Transmigration of souls, reincarnation (lat. re, “again” + in, “in” + caro / carnis, “flesh”, “reincarnation”), metempsychosis (Greek “transmigration of souls”) is a religious and philosophical doctrine, according to which the immortal the essence of a living being (in some variations - only people) reincarnates again and again from one body to another. This immortal entity is often referred to as spirit or soul, "divine spark", "higher" or "true self". According to such beliefs, in each life a new personality of the individual develops in the physical world, but at the same time a certain part of the "I" of the individual remains unchanged, passing from body to body in a series of reincarnations. There are also ideas that the chain of reincarnations has some purpose and the soul undergoes evolution in it.
Belief in the transmigration of souls is an ancient phenomenon. According to S. A. Tokarev, the earliest form of representations is associated with totemism. Some peoples (Eskimos, North American Indians) believed that the soul of a grandfather or another representative of the same tribal group entered the child. The doctrine of reincarnation is central to most Indian religions such as Hinduism (including yoga, Vaishnavism, and Shaivism), Jainism, and Sikhism. The idea of the transmigration of souls was also accepted by some ancient Greek philosophers such as Socrates, Pythagoras and Plato. Belief in reincarnation is found in some modern pagan traditions, New Age movements, and is also accepted by spiritualists, some African traditions, and adherents of such esoteric philosophies as Kabbalah, Sufism, Gnosticism, and Esoteric Christianity. The Buddhist concept of a series of rebirths, although often referred to as "reincarnation", differs significantly from traditions based on Hinduism and from New Age movements in that there is no self or eternal soul that reincarnates.
Research shows that over the past decades, the number of people in the West who believe in reincarnation has increased markedly.
Belief in reincarnation has two main components:
* The idea that a person has a certain essence (“spirit”, “soul”, etc.), which contains the personality of this person, his self-consciousness, a certain part of what a person identifies with the concept of “I myself”. Moreover, this essence can be connected with the body, but this connection is not inseparable, and the soul can continue to exist after the physical body has died. The question of whether only people have a soul, or other (perhaps all) species of living beings, is solved differently in different worldviews.
* The idea that the soul after the death of the body, immediately or after some time, incarnates in another body (the body of a newborn person or other living being), thus, the life of the individual continues beyond the life of the physical body (forever, or within chain of rebirths, completed in a certain way).
Relocation of souls in Eastern religions and traditions
Eastern religions and traditions, such as various branches of Hinduism and Buddhism, believe that after the death of one body, life continues in a new one. According to Hindu beliefs, the soul moves to another body. Thus, life after life, she takes on different bodies - better or worse - depending on her deeds in previous incarnations. Buddhists who do not recognize a substantial soul teach about the recombination of dharmas - simple psychophysical elements.
For supporters of Eastern beliefs, there is no alternative to the concept of "reincarnation". They recognize this doctrine for its logic and justice - it follows from it that pious, highly moral behavior allows the individual to progress from life to life, experiencing each time a gradual improvement in the conditions and circumstances of life. Moreover, reincarnation itself is a clear evidence of God's compassion towards living beings. In the process of reincarnation, each time the soul in its new incarnation is given another opportunity for correction and improvement. Progressing in this way from life to life, the soul can be so purified that, finally, it breaks out of the cycle of samsara, and, sinless, reaches moksha (liberation).
The philosophical and religious beliefs of the East regarding the existence of the eternal "I" have a direct impact on how the transmigration of souls is seen in various Eastern creeds, between which there are great differences in the philosophical understanding of the nature of the soul (jiva or atman). Some currents reject the existence of the "I", others speak of the existence of the eternal, personal essence of the individual, and some argue that both the existence of the "I" and its non-existence are an illusion. Each of these beliefs has a direct impact on the interpretation of the concept of reincarnation and is associated with such concepts as samsara, moksha, nirvana and bhakti.
Hinduism
The transmigration of souls is one of the basic concepts of Hinduism. Just as in the philosophical systems of other Indian religions, the cycle of birth and death is accepted as a natural phenomenon of nature. In Hinduism, the avidya or ignorance of the individual about his true spiritual nature leads him to identify with the mortal body and matter, an identification that keeps him wanting to remain in the cycle of karma and reincarnation.
The transmigration of souls was first mentioned in the Vedas, the oldest sacred scriptures of Hinduism. According to the generally accepted view, the doctrine of reincarnation is not fixed in the oldest of the Vedas, the Rig Veda. However, some scientists point out that there are also elements of the theory of the transmigration of souls. As one example of the presence of the doctrine of reincarnation in the Rig Veda, an alternative translation of hymn 1.164.32 is quoted:
“Who created it does not know it.
He is hidden from those who see him
Hidden in mother's womb
Having been born many times, he came to suffering.”
The Yajur Veda says:
“O learned and tolerant soul, after wandering in the waters and plants, the person enters the womb and is born again and again. O soul, you are born in the body of plants, trees, in everything that is created and animated, and in water. O soul, resplendent like the sun, after cremation, mingling with fire and earth for a new birth and taking refuge in the mother's womb, you are born again. O soul, reaching the womb again and again, you rest peacefully in the mother's body like a child sleeping in its mother's arms.
A detailed description of the doctrine of reincarnation is contained in the Upanishads - ancient philosophical and religious texts in Sanskrit, adjacent to the Vedas. In particular, the concept of the transmigration of souls is reflected in the Shvetashvatara Upanishad 5.11 and the Kaushitaka Upanishad 1.2.
“As the body grows due to food and water, so the individual “I”, feeding on its aspirations and desires, sensory connections, visual impressions and delusions, acquires the desired forms in accordance with its actions. »
In Hinduism, the soul, called atman, is immortal, and only the body is subject to birth and death. In the Bhagavad Gita, which, in the opinion of most Hindus, reflects the main essence of the philosophy of Hinduism and the main meaning of the Vedas, it is said:
“Just as a person, taking off old clothes, puts on new ones, so the soul enters new material bodies, leaving old and useless ones.”
Karma, Samsara and Moksha
The idea of the reincarnation of the soul of any living being - people, animals and plants - is closely related to the concept of karma, which is also explained in the Upanishads. Karma (literally: "action") is a set of actions of an individual, acting as the cause of his next incarnation. The cycle of birth and death driven by karma is called samsara.
Hinduism claims that the soul is in a constant cycle of birth and death. Desiring to enjoy in the material world, she is born again and again for the satisfaction of her material desires, which is possible only through the medium of a material body. Hinduism does not teach that worldly pleasures are sinful, but explains that they cannot bring inner happiness and satisfaction, called in Sanskrit ananda terminology. According to the Hindu thinker Shankara, the world - as we usually understand it - is like a dream. By its nature it is transient and illusory. Being in the bondage of samsara is the result of ignorance and misunderstanding of the true nature of things.
After many births, the soul eventually becomes disillusioned with the limited and fleeting pleasures bestowed upon it by this world, and begins to search for higher forms of pleasure that can only be achieved through spiritual experience. After a long spiritual practice (sadhana), the individual eventually realizes his eternal spiritual nature - that is, he is aware of the fact that his true "I" is the eternal soul, and not the mortal material body. At this stage, he no longer desires material enjoyment, because compared to spiritual bliss, they seem insignificant. When all material desires cease, the soul is no longer born and is liberated from the cycle of samsara.
When the chain of birth and death is broken, the individual is said to have achieved moksha, or salvation.
While all philosophical schools of Hinduism agree that moksha means the cessation of all material desires and liberation from the cycle of samsara, different philosophical schools give different definitions of this concept. For example, followers of Advaita Vedanta (often associated with jnana yoga) believe that after achieving moksha, the individual forever remains in a state of peace and bliss, which is the result of realizing that all being is one and indivisible Brahman, and the immortal soul is part of this unified whole. After achieving moksha, the jiva loses its individual nature and dissolves into the "ocean" of the impersonal Brahman, which is described as sat-chit-ananda (being-knowledge-bliss). 
On the other hand, followers of the philosophical schools of full or partial Dvaita (“dualistic” schools to which the bhakti movements belong) perform their spiritual practice with the goal of achieving one of the lokas (worlds or planes of being) of the spiritual world or the kingdom of God (Vaikuntha or Goloka), for eternal participation there in the pastimes of God in one of His incarnations (such as Krishna or Vishnu for Vaishnavas, and Shiva for Shaivites). However, this does not necessarily mean that the two main schools of Dvaita and Advaita are in conflict with each other. A follower of one of the two schools may believe that the achievement of moksha is possible in both ways, and simply give personal preference to one of them. It is said that the followers of Dvaita want to "taste the sweetness of sugar", while the followers of Advaita want to "turn into sugar". 
