Robert Musil linked to a neat story by Arthur C. Clarke. (The story has the added virtue of being very short--four pages.)

Thinking about the story, I realize that I would like to know much more about historical Buddhism than I do. (Please email me any Buddhist book recommendations.) Is Buddhism innately Pelagian?

By Pelagian, I refer to the heresy in Christian Church history that our life here on earth, rather than to "glorify god", in the typical formulation, is a process of "soul-building". That is, when we have suffered and learned enough from life in this world, we pass onto the next. This is an idea that has ben around as part of Christianity as well as many other religions.

Now that I get that question down on paper, I see that the answer is almost certainly yes.