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But if there's no individual self, no permanent soul, what is it that is being reborn? What is it that has a primary existance of its own? :?
Nothing has a primary existence of its own; to think that rebirth has anything to do with something permanent being reincarnated is not a Buddhist notion. In classical rebirth (for a lack of a better term) the skandhas that make up "you" is part of the rising of skandhas that make up a new being, as well as they are part of the continuing creation of "you". Which means that a new sentient being is not entirely new, yet not entirely you. It's a natural continuation of the skandhas that made you into you.
The problem, in my experience, is when we see (even when we know it's not true) our selves as being somewhat permanent. In that case, rebirth is a strange notion. However, when you see "you" as merely a collection of skandhas, always fleeting, always being reborn every second, then that more or less stable heap could be imagined being continued somewhere else, after this "me" or this "you" is gone.
The fleeting heap just keeps going.
This. Rebirth is the continuation of misunderstanding - albeit a very persistent one.
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