REINCARNATION IS BELIEVED TO OCCUR WHEN THE SOULS OR SPIRIT OF THE BODY AFTER DEATH COMES BACK TO LIFE IN A NEWBORN BODY. IT'S ALSO KNOWN AS TRANSMIGRATION OF THE SOUL. IT IS A BELIEF THAT IS CENTRAL THE MAJORITY OF INDIAN RELIGIOUS TRADITIONS SUCH AS HINDU, BUDDHISM, JAINISM, AND MANY MEXICAN CULTURES. IT WAS CENTRAL TO SOME GREEK PHILOSOPHERS THIS BELIEF IS FOUND IN MANY OTHER COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD SUCH AS SIBERIA , WEST AFRICA, NORTH AMERICA, AND AUSTRALIA.
THE SOUL CAN REINCARNATE INTO ANOTHER FORM EITHER HUMAN, ANIMAL OR INSECT. THE ENTIRE PROCESS IS REFERRED TO AS SAMSARA. DEVAS OR GODS MAY ALSO DIE AND LIVE AGAIN. AND HINDU GODS ARE SAID TO HAVE REINCARNATED . CELTIC RELIGION ALSO HAS REINCARNATING GODS. MANY CHRISTIANS STILL REGARD JESUS AS A DIVINE INCARNATION AND THEY BELIEVE HE AND SOME PROPHETS MAY INCARNATE AGAIN.
THE BUDDHA LIVED A TIME OF GREAT CREATIVITY IN PHILOSOPHY IN INDIA THEY HAD MANY CONCEPTIONS OF NATURE OF LIFE AND DEATH WERE PROPOSED. SOME WERE MATERIALISTIC, HOLDING THAT THERE IS NO EXISTENCE THAT THERE WE ARE ANNIHILATED UPON DEATH. SOME MUSLIM SEATS BELIEVE THEIR FOUNDERS HAVE SPECIAL SENSE OF DIVINE INCARNATION. THE BUDDHIST CONCEPT OF REINCARNATION DIFFERS FROM OTHERS IN THAT THERE IS NO EXTERNAL SOUL BUT A STREAM OF CONSCIOUSNESS THAT LINKS LIFE WITH LIFE. IN BUDDHIST TRADITION THE PROCESS OCCURS ACROSS FIVE OR SIX REALMS OF EXISTENCE INCLUDING THE HUMAN, ANY ANIMALS, AND VARIOUS TYPES OF SUPERNATURAL BEINGS.
HISTORY OF REINCARNATION
THE NOTION OF THIS BELIEF IS DATED TO AT LEAST 1200 B.C. IN INDIA AND GREECE. OR IT MAY HAVE ORIGINATED IN THE TRIBAL RELIGIONS OF THE GANGES VALLEY; OR IN PREHISTORIC TRADITIONS OF SOUTH INDIA.
EARLY GREEK DISCUSSION DATES TO THE 6TH CENTURY B.C. PHERECYDES IS AN EARLY GREEK THINKER WHO CONSIDERED REBIRTH IN 450 B.C. PLATO ALSO WROTE ABOUT REINCARNATION IN 400 - 300 B.C. PLATO'S TEACHER SOCRATES SAID UPON HIS DEATH THAT "I AM CONFIDENT THAT THERE IS TRULY SUCH A THING AS LIVING AGAIN, AND THAT THE LIVING SPRING FROM THE DEAD."
PAST LIVES
AN ATTEMPT TO KNOW ABOUT PAST LIVES BEEN DEVELOPED IN VARIOUS WAYS IN DIFFERENT PLACES. THE EARLY BUDDHIST TEXTS DISCUSS TECHNIQUES FOR RECALLING PREVIOUS BIRTHS, BASED UPON THE DEVELOPMENT OF OF HIGHER LEVELS OF MEDITATION.
TIBETAN BUDDHISM HAS DEVELOPED A UNIQUE SCIENCE OF DEATH AND REBIRTH , A GOD DEAL OF WHICH IS SET DOWN IN A POPULAR BOOK - THE TIBETAN BOOK OF THE DEAD. THE ORPHIC RELIGION IN GREECE IN THE 6TH CENTURY B.C. TAUGHT REINCARNATION IN MYSTERY SCHOOLS. THE WHEEL OF BIRTH REVOLVES, THE SOUL ALTERNATES BETWEEN FREEDOM AND CAPTIVITY AROUND A WIDE CIRCLE OF NECESSITY.
