The idea of reincarnation does not prevail in the West. However, Eastern spiritual traditions such as Buddhism and Hinduism teach reincarnation as an integral part of life. To understand reincarnation is to give additional meaning to the mystery of life and death.
From a spiritual perspective, the essence of life is making spiritual progress and realizing the true nature of your inner self. When we are aware of our real nature, we free ourselves from the cycle of birth and rebirth. This was the teaching of the Buddha and the first Vedic seers. However, to achieve spiritual liberation; reaching the highest consciousness is not an easy task. It involves transforming a nature from a selfish perspective to one in which we lose the identity of our own self and identify with the infinite. Taking this leap may require countless many incarnations. If our aspiration is sincere and we have the guidance of a true spiritual Master, we may achieve liberation in this current incarnation. But for many seekers, there is a lot of progress we can make in a lifetime. Death and reincarnation provide us with the opportunity to continue our progress with renewed energy and enthusiasm. In the current stage of human evolution, death is necessary because at the end of the 70 – 80 years the body and the mind are tired and we need to rest.
“Right now, death helps us in a way; it allows us to rest a little. Then when we return, we return with a new hope, a new light, a new aspiration.” (1)
The concept of reincarnation is related to the idea of karma. Karma is a universal law of cause and effect. The law of karma means that if we create suffering at some point, we will experience the effects of these actions. This could be in this life or in some future incarnation. In the same way, if we serve others and create happiness, the positive effect of these actions we will also receive in the future. The law of Karma is clearly summed up in the words of Jesus Christ: “What you sow, you will reap.” However, it is worth remembering that the law of Karma is complex. If you suffer, it is not necessarily because of your bad karma; it could just be ignorance of the world. When Jesus Christ was crucified it was not because of his bad Karma but because of ignorance of the world. It is also possible that by invoking the Grace of the Supreme the adverse consequences of some karma can be mitigated. However, reincarnation means that there is no hiding place for our actions. It is a powerful reminder to live by the golden rule of spirituality.
“Do to others what you would like them to do to you.” (2)
We reincarnate to acquire different experiences. These experiences are assimilated by the soul and used on its spiritual path. In one moment we can be born rich and powerful, in another moment we can be born poor. Due to reincarnation, we are reminded that we share a unity with other people and other countries. We can think that our country and our culture are far superior. But chances are high that we can incarnate in those countries that we despise. George Bernard Shaw rightly pointed out that “patriotism is your conviction that this country is superior to all other countries because you were born in it …” Reincarnation helps us feel that we must take all countries as part of ourselves.
(1) Excerpt from: Death and reincarnation of Sri Chinmoy
(2) Matthew 7:12