The concept of reincarnation.

[AdityaMookerjee]

In Hinduism, every soul is supposed to be identical. There is supposed to be, one universal soul. Hinduism does believe in God, and describes God in various ways. What Hinduism perhaps tries to express is, that we believe in God, because we can think, and because we are conscious, but the belief does not stem from thought and consciousness. If God is great, if God is good, and if you can be reminded of God, living in the world, then how does this prove that God exists, even when you know, and you cannot prove it? Every soul, again, is supposed to be identical. It seems, if every soul is identical, and if every person dies, and if every soul is a part of the universal soul, perhaps, the person who dies, is born again. It could be, that the soul becomes part of the universal soul again, but, then again, the soul is reborn. But, why reincarnation? Our souls are not reincarnated when we are born. We are souls who are living. Aren't our souls living in a body, seen as separate?

 

[Onkara]

Hello AdityaMoorkerjee
My understanding is that it isn't the soul which is reborn but the material body. The soul is relatively passive in this process. Some say the soul leaves the body figuratively speaking, however the soul is also said to permeate everything, inside and outside, which would also imply there is no movement but rather it is the brith and death of a body which gives the impression that the soul is being reborn (when it is not).

Reincarnation exists because all actions bring results. If the body dies before a result has been completed then a body is reborn in order to experience the results of that earlier action. This is karma (there is a bit more too it when it comes to ending samsara, but this is how I would explain the basics).

 

[Maya3]

It is the Atman, our innermost self that is identical to Brahman that is unchanged, but there are several layers around this that reincarnate due to your karma.
Here is a link about it:
Kosha - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

When we figure out who we really are (The Self, God), and identify with that rather then your body, then you don't reincarnate as you realize that you are The Self (God)

Tat Tvam Asi, I Am That.

Maya

 

[AdityaMookerjee]

It seems, when we realise what we see as soul, in ourselves, we do not find anything new or novel. It is just like learning some new idea, but equally different from it. For an instance, I did know that God exists, not by knowing the soul in me, but in finding God, outside me. I did not have any doubt then, but nothing actually changed, as a human being, because one functions like a human being. It was nothing extraordinary in me, that made me have no doubt.

 

[AdityaMookerjee]

Hello AdityaMoorkerjee
My understanding is that it isn't the soul which is reborn but the material body. The soul is relatively passive in this process. Some say the soul leaves the body figuratively speaking, however the soul is also said to permeate everything, inside and outside, which would also imply there is no movement but rather it is the brith and death of a body which gives the impression that the soul is being reborn (when it is not).

Reincarnation exists because all actions bring results. If the body dies before a result has been completed then a body is reborn in order to experience the results of that earlier action. This is karma (there is a bit more too it when it comes to ending samsara, but this is how I would explain the basics).

There isn't supposed to be a material body. You cannot see the soul, if there is a material body, I was trying to tell myself, that when a soul takes the form of a human body, that is the reincarnation of the soul. No one has seen soul. It seems, there is no doubt, that the soul is there, because there is witness in some way, that one has realised the soul. If one knew the soul completely, one would have no way to find out, because the soul is no witness to itself.

 

[Maya3]

There isn't supposed to be a material body. You cannot see the soul, if there is a material body, I was trying to tell myself, that when a soul takes the form of a human body, that is the reincarnation of the soul. No one has seen soul. It seems, there is no doubt, that the soul is there, because there is witness in some way, that one has realised the soul. If one knew the soul completely, one would have no way to find out, because the soul is no witness to itself.

What you wrote makes me think of Kena Upanishad:

6
That which makes the mind think but cannot be thought by the mind, that is the Self indeed.
This Self is not someone other than you.

7
That which makes the eye see but cannot be seen by the eye, that is the Self indeed.
This Self is not someone other than you.

8
That which makes the ear hear, but cannot be heard by the ear, that is the Self indeed.
This Self is not someone other than you.

9
That which makes you draw breath but cannot be drawn by your breath, that is the Self indeed.
This Self is not someone other then you.

Maya

 

[Onkara]

There isn't supposed to be a material body. You cannot see the soul, if there is a material body, I was trying to tell myself, that when a soul takes the form of a human body, that is the reincarnation of the soul. No one has seen soul. It seems, there is no doubt, that the soul is there, because there is witness in some way, that one has realised the soul. If one knew the soul completely, one would have no way to find out, because the soul is no witness to itself.

