I don't doubt that you're correct in all of this, and I'm fully aware of how radical a reinterpretation I am making of certain doctrines. It is highly speculative, and it's an idea I've been playing with for some time and I thought I'd throw it out there for public consumption. As speculative as it is, for me it does make for a interesting perspective on the universe, consciousness and death. But if pushed, I know probably none of it would stand up to nuanced scrutiny by an expert on these traditions.

The question of deception is one your own mind's fears. Not because it is contrary to continuation, but rather because you fear a world where you have no power over death. If you were stuck in a world without means to guarantee a continuation, it would be the worst. There would be no action you migh take to get life. You really would be at the mercy of death — TheWillowOfDarkness

I am already in such a world. I don't personally have power over death. So what?

Hi, newbie here. My thougts...

Nothingness doesn't exist. The concept of nothingness is really something we invented to deal with gaps in our own consciousness. In reality there is always something.

When we are unconscious (e.g sleep) we can't sense change (or time if you like). When we die, our consciousness is just put on hold like in sleep, maybe until the universe starts all over again in zillions of man made years. As we won't be conscious during that time we may go from 'death' to birth without noticing the zillions of years which passed by.