Difficulty regarding Reincarnation

[Guest guest]

I am a staunch believer in immortality of the soul and reincarnation or transmigration. But one of my scientist friends asked me whether I had any scientific proof for reincarnation. He felt that, reincarnation is nothing but a concept introduced by the sages to offer temporary relief to the disturbed and agitated minds of people facing difficulties in life. I am at my wits end. How do I convince him?

 

 

[Kulapavana 0]

If he is sincere in his desire to understand, you may be able to convince him, otherwise he will close his eyes to the best arguments. The evidence of past lives/reincarnation is there, but it is indirect. Actually, such evidence (just like the evidence for the existence of God) has to be indirect, to allow living entities a freedom of choice. Here are some interesting links:

 

http://www.healthsystem.virginia.edu/internet/personalitystudies/

or

http://www.childpastlives.org/stevenson.htm

[Guest guest]

Such nice info on past lives evidence.

[suchakjani 0]

Dear Prabhu

 

This is the most detailed thesis i have seen till date :

http://www.veda.harekrsna.cz/encyclopedia/dharma.htm#a

A detailed thesis containing :-

A. Science of reincarnation in Vedic scriptures

1. Introduction

2. Attitude of Western science to reincarnation

3. Eight elements and two bodies

4. Soul (jiva) - source of consciousness

5. Three qualities (gunas)

6. Internal reincarnation - change of bodies in present life

7. External reincarnation - change of body at the time of death

8. Definition of "reincarnation"

-------------------------

http://www.krishna.com/newsite/printarticles/Reincarnation.html

Also detailed.

-------------------------

http://www.mantra-meditation.com/reincarnation.html

An Explanation by Srila Prabhupada

 

Hare Krishna

Jai Prabhupada

[Guest guest]

kulapavana ji,

 

pranam and dhanyawad for your post.

 

yes, the Aryan Revival Movement is about culture, not race.

 

jai sri krishna! -madhav

 

 

[Guest guest]

suchakajani ji,

 

thanks for the post.

pranam!

 

jai sri krishna! -madhav

 

 

[theist 1]

 

I am a staunch believer in immortality of the soul and reincarnation or transmigration. But one of my scientist friends asked me whether I had any scientific proof for reincarnation. He felt that, reincarnation is nothing but a concept introduced by the sages to offer temporary relief to the disturbed and agitated minds of people facing difficulties in life. I am at my wits end. How do I convince him?

 

 

First your scientific friend should prove to you that you are the body. Which he won't be able to do. Until this point(the body is not the self) is understood no one can really understand reincarnation.

 

Once it is philosophically grasped that the self's existence is not dependent on the body then the idea of the self's existence prior to the body's formation can be entertained. Then the idea of reincarnation becomes not only a possibility but a strong probability. The self had to be somewhere. If not in another body then where?

 

First things first, the body is not the self.