Reincarnation

Reincarnation, as a doctrine, holds the notion that one's personality, spirit, soul, 'true self', 'I' (not to be confused with the Ego as defined by psychology) or critical parts of these returns to the material world after physical death to be reborn in a new body. The natural process is Considered integrative of all experiences from each lifetime. Transmigration is a theory that considers inter-species embodiments. As a mystical doctrine, Reincarnation of a human being is always as a human being. Its occurrence is a central tenet of Hinduism, Sikhism, Jainism, Surat Shabda Yoga, some African religions, as well as various other religions and philosophies. Most modern Pagans also believe in reincarnation.

Reincarnation in Eastern religions and traditions

Hinduism

In India this doctrine was thoroughly established from ancient times. While metempsychosis was not established in the older sections of the Vedas, it was explicated first in the Upanishads (c. 1000 BC - AD 4), which are philosophico-mystic texts held to be the essence of the Vedas.

Related Topics:
India - Metempsychosis - Veda - Upanishad

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The idea that the soul reincarnates is intricately linked to karma, whose first explication was also seen in the Hindu books of the Upanishads. The idea is that individual souls, jiva-atmas pass from one plane of existence and carry with them samskaras (impressions) from former states of being. These karmic agglomerations on the soul are taken to the next life and result in a causally-determined state of being. In some schools of Hinduism liberation from samsara, the cycle of death and rebirth, is considered the ultimate goal of earthly existence. This is known as Moksha, mahasamadhi (or nirvana) in Hinduism. Other Bhakti traditions assert that liberation from samsara is merely the begginning of real spiritual life and beyond nirvana activities still continue, but that they are no longer of a worldly nature. Both sides agree on the pheomenom of reincarnation itself.

Related Topics:
Karma - Atmas - Samskara - Hinduism - Samsara - Moksha - Nirvana - Bhakti - Spiritual

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Buddhism and Vedanta (in particular Advaita Vedanta) further promoted the notion of nirvana following the advent of the great Hindu sage Adi Shankaracharya. The idea that stilling one's karmas (actions) and becoming at one, harmonious, with all would free one, ultimately, from reincarnation, became a central tenet of Hinduism. It displaced more complex Puranic systems positing the gradual progression of a soul through 8,400,000 (sometimes more) lives until eventual awakening. Instead, it relied more on the idea of self-growth and enlightenment through Yoga. Buddhism differed in that it felt there was no soul to reincarnate and developed an elaborate complex of metaphysical explanations for temporary states of ego to explain rebirth.

Related Topics:
Buddhism - Vedanta - Advaita Vedanta - Nirvana - Adi Shankaracharya - Puranic - Yoga - Rebirth

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Buddhism

Since according to Buddhism there is no permanent and unchanging soul there is no metempsychosis in the strict sense. However, Buddhism never rejected samsara, the process of rebirth or reincarnation; there is debate, however, over what is transmitted between lives.

Related Topics:
Soul - Samsara

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

See also: Rebirth (Buddhist)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In spite of the doctrinal beliefs against the idea of a soul, Tibetan Buddhists do believe that a new-born child may be the reincarnation of someone departed. In Tibetan Buddhism the soul of an important lama (like the Dalai Lama) is supposed to pass into an infant born nine months after his decease.

Related Topics:
Lama - Dalai Lama

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Buddha has this to say on reincarnation.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Kutadanta continued:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Thou believest, O Master, that beings are reborn;

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

that they migrate in the evolution of life;

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

and that subject to the law of karma we must reap what we sow.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Yet thou teachest the non-existence of the soul!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Thy disciples praise utter self-extinction

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

as the highest bliss of Nirvana.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

If I am merely a combination of the sankharas,

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

my existence will cease when I die.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

If I am merely a compound of sensations and ideas and desires,

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

wither can I go at the dissolution of the body?"

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Said the Blessed One:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"O Brahman, thou art religious and earnest.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Thou art seriously concerned about thy soul.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Yet is thy work in vain because thou art lacking

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

in the one thing that is needful.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"There is rebirth of character,

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

but no transmigration of a self.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Thy thought-forms reappear,

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

but there is no egoentity transferred.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The stanza uttered by a teacher

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

is reborn in the scholar who repeats the words.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Jainism

In Jainism, gods reincarnate after they die. A Jainist, who accumulates enough good karma, may become a god; but, this is generally seen as undesirable since gods eventually die and one might then come back as a lesser being.

Related Topics:
Jainism - Gods

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Ayyavazhi

Ayyavazhi says all souls are continuously reborn unless they reach Dharma Yukam, a state of union with God.

Related Topics:
Ayyavazhi - Dharma Yukam

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~