what's the truth about reincarnation?

Question

they say we are reincarnated from someone or something in the past life. is this really true?

Answer 1

Buddhism teaches that when a person dies they are reborn and that this process of death and rebirth will continue until Nirvana is attained.

Most religions believe that the core of the person, the real person, is the soul, a non-material and eternal entity that survives in the afterlife. Buddhism on the other hand says that the person is made up of thoughts, feelings and perceptions interacting with the body in a dynamic and constantly changing way. At death this stream of mental energy is re-established in a new body. Thus Buddhism is able to explain the continuity of the individual without recourse to the belief in an "eternal soul", an idea which contradicts the universal truth of impermanence.

http://www.buddhanet.net/

Answer 2

Here's the BEST way of looking at reincarnation that I've ever seen (a little long, but WORTH it!):

"At first, we might think of reincarnation as a soul entering a body. The body is seen as impermanent and the soul as permanent, and when we get rid of one body, we re-enter another…In popular Buddhism, reincarnation is accepted literally, without much examination, but as we continue to study and practice, the idea of an immortal soul gives way to another idea that is closer to reality. If we study the teachings of the Buddha and if we observe our own minds, we will find that there is nothing permanent within the constituents of what we call our ‘self’. The Buddha taught that a so-called ‘person’ is really just five elements (skandhas) that come together for a limited period of time: our body, feelings, perceptions, mental states, and consciousness. These five elements are, in fact, changing all the time. Not a single element remains the same for two consecutive moments.

“Not only is our body impermanent, but our so-called soul is also impermanent. It, too, is comprised only of elements like feelings, perceptions, mental states, and consciousness. When the idea of an immortal soul is replaced, our understanding of reincarnation gets closer to the truth. The idea of reincarnation is somehow still there, but our understanding is different…

“[I]f we observe the things around us, we find that nothing comes from nothing. Before its so-called birth, this flower already existed in other forms – clouds, sunshine, seeds, soil, and many other elements. Rather than birth and rebirth, it is more accurate to say ‘manifestation’ (vijñapti) and ‘remanifestation’. The so-called birthday of the flower is really a day of its remanifestation. It has already been here in other forms, and now it has made an effort to remanifest. Manifestation means its constituents have always been here in some form, and now, since conditions are sufficient, it is capable of manifesting itself as a flower. When things have manifested, we commonly say that they are born, but in fact, they are not. When conditions are no longer sufficient and the flower ceases to manifest, we say the flower has died, but that is not correct either. Its constituents have merely transformed themselves into other elements, like compost and soil. We have to transcend notions like birth, death, being and non-being. Reality is free from all notions.” – Thich Nhat Hanh, Living Buddha, Living Christ

Peace and (((hugGs)))

Answer 3

Reincarnation is not real. Personally I think people want to believe in it, because they are so depressed about the life they are currently living. And what if it was real? I could care less what I was or was not. I wouldn't have a recollection either way. I think it's sad, because reincarnation just proves that the human soul is always trying to search out something to believe in! When God is already there, and they miss him bigger than life!

Answer 4

Well, of course reincarnation is true -- you have always known that, haven't you? You might be fooled by the flood of hysterical and paranoid hype against the reality of reincarnation at the surface level, but deep down you know it's true. Everyone does.

If you're interested in the subject you might want to check out a few sites:

http://www.near-death.com/experiences/origen03.html
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/the_sensible_reincarnationist/

Answer 5

Absolutely NOT. Prior to man's sin, God told Adam that in the day he sinned he would surely die. Now to God a day is as a thousand years and vice versa. So when Adam sinned, sin entered and absolutely NO one has lived over a thousand years. Methusaleh lived the longest, and he didn't make it either. Due to sin and it's essential downward spiral and degradation, most people don't live past a hundred... and none over 200 years. So it's been appointed unto man ONCE to die, and then the judgment comes. Those who are in the Lamb's Book of Life will be with Jesus for eternity in peace and joy... while those who are not must go to hell.

So reincarnation is the product of Eastern mysticism and is not founded on truth at all. We get one life to live, and then we either live forever with God or otherwise... and there's no purgatory. I hope this helps.

Answer 6

No one really knows. It's only a theory like those two who think that life is like a light bulb that just burns out one day and then you throw into the trash can. There's no proof of reincarnation just like there's no proof of a supreme god watching over people like some utlimate parent people would like to have. There's much documentation of people remembering past lives and great past wisdom of the ages. There's no documentation only stories of visions of this or that 'holy person'. If you really think your spirit dies with your body, then go to church and pray to some cross depicting ultimate pain and suffering. If you believe in a better life, then always remember what ever you do, good and bad, affects your future in this life and the next.

Answer 7

Whether or not you believe in reincarnation or not is your own truth, it is your choice. What is this life you have and what are you going to do with it, is more the question of time.

Answer 8

that is roughly the definition of reincarnation, however it is impossible to prove like all the myths of what happens after we die

Answer 9

Ain't gonna happen. The devil is good at deceiving people with this garbage so that they won't come to Christ for salvation.
John 3:16

Answer 10

No,,,the bible says, "IT is given to man, once to die, and after that the Judgment"......reincarnation is not compatible with the bible teachings.