Reincarnation Mechanism
It is said in the Vedic literature that the individual living entity resides in two material bodies, gross and subtle. These bodies function and develop only due to the presence of the soul in them. They are temporary shells of the eternal soul; they have a beginning and an end, and they are constantly controlled by the harsh laws of nature, which, in turn, operate under the strict supervision of God in his Paramatma incarnation.
When the gross body wears out and becomes unusable, the soul leaves it in the subtle body. This process is called death.
The subtle body that accompanies the soul in the interval between death and the next birth contains all the thoughts and desires of a living being, and it is they that determine what type of gross body the living being will inhabit in the coming incarnation. Thus, according to the law of karma and under the guidance of the Paramatma, a living being enters a body corresponding to his mentality. This change is called birth.
At the time of death, the subtle body transfers the soul to another gross body. This process is similar to how air carries a smell. It is often impossible to see where the fragrance of the rose comes from, but it is obvious that it was brought by the wind. Likewise, the process of transmigration of souls is difficult to follow. According to the level of consciousness at the time of death, the soul enters the womb of a certain mother through the seed of the father, and then develops the body that was given to her by the mother. It can be the body of a person, a cat, a dog, etc. 
This is the process of reincarnation that provides some explanation for out-of-body experiences, as well as the ability to recall past lives while under hypnosis, out-of-body travel, and many other altered states of consciousness. The key point is the fact that under certain circumstances the soul can move in the subtle body.
Physical bodies are created in accordance with the desires of the soul. Just as you can see many different things in the market - shirts, suits, trousers, T-shirts, jeans, etc., in the same way, the soul has a wide variety of body types - 8,400,000 life forms. The soul can acquire any of them in order to fulfill its desires. Any form of life provides a certain kind of enjoyment and is given to the living entity to satisfy his desires.
According to Vaishnava theology, every living being has a spiritual form - "svarupa" ("own form"), which is his eternal form in the spiritual world of Vaikuntha. This eternal form does not change when the living being passes from one body to another. For example, a person can use his hands for various activities: performing an operation, repairing a telegraph pole, boxing, etc. In each of these cases, he must wear gloves appropriate for this type of activity, but the hand does not change. So the spiritual form of the soul remains unchanged, although the soul in the process of reincarnation passes from one body to another. 
Buddhism
Although in popular Buddhist literature and folklore one can often find stories and arguments about the transmigration of souls, similar to Hindu ones (and sometimes clearly borrowed from Hinduism), Buddhist philosophy nevertheless denies the existence of the soul, atman, "higher self" and similar realities, therefore does not recognize reincarnations. However, in Buddhism there is the concept of santana - the extension of consciousness, behind which there is no absolute support (in any case, individual - in the Mahayana sutras (for example, "Avatamsaka Sutra") and tantras "I" can act as a designation for the supra-individual Absolute, "Buddha nature"), santhana is associated with constant change, like frames on a film, and is formed by the recombination of dharmas according to the law of dependent origination. 
Consciousness wanders through the five (six) worlds of samsara (hell beings, hungry ghosts, animals, people, asuras, gods), as well as the worlds of the realm of forms and non-forms, which are divided into many locations. These wanderings occur both during life and after death, stay in this or that world is determined by the mental state. The location is determined by previous deeds (karma). Only human existence, characterized by intelligent choice, allows you to influence the wanderings in samsara. At the moment of death, there is a transition to another place of residence, depending on previous deeds.
Tibetan Buddhism also introduces the concept of an intermediate state (bardo), when consciousness reaches the boundaries of samsara, in particular, at the moment of death, the experience of clear light occurs.
Of particular importance in Tibetan Buddhism are some of the highest lamas, who are considered the manifestation (tulku) of the buddhas and bodhisattvas, preserving the line of rebirth. After the death of such a lama, a newly born child is sought, which is a continuation of the line. Candidates are checked by a complex system of tests.
Reincarnation in early Buddhism and in the teachings of the Buddha
The idea of rebirth is characteristic of Buddhism: the enlightened state (buddhi) cannot be achieved in one lifetime, it will take many thousands of years. The renowned Buddhist scholar Edward Conze writes:
“Buddhahood is one of the highest perfections that can be attained, and it is self-evident to Buddhists that it will take great effort over many lifetimes to achieve it. »
One of the foundations of Buddhism is the doctrine of the “four noble truths”, indicating the desire inherent in living beings and their subsequent suffering from material existence. They are very closely related to the laws of karma and reincarnation. According to the teachings of abhidharma, which can be traced back to early Buddhism, a living being can be born on one of the five levels of existence: among the inhabitants of hell, animals, spirits, human beings and celestials. Like Hinduism, this choice is determined by desire and karma, and the process of reincarnation continues until the living being either “disintegrates” at the time of death or reaches sunyata, the “great void,” a perfection that only a few achieve.
Numerous transmigration stories are found in the Jatakas (Birth Stories), which were originally told by the Buddha himself. The Jatakas contain 547 stories about past incarnations of the Buddha. They, often in allegorical form, describe the reincarnations of the Buddha in various bodies and tell how a person can achieve enlightenment by following certain principles. Reincarnation plays a central role in almost all Jataka stories. It details how the Buddha accepted the bodies of devas, animals, and even trees out of compassion, in order to help conditioned souls achieve liberation.
Mahayana
Northern Mahayana Buddhism developed in Tibet, China, Japan and Korea. Perhaps because this tradition borrowed much more from the original Indian Buddhism, it is more characteristic of the idea of reincarnation, which is inherent in the religion of Tibet, where the doctrine of reincarnation is central. The Dalai Lama, the supreme representative of Tibetan Buddhism, states: “According to the philosophical school of Theravada, after a person reaches nirvana, he ceases to be a person, completely disappears; however, according to the highest school of philosophical thought, the personality is still preserved, and the existence of the "I" continues. In Mahayana Buddhism, the abhidharma is accepted, as was early Buddhism. Depending on the ratio of righteous and sinful deeds committed earlier, a living being after death enters the world of Non-Forms, the World of Forms or one of the six states of being in the World of Passions:
1. The abode of the gods is the highest abode of the gods;
2. The abode of the demigods
3. Abode of humanity
4. Animals
5. Spirits and ghosts
6. Naraka - hellish beings
Selfishly pious souls end up in the abode of the gods, where they enjoy heavenly pleasures until the favorable karma dries up, and this enjoyment is also associated with suffering - from the consciousness of the fragility of pleasure and the impossibility of making decisions.
Vicious souls enter the world of Narakas, where they stay for a time that corresponds to the severity of their sins. Demigods are born aggressive personalities, driven by jealousy, greed leads to the world of hungry ghosts. If the main obscuration of a person was passion, and good deeds balance and overpower bad ones, then he is embodied in a human body. The human incarnation is considered the most spiritually valuable, although not the most comfortable.
In Mahayana Buddhism, the human body is also considered the most favorable for achieving the state of enlightenment. The states of being, whether it be a god, a man, an animal, or someone else, act as part of the illusion of carnal existence. The only reality is the state of the Buddha, which goes beyond the ordinary world of samsara. 
The three major vices—stupidity, greed, and lust—characterize the absence of true Buddhahood.
It is only after the living entity has overcome these three vices that he ceases to be a victim of bodily identification and, having transcended the six realms of illusory existence, attains nirvana. Thus, nirvana is beyond the six post-mortal states of being. At the same time, it is not recognized, in contrast to the Theravada doctrine, as something ontologically opposite to samsara; on the contrary, nirvana is the other side of any samsaric existence. Beings who have reached nirvana transcend the cycle of birth and death of samsara, at the same time, their manifestation in any of the worlds of samsara is not considered problematic - due to the principle of the three bodies of the Buddha. The teaching of reincarnation in Buddhism is a promising philosophy of life, affirming the continuous development of a living being, during which it breaks out of the shackles of illusion and, emerging free, plunges into the immortal nectar of reality.
Chinese Buddhism
In northern forms of Buddhism, the concept of reincarnation is expressed in a different way. Chinese Buddhism, described by some as "mundane", often dismisses the notion of reincarnation and similar "abstractions" in favor of things like the beauty of nature. The source of this influence was mainly local Chinese teachers such as Lao Tzu and Confucius, whose earliest followers (dating back to the Tang Dynasty) emphasized the beauty of the "natural world". Reincarnation, however, played a prominent role in original Chinese Buddhism, the basic principles of which are set forth in an ancient scripture known as the Prajna Paramita Sutra (written on wooden tablets, it is said to contain the words of the Buddha himself).
Zen Buddhism
Traditionally, Zen teachers have taught the ideas of transmigration, but the focus of Zen has been on meditation techniques rather than on metaphysical issues, such as the concept of reincarnation.
