What is cyclic existence? It is the 5 contaminated aggregates which arise from karma and delusions. All beings have 5 aggregates, namely form, feeling, discrimination, compositional factors and consciousness.
Cyclic existence is the experience of ordinary beings. Ordinary beings are those who have not realized emptiness of inherent existence.
Cyclic existence is not the external, material world.
Material things and environments are merely things of cyclic existence and places inhabited by beings of cyclic existence, not cyclic existence itself.
Cyclic existence is not the external, material world.
Material things and environments are merely things of cyclic existence and places inhabited by beings of cyclic existence, not cyclic existence itself.
The person is also not cyclic existence. He/she is simply someone who takes rebirth again and again in cyclic existence because he/she has the 5 contaminated aggregates, bound by delusion and karma. These aggregates are pushed uncontrollably by delusion and karma from rebirth to rebirth. As long as the wisdom realizing emptiness of inherent existence is not cultivated, delusions continue to arise without any choice, contaminated karma created, rebirths perceptuate and sufferings experienced. This is cyclic existence!
Source: "Path to Enlightenment in Tibetan Buddhism" by Geshe Acharya Thubten Loden
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