TAOIST
TAOIST DOCUMENTS FROM 3RD CENTURY B.C. CLAIMED THAT LAU TZU APPEARED ON EARTH AS DIFFERENT PERSONS AND IN DIFFERENT TIMES BEGINNING IN THE SOVEREIGNS AND FIVE EMPERORS. TZU STATES "BIRTH IS NOT A BEGINNING, DEATH IS NOT AN END." THERE IS CONTINUITY WITHOUT A STARTING POINT . TIME IS CONTINUITY WITH A STARTING POINT.
THE CELTS
THE CELTS BELIEVED THAT THE SOULS OF MEN ARE IMMORTAL AND AFTER A FIXED NUMBER OF YEARS THEY WILL ENTER INTO ANOTHER BODY. THE HUMAN SOUL IS INDESTRUCTIBLE WHICH ACCORDING TO THEM, PASSES AT DEATH FROM ONE TENEMENT TO ANOTHER.
NORSE MYTHOLOGY
REINCARNATION ALSO APPEARS IN NORSE MYTHOLOGY. THE EDITOR OF POETIC EDDA SAYS THAT THE LOVERS IN THE STORY WERE REBORN A SECOND TIME. THE VIKINGS PROBABLY ALSO BELIEVE IN REINCARNATION.
19TH CENTURY PHILOSOPHERS
THE DISCUSSION OF REINCARNATION WAS ENTERED INTO BY AMERICAN TRANSCENDENTALISTS -HENRY THOREAU, WALT WHITMAN, AND RALPH EMERSON. LATER IN THE EARLY 1900'S INTEREST IN REINCARNATION WAS INTRODUCED INTO PSYCHOLOGY DUE TO WILLIAM JAMES WHO DISCUSSED COMPARATIVE RELIGION AND THE NATURE OF EMPIRICISM.
AT THIS TIME THE IDEA OF REINCARNATION WAS BOOSTED AT A THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY. HYPNOSIS USED TO RETRIEVE FORGOTTEN MEMORIES WAS TRIED FOR STUDYING PAST LIFE RECALL. THE DALI LAMA SAID IT'S GOING TO BE HARD TO DISPROVE REINCARNATION. IT IS A BELIEF HELD IN ALL MAJOR RELIGIONS EXCEPT CHRISTIANITY AND ISLAM.
NATIVE AMERICAN NATIONS
MANY NATIVE AMERICAN INUIT TRADITIONS BELIEVE IN REINCARNATION. IN THE NORTH POLE IT IS ENSHRINED IN THE INUIT LANGUAGE. A WINNEBAGO SHAMAN TELLS OF THIS STORY OF HUMAN REINCARNATION. HE TALKS ABOUT HIS TWO PREVIOUS LIVES AND HOW HE DIED AND CAME BACK A THIRD TIME. THE TIME BETWEEN HIS LIVES HE EXPRESSES AS BEING BLESSED BY EARTH MAKER AND HIS SPECIAL POWERS TO HEAL THE SICK.
"HIS GHOST WAS TAKEN TO WHERE THE SUN SETS. WHILE THERE HE SAID I THOUGHT I'D COME BACK TO EARTH AGAIN. "MY SON, DID YOU NOT SPEAK OF WANTING TO GO TO THE EARTH AGAIN? YOU CAN GO, BUT ASKED THE CHIEF FIRST. THE CHIEF TOLD HIM TO GO AND OBTAIN YOUR REVENGE UPON THE PEOPLE WHO KILLED YOUR RELATIVES AND YOU. THEN HE WAS BROUGHT DOWN TO EARTH. HE LIVED A LONG LIFE AND WAS BURIED. SOMEONE SAID TO HIM LET'S GO AGAIN. SO THEN THEY WENT TOWARD THE SETTING OF THE SUN AND MET ALL THE DEAD. AND HE HE CAME TO THE EARTH AGAIN (RADIN 1923).
WIKIPEDIA
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“My most Revered Guru of my previous life His Holiness Maharaj Sahab, 3rd Spiritual Head of Radhasoami Faith had revealed this secret to me during trance like state. HE told me, “Tum Sarkar Sahab Ho” (You are Sarkar Sahab). Sarkar Sahab was one of the most beloved disciple of His Holiness Maharj Sahab. Sarkar Sahab later on became Fourth Spiritual Head of Radhasoami Faith.
ReplyDeleteSince I don’t have any direct realization of it so I can not claim the extent of its correctness. But it seems to be correct. During my previous birth I wanted to sing the song of ‘Infinite’ (Agam Geet yeh gawan chahoon tumhri mauj nihara, mauj hoi to satguru soami karoon supanth vichara) but I could not do so then since I had to leave the mortal frame at a very early age. But through the unbounded Grace and Mercy of my most Revered Guru that desire of my past birth is being fulfilled now.”