzle of Karma is not-self and Nirvana. If there is no permanent me to answer for my karmic misdeeds, then what does karma really mean? Doesn’t it make sense that any good deeds I perform form the causes and conditions of reduced suffering in the future?

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