Q&A(E)

Q: A person knows nothing before he is born. After birth, because of having the brain, there is consciousness. After a person dies, he should also know nothing. Why is it that there is still a world of eternal happiness for him to go to?

M: Why do you say that you know nothing before birth? If you didn't know anything before birth, how did you know that you could live for nine months in your mother's womb? Why did you not go up to the roof of the house to live for nine months? You must have known, is that not so?

If you didn't know, how come you cried immediately after birth? You also knew that you wanted to eat. It is not that only when we are born do we have consciousness. We have it when we are still inside. It is because of this knowing that we come into this world. Otherwise, we would have run to the roof, the concrete floor, or inside the house.

Before He was born, Shakyamuni Buddha already knew; therefore, He walked seven steps when He was born and said, "Above and beneath the heavens, I am the only Supreme." However, He forgot about it as He grew up. It took thirty years before He woke up again. We are the same. Before birth we have consciousness already. It is not that we know nothing. It is after birth that we start to know nothing. If we knew only after we were born, then we would not have forgotten the past, present and future. However, we all forgot after we were born! Therefore, we should say we become "know nothings" after birth. This is the correct way to say it.