In the history of the development of Zen, there were several prominent teachers who preached reincarnation and the eternal existence of the soul (understood not as an individual imperishable Atman, but as a universal "Buddha nature"). It was obvious to them that a living being is eternal and does not cease to exist after the death of the body. For example, the great teacher Chao-chou (778-897) wrote: “Before the existence of the world, the nature of the Personality already exists. After the destruction of the world, the nature of the Personality remains intact. Hui-neng (638-713), who is called "the sixth Chinese patriarch of Zen", gathered his disciples around him before his death. Foreseeing the imminent death of the teacher, the students wept plaintively.
"What are you crying about? Are you worried about me because you think I don't know where I'm going? If I didn't know this, I wouldn't leave you. In fact, you are crying because you yourself do not know what will happen to me. If you knew this, you would not cry, because the True Essence does not undergo birth or death, it does not go and does not come ... "
The ideas of reincarnation in Zen Buddhism were most clearly expounded in the thirteenth century by the teacher Dogen (1200-1253), the founder of the Soto Zen school. In his essay "Shoji" (a Japanese term for samsara), Dogen analyzes the philosophical views of his predecessors in Hinduism and Buddhism on the issues of birth, death and reincarnation, arguing their importance for the practice of Zen.
Taoism
Starting from the period of the Han Dynasty, Taoist documents say that Lao Tzu reincarnated on earth several times, starting from the era of the three lords and five emperors. In one of the main scriptures of Taoism, Zhuangzi (4th century BC. .), states:
“Birth is not the beginning, just as death is not the end. There is an infinite being; there is a continuation without a beginning. Being out of space. Continuity without a beginning in time."
The basis of the belief in reincarnation in Taoism is the so-called "lulu lunhui" (六度輪回) or six stages of existence in the reincarnation of living beings. These six steps include both humans, animals and insects, each of which accordingly reflects a more and more severe punishment for living beings who have sinned in previous incarnations, but do not yet deserve an extreme form of damnation on a plane of existence like purgatory. Individuals who have been cleansed of sins in their past lives and improved their karma are successively reincarnated from one level to another until they eventually reach the stage of complete purification or until they undergo the process of forgiveness or absolution.
Classical Greek and Roman philosophy
Among the ancient Greek philosophers who believed in the transmigration of souls and taught this doctrine, the most famous are Pythagoras, Empedocles, Socrates, Plato, Plutarch, Plotinus, the Neo-Platonists and the Neo-Pythagareans.
As Cicero notes, Pherekides of Syros (VI century BC) was the first to teach about the immortality of the soul. Obviously, it is necessary to distinguish his views from the ideas of folk religion set forth in Homer, according to which the soul goes to Hades after death, but not to a new body returns. Various ancient sources claim that Pythagoras spoke of being able to remember his past lives (Ephalis and Euphorba). In antiquity, the connection between Pythagorean philosophy and reincarnation was generally recognized.
Empedocles described Pythagoras as follows:
“For as soon as he strained all the strength of his mind to knowledge, He easily contemplated all the innumerable phenomena of the world, Foreseeing for ten or twenty human generations. »
Empedocles said about himself:
“Once I was already a boy and a girl, a Bush, a bird and a dumb fish emerging from the sea. »
According to Plato's dialogue "Phaedo", at the end of his life, Socrates, outlining a number of proofs of the immortality of the soul, stated:
“If the immortal is indestructible, the soul cannot die when death approaches it: after all, it follows from everything that has been said that it will not accept death and will not be dead
Reincarnation is a central theme in the Hermetica, a Greco-Egyptian collection of texts on cosmology and spirituality attributed to Hermes Trismegistus.
Many ancient authors, outlining the views of the Brahmins, say that, according to their teaching, the soul lives after the death of the body, but they do not mention anything about its return to the body. However, according to Megasthenes, the Brahmins “weave into their stories, like Plato, myths about the immortality of the soul, about the judgment in Hades, and others of the same kind.”
Judaism
The authoritative Jewish historian Josephus Flavius (c. 37 - c. 100), being a Pharisee, in his famous work "The Jewish War" wrote about the views of the Pharisees on the posthumous state of the soul:
“Souls, in their opinion, are all immortal; but only the souls of the good are transferred after their death to other bodies, while the souls of the evil are doomed to eternal torment. »
Apparently, reincarnation appeared in Judaism some time after the Talmud. Reincarnation is not mentioned in the Talmud or in earlier writings. The idea of transmigration of souls, called gilgul, became popular in folk beliefs, and plays an important role in Yiddish literature among Ashkenazi Jews.
The concept of reincarnation is explained in the medieval mystical work "Bagheer", which comes from the 1st century mystic Nehunia ben ha-Kana, "Bagheer" has been widely used since the middle of the 12th century. After the publication of the Zohar at the end of the 13th century, the idea of reincarnation spread to many Jewish communities. Reincarnation was recognized by the following Jewish rabbis: Baal Shem Tov - the founder of Hasidism, Levi ibn Habib (Ralbach), Nachmanid (Ramban), Bahya ben Asher, Shelomo Alkabez and Chaim Vital. The rationale for reincarnations comes from wondering why godly people and sinless children suffer or are innocently killed. This is contrary to the belief that good people should not suffer. From this it is concluded that such people are the reincarnation of sinners in a past birth.
Some cabalists also accepted the idea that human souls could reincarnate into animals and other life forms. Similar ideas, from the twelfth century onwards, are found in a number of Kabbalistic works, as well as among many mystics of the sixteenth century. Many stories about the Gilguls are given in Martin Buber's collection of Hasidic stories, in particular those concerning the Baal Shem Tov.
Another view of reincarnation is that the soul is reborn on the condition that it has not completed a certain mission. Followers of this view regard gilgul as a rare phenomenon, and do not believe that souls are constantly transmigrating. 
Belief in the transmigration of souls is accepted in Orthodox Judaism. Based on the writings of Rabbi Yitzhak Luria (and compiled by his student, Rabbi Chaim Vital), such a work as Shaar ha-gilgulim (The Gate of Reincarnation) describes the complex laws of reincarnation. One of the concepts that appears in Sha'ar Ha-Gilgulim is the idea that gilgul occurs during pregnancy.
In Orthodox Judaism, many siddurs ("prayer books") contain prayers that ask for forgiveness for sins committed by an individual in this gilgul or in previous ones. These prayers belong to the category of prayers said before going to bed. 
Christianity
All mainstream Christian denominations do not accept the possibility of reincarnation and view it as contrary to the basic notions of their religion. However, some Christian movements indirectly touch upon this topic in their teachings about death, and some leave this issue open for individual understanding by believers, relying on a number of ambiguous passages from the Bible. 
It is generally accepted that the doctrine of reincarnation has been rejected by its followers since the dawn of Christianity. Traditionally, the presence of ideas of the transmigration of souls in early Christianity is explained by the influence of pagan cultures. Since the birthplace of Christianity and the vector of its spread were closely connected with Rome and Greece, its formation was influenced by the legacy left by ancient thinkers. That is why the Gnostics combined Christian theology with the ideas of Pythagorean and Neoplatonism, the cornerstone of which was the doctrine of reincarnation, and that is why early Christian writers and apologists paid great attention to its discussion and criticism.
Subsequently, reincarnation was accepted by the medieval Gnostic sects of the Cathars and Albigensians, who considered each soul as a fallen angel, born again and again in the material world created by Lucifer.
There is also an alternative view of the history of reincarnation in Christianity, which was widely accepted among Theosophists of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and later adopted by the New Age movement. Proponents of this hypothesis argue that the doctrine of reincarnation was accepted by early Christians, but was subsequently rejected.
Today, attempts are being made to re-link Christianity with reincarnation. Examples are Geddes MacGregor's Reincarnation in Christianity: A New Vision for Rebirth in Christian Thought, Rudolf Steiner's Christianity as a Mystical Fact, and Tomaso Palamidesi's Past Life Recollection and its Technique, which describes several methods of recollection. past lives.
Currently, the transmigration theory is accepted by a number of fringe Christian groups, including the Christian Society, the Liberal Catholic Church, the Unity Church, the Rosicrucian Fellowship, and other communities committed to gnostic, theosophical, and mystical ideas.
Islam and Sufism
There are no explicit references in the Qur'an to life after death and the reincarnation of the soul. The Qur'an touches only in passing on the major theological and philosophical issues pertaining to the nature of the afterlife. Only later were extensive theological commentaries written, ordering the hidden meanings of the canonical narratives of the prophet (the so-called "hadith") and the revelation of the Qur'an. Muslims, as a rule, strictly adhere to traditional ideas about death and the afterlife, and do not seek to study the works of mystics in order to discover the secret meaning of the lines of the Qur'an devoted to this issue.
