- Theravada
According to the Buddha, existence, both animate and inanimate, is in a dynamic state of flux. As part of this ever-changing cosmos, all sentient beings, including humans, are caught up in an infinite cycle of birth, growth, decay and death. Death is followed by rebirth and the cycle is repeated indefinitely. The principal reason for this, the Buddha said, lies in our lack of understanding of the true nature of things, which allows us to engage in actions that serve to perpetuate the process. Right understanding, in the Buddhist sense, is not just an intellectual concept but rather an intuitive experience gained through periods of long mental and spiritual growth which help us to relinquish our desires. It is our lack of this form of understanding which enables various desires (tanha) to take a firm hold of us. These can take many shapes; desire for enjoyment of the senses, desire for material gain, desire for survival and even for self-destruction..................