Reincarnation-Are we Born Again?

What does reincarnation mean? This is an age oldChristianity until about the 6th century.
question often discussed, and often considered byAn early Church father, Origen was an adherent of
the world's greatest minds, and most of the world'sreincarnation. Origen taught the pre-existence of the
religions.soul -- the concept that the human soul existed
The meaning of Reincarnationalready before birth. "The soul has neither beginning
Simply put, reincarnation means the rebirth of thenor end... [They] come into this world strengthened
soul in another (new) body. Reincarnation (from theby the victories or weakened by the defeats of their
Latin meaning the taking on of flesh again) is theprevious lives" (De Principiis). The Bible also still has
occupation by the immortal soul of a new body aftermany direct references to reincarnation (Mt 11:14 and
the death of the former body.17:12f and John 9,1 ff, ie.) . Jesus identifies John the
Reincarnation & HinduismBaptist as the returning prophet Elijah in Matthews
Hinduism has reincarnation as a basic tenet of their11:14. In the Old Testament, , David writes in Psalms
belief, and espouse that the human spirit returns to51:5 (NIV) 'Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the
this life again and again as it strives for perfection.time my mother conceived me.'
The idea that the soul reincarnates is intricately linkedThe universal acceptance of reincarnation
to the principle of karma (see below).HinduismReincarnation is prominent in Judaism and the Kabala
teaches that individual souls, known as jivaatmas(gilgul, Ibbur). In fact, in all oriental religions such as
pass from one plane of existence to another, andBuddhism. Jainism, and Zoroastrianism, reincarnation
carry with them samskaras (impressions) fromforms a basic building block of their sacred texts.
former states of being.In ancient times, Classical Greek Philosophy (especially
These karmic memories (like data on a hard disc) onwith Pythagoras) and as part of the Elysian
the soul are taken to the next life and result in aMysteries, reincarnation was a central theme akin to
causally-determined state of being.the Hindu thought.
In Hinduism and other religions, liberation fromIn fact, reincarnation, when viewed in broad terms,
samsara, or the cycle of death and rebirth, isappears a universally accepted fact of our lives.
considered the ultimate goal of our earthly existence.But if we lived before, why can't we remember it?
This liberation is known as Moksha, and onceIn literature as well as religious thought, the major
reached, the soul ceases to reincarnate.objection to the principle of reincarnation is that
Karmapeople cannot recall having lived before.
Activity that has become destiny is Karma.A simple answer to that (taken from Swami
This means Karma can be considered the total effectVivekananda) is that we do not recall our infancy;
of a person's actions and conduct during theyet it existed. Also, there are many books and
successive phases of that person's existence,therapists today that can assist one in remembering
regarded as determining the person's destiny.a past life.
Actually, there are three types of karma:Taken simply, there is a universal belief that we are
Sanchita karma, or the sum total of past karmas yetall rays out of the divine, and having ourselves the
to be resolved; then prarabdha karma, that portiondivine quality of free will, we have experienced life in
of sanchita karma that is to be experienced in thisits many forms.
life; and kriyamana karma, the karma that humansWhen we contravened the natural rules, we created
are currently creating and will bear fruit in the future.karma, and until those contraventions are corrected,
Other Religions & Reincarnationand realized, we are obliged to incarnate again and
The principle of reincarnation is found in almost allagain.
religions of the world. It was a prominent feature of