Muslims have a rather complex system of ideas about the nature of death, about the very moment of dying and about what happens after death. According to the Islamic view of life after death, the soul of the deceased is placed behind a "barrier" (barzakh), and the body, interred, decomposes and eventually turns to dust. Only on the Day of Judgment, by the will of Allah, new bodies will be created, into which souls will rush. Resurrected in this way, people will appear before their Creator and will be held accountable for the deeds they have done during their lives.
Like other religions, Islam teaches that God created man not for him to die one day - the idea of rebirth and renewal passes through the Koran. A well-known scripture says, "He is the one who gave you life, and He will send you death and then give you life again." The same idea is found in the Qur'an as a warning to idolaters: “The Lord created you, took care of you, then you will die according to His will, then He will give you life again. Can idols (which you call gods) do all this for you? Thanks God!" In the Islamic tradition, however, these and other similar passages from the Qur'an, possibly related to reincarnation, are usually interpreted as a promise of resurrection. Frequent references in the Qur'an to the resurrection, according to some researchers, may equally apply to reincarnation. For example, in Sura 20:55/57 God's words are given to Moses: you into the earth, and then we will create you again.” Some researchers interpret the meaning of this verse as a body that is constantly being created and destroyed, and a soul that, after the death of the body, is born again, but in another body.
In Islamic tradition, a human being is a soul resurrected by a spirit. According to the traditional interpretations of the Qur'an, the lost souls after death end up in the judgment of Allah. Disbelief in Allah and his prophet brings a curse on a person and dooms him to an eternal stay in Jahannam - Gehenna, or hell. Like Judaism and Christianity, jahannam is a place of eternal torment after death. Although sinners will be fully punished only after the “final resurrection”, unbelievers fall into the eternal hell prepared for them immediately after death, and the souls of those who believe in Allah and his prophet are not subject to the judgment of the angels of death. Angels come to the righteous and escort them to paradise. Pious Muslims are fully rewarded only after the resurrection, but, unlike the infidels, the righteous rest peacefully in anticipation of the appointed hour.
It is believed that after the funeral, two angels, Munkar and Nakir, come to the person in the grave, with black faces, frightening voices, piercing blue eyes and hair falling to the ground. They interrogate the deceased about the good or evil deeds he did during his lifetime. This interrogation is called the "trial in the grave"; such a judgment awaits all devout Muslims. In order to prepare the deceased for this judgment, relatives and friends during the funeral whisper various tips in his ear that will help him answer the questions of the divine judges correctly. If the deceased successfully passes through this "examination", he will taste "heavenly bliss" while still in the grave; if not, unbearable torment awaits him. However, in due course, both the sinners and the righteous will go through a "new creation" in preparation for the resurrection, after which the godly and the unfaithful will go to their final destinations - heaven or hell.
In the era of the emergence of Islam, there was a slightly different theological idea of death - it was likened to sleep. The idea of resurrection also played a central role in the original concept of the afterlife, but was not so rigidly formulated, and, according to some researchers, could well be interpreted from the point of view of the doctrine of reincarnation. Sleep-likeness was the only notion of death consistently supported by early Muslim theologians. Ancient notions in which death was likened to sleep, and the resurrection from the dead to awakening can be found in the Qur'an (25:47/49): "The Lord made the night for you a cover, and sleep as rest, and created a day for awakening (nushur)". Night is the curtain that covers the sleeper; sleep is a type of death, and dawn is a symbol of resurrection (nushur)… The key word of these lines is nushur, which can be translated as “rise” or “awakening”. Later Islamic philosophers associated this term with the concept of resurrection. According to some researchers, the original Islamic ideas about death were closely connected with the idea of reincarnation: the one who sleeps must inevitably wake up. Is this awakening some final resurrection, or does it take place in the cycle of birth and death; in any case, the question of existence after death occupied an important place in early Islamic philosophy. In modern Islam, most devout Muslims tend to the idea of resurrection, while representatives of such mystical movements in Islam as Sufism have always explained death as the beginning of a new life and interpreted the word nushur as the awakening of the soul after moving into a new body.
In Islamic scriptures, reincarnation is denoted by the word tanasukh, a term that is rarely used by orthodox Muslim philosophers, but is quite common in the writings of Arab and Middle Eastern thinkers and theologians. Arab and Persian theologians, like the Kabbalists, believe that the transmigration of the soul is the result of a sinful or failed life. The concept of "tanasukh" is much more widespread among the Muslims of India, which can be explained by the influence of Hinduism. Proponents of reincarnation claim that the Quran supports the teaching of the transmigration of souls and cite a number of quotations as evidence, some of which are given below: "To the one who violated the Sabbath, We said: be a monkey, vile and despicable." "He is the worst of all who is angry Allah and brought upon himself His curse. Allah will turn him into a monkey or a pig.” “Allah gives you life from the earth, then turns you back into the earth, and He will again give you life.”
The meaning of these and other verses of the Qur'an was explored by such famous Persian Sufi poets as Jalaladdin Rumi, Saadi and Hafiz. The theme of the transmigration of souls is also reflected in the spiritual lyrics of Mansur Hallaj, one of the most famous Sufi thinkers who lived in the 10th century.
Druze
For the Druze, also known as the Syrian Sufis, reincarnation was the fundamental principle on which their teaching was built. This syncretic offshoot of Islam formed in the 11th century and is regarded as heretical by orthodox Islam. Its founder was Fatimid, caliph al-Hakim. Some Druzes claim to be descendants of persecuted mystics who took refuge in Persia. Others point to their kinship with Khemsa, the uncle of the Prophet Muhammad, who visited Tibet in 625 in search of "secret wisdom". They believe that he subsequently appeared as a Hamsa mission and founded their order, just as Buddhas incarnate in Tibetan lamas. This teaching is widespread mainly among the inhabitants of Lebanon, Jordan and Syria, but in recent times it has become increasingly noticeable influence on orthodox Muslims.
Historically, the persecution that scientists who did not belong to the orthodox direction of Christianity were subjected to during the Middle Ages forced many thinkers and philosophers to leave Europe. Some of them moved to Persia, others went to Arabia or reached India itself.
Gnostic Christians introduced the Arabs to Greek philosophy and Gnosticism derived from it; the Nestorians brought the Neoplatonic teachings to Arabia, and the Jews the Kabbalistic writings. The teachings of the Hermetics also took root in the Middle East. Around the same time, Al-Biruni traveled to India, where he studied the classical religious scriptures of Hinduism, some of which were then translated into Arabic and Persian and spread throughout Arabia. Thus, by the time the "heresy" of the Druze was born, the doctrine of the rebirth of the soul had managed to enter Islam and again be expelled from it. According to some researchers, this is why it is difficult to judge what is heresy and what is the true and original teaching of the Koran. Over time, devout Muslims began to search for a secret, esoteric meaning in the Koran.
Muhammad himself claimed that the wisdom of the Qur'an is mainly based on the hidden meaning of his words: the Qur'an was "revealed in seven dialects, and in each of its verses there are two meanings - obvious and hidden ... I received twofold knowledge from God's messenger. One of them I teach ... but if I opened the other to people, it would tear their throats. According to some researchers, this "secret meaning" of many texts included the theory of the transmigration of souls, which over time was forgotten.
Reincarnation in the heretical currents of Islam
In a series of articles “Reincarnation. Islamic ideas ”, the Islamic scholar M. H. Abdi described the events that resulted in the rejection of the doctrine of reincarnation from the orthodox Muslim dogma:
“For several centuries, the prominent followers of Mahomet accepted the doctrine of reincarnation, but concealed it from a wide range of believers. This position was justified by certain psychological factors. Islamic doctrine has always called for righteous deeds in the first place. ... In addition, the defensive battles known as Jihad, or holy wars, which Muslims fought in the days of the birth of the Islamic religion, and later aggressive (and therefore not holy) wars, significantly influenced the fate of Islam. Previously, philosophical, mystical and ethical currents received a powerful impetus for development, but later, as a result of certain political events, they weakened and withered. Over time, the Arab republics turned into monarchical states; philosophers and saints lost their former influence. Such intimate topics as the transmigration of the soul require a special approach. In order to judge them, it is necessary to have an idea of the higher levels of consciousness, the laws of cause and effect, and the operation of the laws of evolution. Monarchs were not interested in subjects so far from politics. Like many other teachings, the doctrine of reincarnation is accessible only to Sufis and specialists in the history of Sufism ... However, a Muslim who openly believes in the transmigration of souls and is called a heretic is hardly in any danger.
Followers of the traditional directions of Islam are still afraid of being branded as heretics, so the doctrine of reincarnation is discussed and interpreted only in line with the Sufi tradition. Some orthodox theologians believe that without a belief in the rebirth of the soul, it is difficult to reconcile the morality preached by Islam and religious teachings. For example, G. F. Moore notes that
“The inability to combine the suffering of innocent children with the idea of the Lord's mercy or, at worst, justice, forces some quite liberal Muslim theologians (Mutazilites) to look for the causes of torment in sins committed in a past life ... The doctrine of reincarnation is an integral part of the cult of the imam professed by Shiites; this teaching in a specific form also exists among the Ismailis and is an essential part of the doctrine of Babism.
