How Reincarnation Actually Works

Since the beginning of humankind, many people have asked the existential question of what happens after death. One answer to the question that has been accepted in religions throughout the world is reincarnation. Known by other names, including metempsychosis or transmigration, this concept suggests that the soul is reborn after death.

According to certain religions and philosophies, not only can humans experience reincarnation, but so can plants and animals. Specifically, these belief systems hold that the soul experiences repeated reincarnations to reach ultimate purity and liberation.

Reincarnation in Eastern and Monotheistic Religions

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Eastern religions such as Buddhism and Hinduism are the most prominent in embracing the concept of reincarnation. Indeed, they see the rebirth cycle as a necessary part of humanity’s journey towards spiritual salvation and enlightenment. In addition to Eastern religions, ancient Greek philosophy hints at reincarnation as being a fundamental aspect of existence. Despite its prominence in these traditions, the concept isn't entirely embraced elsewhere as it may seem puzzling to adherents of other religious and philosophical beliefs.

Typically, monotheistic religions such as Christianity, Islam, and Judaism tend to conceive time linearly, meaning that life itself is a singular, finite experience. Specifically, these religions hold that when humans die, their souls will exist in an eternal afterlife and not be reborn on Earth. Perhaps due to the global spread of monotheistic beliefs, in many places reincarnation is seen as an esoteric concept as it involves experiencing multiple lives and a cyclical understanding of time.

Hinduism’s Belief in Reincarnation

The world’s oldest surviving religion, Hinduism, features a multitude of beliefs, practices, and traditions. Mainly, it follows numerous deities, each embodying various divine attributes and reflecting the religion’s diversity. Still, even with its variety, Hinduism supports a single concept of samsara, encompassing reincarnation. Governed by the law of karma, this cycle is an important part of an individual’s journey through samsara. Accordingly, Hindu beliefs suggest that every individual generates karma that influences their future lives through their every action.

While other religions believe karma is given by a deity, Hinduism accepts karma as a natural consequence of one’s actions. Precisely, the law of karma is determined by this individual’s morality, with good or bad deeds leading to positive or negative results, respectively. Due to this moral balancing, an individual can experience favorable or terrible outcomes in future reincarnations. By accepting this belief, an individual develops a sense of personal responsibility, while gaining an understanding of past actions influencing their life circumstances.

Buddhism’s Belief in Reincarnation

Following Hinduism, Buddhism embraced the Hindu belief of reincarnation when the religion was established around 2,500 years ago. Even after dividing into regional variations, the concept of samsara and reincarnation remained widely accepted among Buddhists. Particularly, Buddhists believe that karma regenerates between bodies as a “germ of consciousness” in the world, which causes reincarnation. In Buddhism, a period of an afterlife known as “the between” occurs after an individual dies and just before their rebirth.

These intervals within reincarnation are believed to highlight one’s possible unenlightened existence, which Buddhists perceive to be a state of suffering. Ultimately, they believe that liberation from reincarnation can only be achieved through an individual obtaining total freedom of their every desire. Specifically, the Buddha Siddhartha Gautama taught that one achieves liberation by following the Eightfold Path or the Middle Way, where one learns the correct views, actions, intentions, livelihoods, and mindfulness.

Final Thoughts

Ultimately, various religions would adopt the cyclical concept of continuous birth, death, and rebirth. Due to historical observations, the founders of these religions believed that human existence worked similarly, following cycles that mirrored the national world. Originating from ancient traditions, the idea of reincarnation continued to gain a following. Starting from past philosophers observing the natural cycle of day-to-night transitions and season changes, the belief in reincarnation has gained worldwide popularity.

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Article originally written by David G.