Hi
I am not sure I understand your point clearly, so we might be saying the same things in different ways....

In my view there IS supposed to be a material body. The material body exists so that material nature can be experienced. The body exists so a material life of action and the fruit of action can be harvested. The soul is the witness of that. The jIva (or embodied Atman) comes to recognise the Atman (or soul) when the bonds of material nature become weakened sufficiently for Self-realisation.

The reason no one physically sees the soul or Atman is because the eyes are material in nature and can only see material nature (light reflected on objects picked up by material nerve ends etc). The soul is not material by nature, so no fire can burn it, no knife can cut it and no eye can see it.

Hope that adds something.

Nice reference to the Upanishad, Maya3

 

[Maya3]

Hi
I am not sure I understand your point clearly, so we might be saying the same things in different ways....

In my view there IS supposed to be a material body. The material body exists so that material nature can be experienced. The body exists so a material life of action and the fruit of action can be harvested. The soul is the witness of that. The jIva (or embodied Atman) comes to recognise the Atman (or soul) when the bonds of material nature become weakened sufficiently for Self-realisation.

The reason no one physically sees the soul or Atman is because the eyes are material in nature and can only see material nature (light reflected on objects picked up by material nerve ends etc). The soul is not material by nature, so no fire can burn it, no knife can cut it and no eye can see it.

Hope that adds something.

Nice reference to the Upanishad, Maya3

That is a very nice explanation!

Maya

 

[chinu]

In Hinduism, every soul is supposed to be identical. There is supposed to be, one universal soul. Hinduism does believe in God, and describes God in various ways. What Hinduism perhaps tries to express is, that we believe in God, because we can think, and because we are conscious, but the belief does not stem from thought and consciousness. If God is great, if God is good, and if you can be reminded of God, living in the world, then how does this prove that God exists, even when you know, and you cannot prove it?

As you very well know that nobody can prove god, But still you are asking such questions? What is making you to ask such question again and again ? poor thiest

Every soul, again, is supposed to be identical. It seems, if every soul is identical, and if every person dies, and if every soul is a part of the universal soul, perhaps, the person who dies, is born again. It could be, that the soul becomes part of the universal soul again, but, then again, the soul is reborn. But, why reincarnation? Our souls are not reincarnated when we are born. We are souls who are living. Aren't our souls living in a body, seen as separate?

Not soul, Mind is reborn again and again.

 

[Vinayaka]

Personally, I don't see reincarnation as a 'concept', but as a matter of fact. But I can understand why some people do still see it as a concept to be proven or unproven. Nigerians don't understand snow. The Self, as someone else said, has 5 sheaths. In my version of SD, It is the soul that reincarnates. The Self, identical to God, is permanent, but not permanently separate. In order for the soul to realise this identity with God, it needs physical bodies to temporarily live in. So it continues shedding this physical body, getting a new one, etc. until it finally merges with God, its own core.

 

[Vultar]

In the UBB, we also believe in reincarnation. "We believe" the soul (or spirit as we like to call it) leaves the body upon death but still exists (for lack of a better way to explain it) as an energy lifeform. Unlike the OP, each spirit is not identical but differs in size and strength depending on age (number of lives) and the amount of energy gained during the physical life. The spirit can exist in the afterlife for a long period of time but does need to reincarnate back to a physical life to "charge up" (again, for the lack of a better way to explain it). A powerful spirit is also able to reincarnate a portion of itself to create a new spirit. (this could be the reason behind some religions having a "god" and this god having its people. A "father/mother" having its "childen")

 

[Maya3]

In the UBB, we also believe in reincarnation. "We believe" the soul (or spirit as we like to call it) leaves the body upon death but still exists (for lack of a better way to explain it) as an energy lifeform. Unlike the OP, each spirit is not identical but differs in size and strength depending on age (number of lives) and the amount of energy gained during the physical life. The spirit can exist in the afterlife for a long period of time but does need to reincarnate back to a physical life to "charge up" (again, for the lack of a better way to explain it). A powerful spirit is also able to reincarnate a portion of itself to create a new spirit. (this could be the reason behind some religions having a "god" and this god having its people. A "father/mother" having its "childen")

That is very interesting. I have never heard of this before.
Thanks for sharing!

Maya