Islamic historian I. G. Brown develops this meaning in his Literary History of Persia. Talking about the esoteric directions of Islam, he mentions three types of reincarnation, which are recognized by Muslim thinkers:
1. Hulul - the repeated incarnation of a saint or prophet
2. Rijat - the return of the imam or other religious leader immediately after his death
3. Tanasukh - the usual reincarnation of any soul
The Ismailis even claim that Krishna came into the world as Buddha, and later as Muhammad; followers of this trend believe that great teachers are born again and again for the benefit of new generations.
Many modern Muslims admit that they are ready, at least in theory, to admit the existence of the forms of reincarnation mentioned by mystics. As in other Abrahamic religions, in Islam the theory of the rebirth of the soul is in the background and the belief in the transmigration of souls is usually regarded as heresy, or, at best, as the prerogative of mystics. However, according to some researchers, a careful study of the various directions and scriptures of Islam shows that the doctrine of reincarnation is part of the teachings of this religious tradition. The Muslim theologian Earl Waugh says the following about this:
“References to reincarnation are firmly woven into the rich fabric of Islamic culture and generated by its wisdom; it is not just an "optional element" of the Muslim religion. On the other hand, even those areas of Islam that have departed from the orthodox form so far that they are perceived rather as independent religions (for example, Sufism), initially separated from the main tradition not at all because of any special understanding of the doctrine of reincarnation, but rather , as a result of the influence of numerous factors generated by the internal problems of the history and culture of Islam. This is vividly illustrated by the search for spiritual leaders who would bear the stamp of Divinity or Divine knowledge. I will take the liberty of suggesting that these forms of religion will not only continue to exist, but over time will take on a new, more attractive appearance due to contact with other teachings, both nurtured within Islam and created from outside, as a protest against the restrictions imposed by it. ."
Questions about what happens to after his death have troubled mankind throughout its entire period of existence. In ancient times, the approach to theories about the transmigration of souls or the afterlife took place at a relatively primitive level - primitive people, worshiping totems and wildlife, believed that higher powers would take care of them after their death.
They also believed in the generic transmigration of souls - when the soul wanders exclusively within a particular generation. Later, various ones arose, each of which has its own separate or similar vision of the afterlife. In this article, we will look at what is reincarnation how this concept is interpreted in different religions, how Christianity and the theory of the reincarnation of the soul are connected.
reincarnation called the process of transmigration of the soul, the spiritual being of a person into another form, which occurs after the death of a person. Such a concept exists only in Eastern religions - Christianity excludes reincarnation as such. 
It is noteworthy that reincarnation is not the transmigration of the human soul into the body of just another person - in all Eastern religions there is a theory that in a past or future life a person was or will be anyone: a plant, animal, insect - but necessarily an animated object. The one in whom the spirit will move and what status you will acquire in the future life depends on the deeds done in the present - depending on the earned one, the position in the future will be determined.
Did you know? The time of the emergence of the concept of "reincarnation" is approaching the 6th century BC. e. - the names of Socrates and Pythagoras are associated with him. According to legend, it was Pythagoras who uttered his famous phrase that the soul moves in a cycle determined by necessity.
Some theologians conduct a more advanced interpretation of the concept of "reincarnation of the soul" - this is not the relocation of the soul as an energy principle, but the relocation of the Spirit - a material structure that exists outside of time and environmental conditions.
They even single out a special science - the physics of reincarnation, which provides calculations and plans for exactly how the spirit leaves the body and migrates to another object. For example, in such physics, the percentage probability of a sex change during relocation, a split personality or the law of vitality is calculated - according to it, the reincarnation of a person into an object of lower rank - for example, an insect - is impossible. 
However, many religious movements dispute this theory. How exactly Eastern religions explain the transmigration of the soul after death - let's consider in more detail.
Basic teachings of Eastern religions
The common principle that unites all Eastern religions is monism, the ability to see the Divine or higher powers in everything: in nature, celestial bodies, objects. For most Western religions, such a concept is heresy.
Important! Eastern religions are based on the theory of reincarnation, liberation, while Western religious movements produce a theory about the only, earthly existence of the soul and spirit, which leads to a post-mortem reward or punishment - this is their fundamental difference.
The rebirth of the soul is one of the key concepts on which the whole philosophy of this religious movement is based. The process of reincarnation is described in the Vedas, in these sacred texts the idea of the soul can be traced. Only the mortal body dies, the outer shell - the spirit is immortal and is able to move and be reborn. Such a philosophy is inextricably linked with the concept. 
It is precisely due to what kind of karma a person has or what kind he has earned in his current one that will depend on whom the person will ultimately be transferred to in a future life.
According to the philosophy of Hinduism, the human soul is in constant wandering, and the fact that at the moment it lives in a particular person is only part of its journey, a kind of stop, preparation for the next rebirth. This cycle is called samsara. Chained people are characterized in the Vedas as ignorant and sinful beings who do not understand the true meaning of things. Realized ones - those who have been doing spiritual meditations for a long time - can leave the circle of samsara. In this case, the wanderings of the soul, its numerous births and deaths stop. This indicates that a person has achieved salvation (moksha).
The key difference between this movement and other Eastern religions is that the human soul can transmigrate into the devas certain divine beings. In fact, a person can become a deity. However, this is possible only when a sufficient amount of exceptionally good karma is accumulated. It is noteworthy that such reincarnation into a deity in Jainism is more undesirable and even negative. 
In order to earn good karma, strict, even ascetic rules of morality and behavior have been developed in the philosophy of Jainism (especially for priests). What is worth only ahinsa - non-infliction of violence on any living being (for example, it happens to be a sin even if you accidentally crushed an ant). Such strict rules determine that the modern followers of Jainism today are mainly handicraft. For the religion of Jainism, the only way to get rid of the cycle of death is to achieve purity of spirit (by observing ascetic strict rules, constant meditation, suppression of passions). Ordinary people will not be able to get rid of samsara - for this you need to become an ascetic.
The Sikh religion also teaches about immortality and the rebirth of the soul. Unlike Jainism, family life and marriage are sacred to Sikhism.- for them it is the basis of being, a way to glorify God - the only Creator of all things. There is no traditional notion of karma, heaven and hell, or the afterlife in Sikh philosophy. This religion is a synthesis of certain concepts of Hinduism and Islam, which has developed its own philosophy. preach love and friendship to all living beings. 
The philosophy of Sikhism is based on the theory that a person in this world did not appear from an empty place - he already existed before. It is his past life, his possible family that determines his uniqueness and difference from other people in the present. The subsequent rebirth of the soul depends entirely on the guru, or God - the deity's decision on rebirth is based on the good deeds performed by the person in the present. The past life certainly affects the present existence - however, it does not predetermine the status of the Sikhs and their position in society in the present life.
Did you know? There are cases in history when the Sikhs were freed from the reincarnation of the soul: the tenth guru Gobind Singh, after performing the sacrament over the Sikhs, freed them from connection with the past life - past family, faith, predestinations.
In the religious current of Buddhism, the concept of the immutability of the soul is absent - on the contrary, the spiritual state can change depending on the law of karma(into whom or into what the spirit will move in the next life, depends on the person's karma). If a Buddhist could achieve heavenly peace, bliss, nirvana, the soul will look like a heavenly creature. If life was filled with negative actions and deeds, the soul will experience hellish torments during reincarnation. 
It is noteworthy that in Buddhism there is a threefold attitude to the reincarnation of the soul: it exists, it does not exist, and it does not matter whether it exists or not.
The fact is that, according to one facet of Buddhist teaching, the spirit wanders within the 6 wheels of samsara (hellish inhabitants, hungry ghosts, animals, people, asuras, gods), therefore, according to the results of the state of karma, the soul will be imprisoned in one of these 6 states. Another aspect of Buddhism says that the soul as immutable, passing from one object to another, does not exist (however, there are karmic tendencies of the past existence that affect our soul in this life).
The Buddha spoke about the fact that there is no past "I" traveling between time. At the same time, he taught his followers that they would still reap the results (or echoes) of past life deeds. 
It does not matter whether there is a rebirth or not - in a broad sense (as some followers of the Buddha taught), a person every day is a new being, not the same as he was last week or a month ago (experience accumulates, a person gets older) - but the personality does not feel with any difficulty or discomfort. Therefore, according to this concept, it is not at all burdensome for a person to receive future benefits from actions performed now, in the present.
Taoism is a Chinese religion based on the belief in immortality. It is noteworthy that the gods as such are absent in this current at all - their place is taken by various energies, therefore many tend to call Taoism a science rather than a religion. The theme of immortality is covered in many Chinese legends and myths, and recipes for longevity are still kept in secret manuscripts.
Such a belief in longevity also affected the Chinese: the immortality of the soul, according to Taoism, is possible in an exceptionally healthy and physically strong body, so recipes for youth have been selected for many centuries. In this regard, Taoism in its early stages came into conflict with Buddhism - the indefinite wandering of consciousness in the circles of samsara (Buddhism) contrasts with the theory of concrete work on immortality (Taoism).
However, later, under the influence of Buddhism, the followers of Taoism also began to lean towards the theory of the relocation of the soul to other realities, worlds and periods of time, and the main goal - maintaining physical strength - gradually changed to spiritual self-improvement, meditation and concentration. 
However, this did not rule out an attempt by the henchmen of the path of the Tao to discover the "elixir of life" - the Chinese people are still famous for their own, and traditional Chinese medicine remains the most popular among non-traditional medical sciences.
Important! The main components of Chinese medicine are acupressure and acupuncture. However, it is categorically not recommended to practice such methods of treatment on your own - ignorance of human anatomy and the wrong technique for performing or acupuncture can lead to significant deterioration and even death.
This Japanese religious movement is distinguished by peacefulness and a certain idealization: the world seems to be initially a good, bright home for souls- both living beings (people, animals) and the dead. In accordance with this belief, the main feature of Shintoism is the desire to live in harmony with all living things - not only with animate beings, but also with stones, nature, etc. Such a concept as immortality also appears in Shintoism, but it is considered that only the spirits of dead ancestors can achieve immortality. 
Shinto combines both totemism and magic - amulets and sacred objects are widely used. There is no clear division into good and evil: if a person lives in harmony with everyone, then most likely he does good and follows the right path. The human soul, according to Shintoism, is also sinless and ideal - however, evil spirits can seduce and denigrate it.
Shintoists profess reincarnation, but it is believed that the newly reborn soul does not carry any memories from a past existence. However, she can show certain talents, inclinations and skills in a person's life in the present. In Shinto there is no place for divine influence on a person's path - everyone can determine their place by their feelings, actions, actions and attitudes with others.
Perhaps there are no more antagonistic concepts in religion than reincarnation, the cycle of the soul in Hinduism, the wandering of the spirit around the circles of samsara in Buddhism, the immortality of the soul in Taoism on the one hand, and Christianity on the other. According to Christianity, every person, his soul was created by God the Creator. With the death of a person, his spirit also dies - until such time as God resurrects his faithful and obedient followers for life in paradise. 
Christian theologians (both Catholic and Protestant, and Orthodox) say that belief in reincarnation, karma helps a person explain why he has problems in this life, troubles in his personal life, etc.
Theologians say that it is easier for a person to shift the blame for his sufferings to the law of karma, a past life - instead of repenting in the present, believing in the One God and leading a further sinless life. According to the Bible, reincarnation does not exist - it was preached by the followers of Jesus Christ, and they also claimed that the spirits of the dead (as Shinto believes) are not immortal.
Did you know?The Bible says, "The soul that sinneth, it shall die" (Ezek. 18:4). These words are the main arguments of Christians in opposition to the theory of reincarnation.
Christians, in their arguments about the impossibility of the transmigration of the soul, rely on the words of God recorded in the Bible. They also give simple statistics: if most Eastern religions have been preaching from ancient times about the need for purification and comprehension of good karma, then enlightened, reborn people by today should make up more than 70% of the world's population. However, in practice, there is a global deterioration in the morale of people, the emergence of more wars and, especially in recent decades. 
The confrontation between Eastern religions and Christianity has been going on since the 1st century AD. e. (the time when Christianity was singled out as a separate branch of religion). According to statistics, in the modern world there are more than 33% of Christians, and 23% are Islamists. The remaining 45% are divided between Eastern religions, atheists and various non-traditional beliefs. Thus, we see that the theory of reincarnation of the soul is now giving way to belief in the absence of immortality, karma and samsara.
Reincarnation in Islam, Christianity and other world religions is far from the last place, as is sometimes believed. Learn about the attitude towards the transmigration of souls after the death of representatives of various religious denominations.
In the article:
Reincarnation in Islam
It is generally accepted that reincarnation in Islam, as in most orthodox world beliefs, does not exist. Most Muslims hold traditional views on life after death. Few seek to get acquainted with the works of Muslim mystics, who were engaged in deciphering the lines of the Koran devoted to the problem of rebirth in the afterlife.
There is no transparent information about reincarnation in the Quran, and it is generally accepted that Mahomet did not say anything on the subject. This source casually touches on the issues of the rebirth of the spirit after the destruction of the physical body. However, like any other religions, Islam teaches that God did not create man for him to die. The Qur'an contains thoughts of rebirth and renewal. Here is how one of the verses of the scripture sounds:
He is the one who gave life to you, and He will send death to you and then life again.
It is easy to guess that we are talking about Allah. There are several other lines from the Qur'an that also speak of reincarnation, but at the same time serve as a warning to idolaters:
Allah created you, gave you care, and by His will you will die, and then you will live again. Are the idols you call gods able to give you the same? Praise be to Allah!
And although these lines transparently hint at the possibility in a renewed physical body, they are usually interpreted as promises of resurrection. In general, all references to the resurrection in the Qur'an are somehow related to the issue of reincarnation and can be interpreted precisely as promises of rebirth, not resurrection.
Islamic teaching presents a person as a soul capable of resurrecting in the form of a spirit. Bodies are constantly being created and destroyed, but the soul is immortal. After the death of the body, it can be resurrected in another, which is reincarnation. Sufis and other Muslim mystics interpret the Qur'an in this way.
If you believe the interpretations of the Koran, which are considered traditional, after death the human soul goes to the angelic court. Angels in Islam are messengers of Allah. They send the infidels to Jahannam, which can be called an analogy of hell - this is a place for eternal torment after death. Despite the fact that some interpretations of the Koran assure that you can get there only after Sunday, it is generally accepted that the soul goes there after death.
Worthy devout Muslims do not fall into the judgment of angels. Angels come for their souls and escort them to the Gardens of Eden. The true reward for sinlessness awaits them only after the resurrection, but they expect it in a more pleasant atmosphere than the unbelievers. In addition, there are Islamic angels who conduct the so-called judgment in the grave. It is an interrogation about good and evil deeds, and it takes place right in the grave of the buried. There is even a tradition - relatives whisper advice in the ear of the deceased, which should help him in this court and get into Muslim paradise. These are generally accepted beliefs regarding the afterlife in Islam.
At the same time, it is known that the Sufis considered the idea of reincarnation as a fundamental principle of belief in the afterlife. The teachings of the Syrian Sufis - Druses - were built on it. In recent times, it is these principles that have influenced the opinion of orthodox Muslims. The wisdom of the Sufis is considered lost, but it is known that their teachings had a powerful connection with ancient religious beliefs.
It is difficult to judge what is heresy and what is the correct interpretation of the Koran. That's what he himself said Mahomet:
The Qur'an was sent down in seven languages, and each of its verses has both a clear and a secret meaning. God's messenger gave me a double understanding. And I teach only one of them, because if I also open the other, this understanding would tear their throats.
Looking for esoteric meaning in the Qur'an, with that in mind, does make sense. The secret meaning of his texts contained information about reincarnation and many other interesting phenomena. However, over time it was forgotten. For some time, the doctrine of reincarnation and rebirth, the principles of the afterlife of which differed from the traditional ones, were considered heretical.
Belief in the transmigration of souls does not endanger a Muslim. Despite this, the reputation of a heretic is feared by many, and at the moment reincarnation in Islam is treated exclusively as part of the Sufi tradition. Many theologians note that the idea of reincarnation is able to reconcile Muslim morality with religious teachings. The suffering of innocent people can be found in the form of sins committed in past lives.
Reincarnation in Christianity
Reincarnation in Christianity is recognized as a non-existent phenomenon, designed to confuse the mind of a God-fearing person and plunge him into sin. From the first centuries of its existence, this religious teaching rejects the possibility of the soul transmigrating into a new physical body after death. According to its fundamental principles, after the death of the physical body, the soul is in anticipation of the Last Judgment and the second coming of Jesus Christ, followed by the resurrection of all the dead.
Last Judgment
The Last Judgment is performed on all people who lived at different times. His goal is to divide them into sinners and righteous. Almost everyone knows that sinners will go to hell, and the righteous will enjoy eternal pleasure in paradise - the kingdom inhabited by God. The human soul lives only one life in one body. After the Day of Judgment, their bodies will be restored, the resurrection will be just bodily.
The idea that Christianity and reincarnation are teachings that went hand in hand at the very beginning of the birth of the Christian faith was introduced. She accepted the idea of reincarnation as the fundamental principle of the structure of the Universe, since in one way or another it is inherent in all the religious teachings of the world. Helena Blavatsky was sure that the presence of the idea of reincarnation in Christianity was deliberately hidden by unscrupulous popularizers of this religious doctrine. According to her, initially the teachings of Jesus Christ contained the idea of the transmigration of souls.
Council of Nicaea 325
It is considered that before First Council of Nicaea 325 reincarnation was present in Christianity. Blavatsky, on the other hand, claimed that this idea was canceled during Fifth Ecumenical Council in 553. One way or another, the transmigration of souls disappeared from sacred Christian texts in the first century after Christ. Theosophists of the 10th-20th centuries and adherents of the New Age movement agree with this concept. Most of them agree with Blavatsky about the common sacred layer of all religious teachings.
The search for the idea of reincarnation in Orthodoxy and Catholicism is usually explained by the importance of this concept in the system of occult ideas about the reality surrounding each person. In addition, it is customary to deny the importance of Christian sources in principle. During the First Council of Nicaea in 325, it was determined by a majority vote of those assembled that Jesus Christ is God. After that, believers everywhere began to worship his dying image. However, Jesus Christ justified his mission quite clearly:
I have been sent down to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
However, after his death, it was decided to declare Jesus Christ the savior of all mankind, and not the Jewish people. Reincarnation was originally present in the Bible, but after the Council of Nicaea, all references to this phenomenon disappeared - they were replaced by ideas about eternal existence in hell or paradise and the only possible salvation through Jesus Christ.
Reincarnation in Buddhism
The possibility of reincarnation in Buddhism is quite clearly emphasized by the words buddha:
Take a look at your condition today and you will know what you did in a past life. Take a look at your deeds today and you will know your condition in the next life.
The idea of repeated rebirths of character for this religious teaching. The purpose of rebirth is the perfection of a person, without which it is impossible to achieve enlightenment. This path to enlightenment lasts for more than one thousand years - it is impossible to become enlightened in one human life. In Buddhism, life after death is possible in one of the five worlds - hell, spirits, animals, people and celestials. The world into which a particular soul enters depends on its desire and karma. The principle of karma, if you do not go into details, is simple - everyone gets what he deserved with his deeds in previous incarnations.
Bad deeds will have to be worked out in the next incarnation in order to eventually achieve enlightenment. There is such a thing as "bad karma". This means that fate constantly sends punishment to a person for the deeds of his past incarnation. Good deeds lead to enlightenment, constant work on oneself guarantees a happy life. As one of the ancient Buddhist texts says:
The Bodhisattva with his Divine eyes, which saw much more than is available to man, saw how every life died and was reborn again - lower and higher castes, with sad and solemn destinies, with a worthy or low origin. He was able to discern how karma affects the rebirth of living beings.
The Buddha said, "Ah! There are thinking beings who do unskillful things with the body, who do not speak and mind, and who hold erroneous views. When death overtakes them and their bodies become useless, they are again born weak, poor, and sink lower. But there are others who perform skillful deeds of the body, master of speech and mind, and follow the right views. When death overtakes them and their bodies become useless, they are born again - with a happy fate, in the heavenly worlds.
Buddhists attach great importance to getting rid of the fear of death and attachment to the physical body. They represent the latter as an aging and dying receptacle of the immortal human spirit. The bodily perception of life is what prevents true enlightenment. Enlightenment is also called a holistic awareness of reality. Upon reaching it, a person opens up a complete picture of the structure of the Universe.
Reincarnation in Judaism
Reincarnation in Judaism is not a concept alien to this religious teaching. However, the attitude towards it in the religious philosophy of the Jews and their mystical teachings is different. The main source in Judaism is the Old Testament. He does not speak of the phenomenon of the transmigration of the soul after death, but it is implied in many episodes of the Old Testament. For example, there is a saying prophet Jeremiah:
Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you, and before you came out of the womb, I sanctified you: I appointed you a prophet to the nations.
It follows from it that the Lord formed an opinion about the prophet even before he was in the mother's womb. He gave him a mission, based on the level of spiritual development of the prophet Jeremiah, as well as his qualities and abilities. In other words, he managed to manifest himself even before birth, which means that this was not his first incarnation on Earth or in some other world. Jeremiah, on the other hand, had no memory of what caused the Lord to choose to carry out the mission.
Some points of the Old Testament are completely impossible to understand if not correlated with the concept of reincarnation. A good example is the saying King Solomon:
Woe to you, atheists who have renounced the law of the supreme Lord! For when you are born, you will be born to be cursed.
King Solomon addresses the godless, who will be damned, apparently, after their next birth in a new incarnation. They will only be punished after they are born again. It is impossible not to draw an analogy between the words of Solomon and the Eastern doctrine of karma, which also promises punishment for bad deeds in the next life.
“The soul enters the human body, as in a temporary dwelling, from the outside, and again leaves it ... it moves to other abodes, since the soul is immortal.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Sooner or later we think about death, this is what inevitably awaits us at the end of our path, which we call life.
- Where does the life force go after the death of the body?
- What does our so short stay on earth mean?
- Why does our soul return time after time, living a new life from the beginning?
Let's try to find answers to these exciting questions in the scriptures.
Reincarnation in Christianity
As you know, Christianity today does not recognize the idea. Here it is appropriate to ask the question: “Has it always been like this?”. Now there is evidence that it was specifically removed from the scriptures.
Despite this, in the Bible, and especially in the Gospel, you can still find passages confirming that the idea of the reincarnation of the soul was present in the Christian religion.
“Among the Pharisees was someone named Nicodemus, [one] of the leaders of the Jews. He came to Jesus at night and said to Him: Rabbi! we know that you are a teacher who came from God; for such miracles as you do, no one can do unless God is with him.
Jesus answered and said to him: Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Nicodemus says to Him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?
Jesus answered: Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be surprised at what I have said to you: you must be born again…” Excerpt from the Gospel of John, Chapter 3
I want to note that the word “above” in translation from Greek also means: “again”, “again”, “again”. This means that this passage can be translated a little differently, namely: "... you must be born again ...". In the English version of the Gospel, the phrase "born anew" is used, which means "to be born again."
I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord.
From the book of the prophet Malachi
At first glance, there is no hidden meaning in these words. But this prophecy was made in the 5th century BC. e., and this is four hundred years after the life of Elijah. It turns out that Malachi claimed that the prophet Elijah would again set foot on Earth in a new guise?
Also unambiguous words were uttered by Jesus Christ himself: “ And His disciples asked: How then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?
Jesus answered and said to them: True, Elijah must come first and arrange everything, but I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but did to him as they wished; so the Son of Man will suffer from them. Then the disciples understood that He was speaking to them about John the Baptist.”
Manichaeism
Manichaeism is a religion that included elements of Christianity, Buddhism, and Zoroastrianism. Its ancestor was a certain Mani, a Persian by origin. He perfectly knew Eastern mysticism, Judaism and created a coherent worldview system.
A feature of Manichaeism is that this religion contains the postulate of reincarnation, even more so, the idea of \u200b\u200bis the basis of this religion.
By the way, it was precisely because of this that orthodox Christians considered the Manichaeism of “pure water” a heresy, while the Manicheans themselves claimed that they were the true Christians, and church Christians were only half-Christians.
The Manicheans believed that the apostles in difficult times always reincarnated into other bodies in order to come to Earth and guide humanity on the true path. I want to note that Blessed Augustine himself professed this religion for 9 years.
Manichaeism disappeared at the end of the 12th century, leaving its mark forever in the religions of Christianity and Islam.
The idea of reincarnation in Buddhism and related religions
The religion of Buddhism came out of Hinduism, so it is not at all strange that these religions are very similar to each other. Although the teachings of the Buddha will later begin to be perceived in India as apostate.
The basis of early Buddhism, like Manichaeism, was the idea of the reincarnation of souls. It was believed that how a person lives his life depends on who he will be in his next incarnation.
In other words, the early Buddhists were sure that a person was given to live far more than one life, but each subsequent incarnation depended on the previous one.
So it was during the life of the Buddha, after his death the most dramatic period of this religion began. The thing is that soon after the departure of the Enlightened One, his like-minded people created 18 schools, in each of which all the teachings of the Buddha were explained in their own way. Therefore, there are many conflicting opinions.
One of the most influential was the Theravada school, which spread its teachings to many parts of South Asia.
Adherents of this religion believed that the human soul dies with the body, that is, they completely denied the possibility of reincarnation.
The main and, to some extent, irreconcilable opponents of Theravadiks are Tibetan lamas and all those who profess Mahayana Buddhism.
The Buddha taught that the soul is an eternal substance, and it cannot disappear without a trace. His opponents, Hindu monks, on the contrary, said that there is no eternal “I”, they were convinced that everything comes and returns to non-existence.
Gautama also taught that in everyone there is a particle of divine light - atman, which incarnates on Earth over and over again to help a person achieve enlightenment.
Reincarnation in Northern Buddhism
The idea of the reincarnation of the soul had its place in northern Buddhism, based on the traditions of the Mahayana ("great vehicle of incarnation"). Tibetan Buddhism and Lamaism can also be attributed to the same religion.
It was in the Mahayana doctrine that the concept of "bodhisattva" became widespread. Bodhisattvas are people who have achieved enlightenment, but consciously chose an endless rebirth in order to help suffering humanity. In Tibet, such a bodhisattva is the Dalai Lama, who constantly returned in the guise of another person, that is, his soul was constantly reincarnated.
The Tibetan doctrine is very contradictory, on the one hand, they recognize that a person lives far from one life, but at the same time they are skeptical about the idea of reincarnation. For Tibetan Buddhism, it is extremely important that determines everything that happens.
Reincarnation in China
The Chinese, in principle, do not recognize the idea of reincarnation, or rather, it contradicts their worldview, 
since they all believe that the soul after death will have a very long journey in the afterlife, for which one must prepare while still living life on Earth.
That is why all the things that he used during his lifetime were put in the grave with the deceased. For example, the tombs of the kings contained everything that the rulers were accustomed to during their lifetime: rich utensils, clothes, food, wives and servants.
Such a serious preparation is proof that all the Chinese believe that after death they will live happily ever after in the afterlife, and incarnation in a new guise on Earth is not at all included in their plans.
The Chinese especially revered the cult of ancestors, they believed that all deceased relatives became their guards on Earth, so they need to constantly bring gifts, communicate with them and be sure to ask for advice. It is also proof that the Chinese did not believe in the possibility of reincarnation.
Reincarnation and the Dalai Lama
In countries where Lamaism is the official religion, it is recognized at the state level that a person after death can be born in a new guise.
The Dalai Lama is a prime example of this, as he is the embodiment of the Bodhisattva of Mercy, Chenrezig, who has been reincarnating on Earth over the past 500 years. Adherents of Lamaism believe that the soul of the Dalai Lama independently chooses a new body for itself. The task of the monks is to find the boy, in whom the deceased lama decides to incarnate this time.
The future Dalai Lama was born in 1935 in the northeast of Tibet in the province of Amdo, in the small village of Taktser, into a poor family of pastoralists, two years after the death of the then high priest.
The Dalai Lady answers the question of reincarnation,
given by Maris Dreshmanis, head of the Institute of Reincarnation.
Is there life after death is the main question that all known religions are trying to answer. Whether the soul lives once or rises from the dust like a Phoenix. How do Muslims, Christians and representatives of other faiths relate to the theory of reincarnation.
In this article
Islam
We used to think that in Islam there is no concept of transmigration of souls. Theologians are divided into two camps. Some say that there is not a word in the Qur'an about being born in a new form. Others - that some of the lines are a direct reference to reincarnation.
Abrahamic religions are monotheistic beliefs that assume the existence of a One God. These include Christianity, Islam and Judaism.
According to the doctrine, the incorporeal shell falls to the Court of Angels, who decide its future fate. The Messengers of Allah send the infidels to Jahannam (analogous to Hell). As in Christian mythology, sinners are tormented in this inhospitable place.
According to legend, the angels themselves come for devout Muslims and escort the worthy to paradise, where they enjoy the blessings of heaven.
Staying in Heaven or Hell is temporary. As in the Christian concept, they are waiting for the final decision on the fate of the Last Judgment.
In the work of the Persian philosopher, mathematician and poet Omar Khayyam, there are reflections on posthumous travels. Khayyam is religious: he believes in the existence of the Creator and devotes many lines to His wisdom, insight and mercy.
Omar Khayyam quote
In poetry, the thinker touches on the eternal question: what is there, beyond the invisible line.
We will never be in this world again
We will never meet friends at the table.
The poet is sure: life is given only once, appreciate every moment.
The video presents the real facts of memories of past lives:
Christianity
Rejects the concept of rebirth. Faith does not imply subsequent incarnations: there is only one attempt. The cult denies correcting mistakes: some will go to Gehenna fiery, others - to Paradise.
According to legend, both subtle and physical bodies will rise from non-existence.
On the principles of resurrection in the flesh, the Christian rite of burial in the ground and the denial of cremation are based. The physical shell is preserved intact. This belief has given rise to dangerous superstitions. Religious fanatics still forbid amputation of limbs and blood transfusions. Even for medical reasons.
Helena Blavatsky speaks about the fact that initially in the Bible it was still about reincarnation. The mention of it disappeared in the first century after the birth of Christ. Later revisions and additions changed the Scriptures.
As for the personality of the Savior, in 325, at the First Council of Nicaea, Jesus was elevated to the rank of God. After that, the image became generally accepted for worship. The figure of Christ is real, but for the Jews, Jesus is just the Messiah, the Prophet.
Manichaeism
The doctrine arose in the III century. The ancestor is the Persian poet Mani. He called himself the last Apostle of Light and tried to create a single doctrine by collecting the beliefs that existed in his era.
Prophet Mani
The philosopher was convinced that all religions are one, for they were sent down to Earth by the same divine spirit. People, for the sake of their ambitions or desire for power, distorted the original idea of God.
From the point of view of its contribution to world philosophical currents, Manichaeism can be called a breakthrough in the public consciousness. It is the first universal religion to attempt to reconcile the followers of Zoroastrianism, Christianity and Buddhism. The Manicheans adhered to the dualistic concept of the Universe: there is a struggle between dark and light forces in the world.
The followers of Mani did not exclude the possibility of posthumous incarnations. One can speak of Manichaeism as a synthesis of theological ideas of mankind. But the orthodox and to this day consider it heresy.
Buddhism
The religious concept of Buddhism is rooted in Hinduism. These currents are similar in outlook. - dominant. There is no death, there is an infinite number of lives to work out the karmic destiny.
Reincarnation in Buddhism
Break the chain of rebirths - reach the highest point of existence. Going beyond the physical shell forever is what you need to strive for.
The video is dedicated to the role of Buddhism in the modern world:
According to Buddhists, each subsequent incarnation depends on the previous one. The more mistakes we make, the more often we will come back to correct. Enlightened, his followers created 18 separate schools that interpreted the teachings in different ways.
The Buddha said that the spirit is a substance over which decay and decay have no power. Hindus, on the contrary, assured that everything has a beginning and a logical conclusion. Northern Buddhism goes back to the Mahayana traditions. This doctrine introduced the concept of the Bodhisattva. It denotes those who have attained enlightenment, but did not leave for the Cosmos, but remained to seek the Truth. In the Tibetan tradition, this is the Dalai Lama. He returns to Earth in human form.
There are legends about the mountain. The world will change for the one who submits to Kailash, because according to legend, he is not available to anyone.
Judaism
Religion does not deny the possibility of the repeated return of the spirit to earth. There is no direct indication of this fact in the Old Testament, but it is implied in some passages of the Book.
Jewish theology holds that matters relating to rebirth are beyond the mind of the uninitiated. There are three possible resettlement options in the concept.
- The introduction of a new soul into a baby while still in the womb.
- The entry of the spirit into an adult so that he fulfills a certain mission.
- Podselenie in the mind of an evil being, which pushes to bad deeds.
In the third case, as in the Christian tradition, the person is recognized as possessed. Possession is caused by penetration into the aura of lower astral entities that enslave the will and mind. Similar cases are described not only in Jewish and Christian demonology, but also in Islam. Evil spirits - jinn - take possession of the bodies of the naive by deceit.
Flower of Life Sephiroth. In Jewish mysticism - ten creative forces, ten emanations
The idea of reincarnation is fully supported by the Kabbalistic teaching. Followers of the mystical direction remember with the help of spiritual practices.
Hypnotic meditation for:
Chinese philosophy
The inhabitants of the Celestial Empire reject the posthumous return to the body. The Chinese believe that after the end of the earthly journey, the spirit continues to exist, but in a different form. He has to, and he needs to prepare during his lifetime.
This explains the magnificent burials of royal persons and nobles: things needed “in the next world” were placed in the tomb. The richer a person was in this world, the more he took with him to the grave.
Ancestor worship in China
The Chinese have developed a cult of ancestors: they believe that the grandparents become the guards of the living family members. The great sage Confucius, who became the founder of the philosophical movement, believed that we are not given to comprehend the mysteries of birth and death.
If we know so little about life, what can we know about death?
Dalai Lama
In countries where Lamaism is the official religion, the fact is recognized at the state level that
