Wheel of Samsara: what does it mean? Transmigration of souls, reincarnation. Review of a thousand-year history. (Back to previous publications) The concept of soul reincarnation in Hindu philosophy

Recorded and studied cases of past life memories clearly indicate the existence of life of the soul after the death of the body. In all recorded cases of reincarnation, it has been found that there is a variable time interval between the death of a person and his next incarnation on Earth. Where do we go after death until our reincarnation on Earth? Is this place the only plane of existence or are there many planes of existence? If so, what are the criteria for “getting” into one plan or another? In this article we will try to answer these and other questions from a Hindu perspective.

Note. To better understand the information, it is recommended to read articles on the three qualities of nature: Sattva, Rajas and Tamas.

What happens after death?

When a person dies, the physical body ceases to exist. However, the life of the soul does not stop there. The existence of a person excluding the physical body is known as the subtle body (linga-deha) and it consists of the mental, causal (intellect) and supracausal (subtle ego) body. This subtle body then moves to one of the 13 subtle planes of existence, outside the plane of the Earth.

14 planes of existence in the Universe

There are 14 main planes of existence in the Universe. Seven of them are positive planes of existence, and seven are negative planes of existence. The seven negative planes of existence are popularly known as Hell (Patal). Within these major planes of existence there are many sub-planes.

According to the words of Saint Adi Shankaracharya from India (VIII-IX centuries AD), Righteousness (Dharma) is that which fulfills three tasks: the preservation of social order, the worldly progress of every living being, and the evolutionary progress of man in the spiritual sphere.

Seven Positive Planes of Existence: The planes of existence occupied primarily by living humans and subtle bodies doing righteous deeds and engaging in spiritual practice according to the positive path of spiritual practice are known as the seven positive planes of existence or saplatoks. By positive path we mean that the orientation of spiritual practice is towards the realization of God in man, which is the ultimate in spiritual growth.

The Seven Negative Planes of Existence: These are the planes of existence primarily occupied by subtle bodies who have committed unrighteous acts and who engage in spiritual practice along the negative path. By the negative path we mean that the orientation of spiritual practice is aimed at developing supernatural powers. This spiritual power is mainly used to increase control over others or for negative purposes. Thus, all subtle bodies that go to any of the planes of existence of Hell become ghosts due to their evil intentions.

Subplanes of existence of Hell (Narak): Each plane of existence of Hell has a subplane known as Narak. For example, the first plane of existence of Hell is known as the first Narak, which is reserved for the worst ghosts (demons, devils, negative energies, etc.) In hell, those who occupy the first Narak are punished more severely and for a longer period than those who occupy the first plane of existence of Hell.

The earth is a physically tangible plane; while the other planes are more and more subtle and therefore invisible to the gross eye. In fact, different people, although living on the plane of the Earth, experience thoughts and emotions corresponding to different planes of existence according to their spiritual level of development or thoughts. For example, spiritually developed people lead an existence that corresponds to the positive planes of existence of Heaven and beyond. In contrast, a person planning a theft experiences thoughts consistent with the 1st plane of Hell, planning some action aimed at harming others in the 2nd plane of Hell, and so on, and a person planning a murder experiences thoughts corresponding to the 7th plane of Hell. However, they cannot simultaneously experience 2 planes of existence, i.e. a person cannot experience thoughts corresponding to two different planes, for example. Heaven and Maharlok.

The Void Region (Bhuvarloka) to be precise is an equidistant region. However, we consider it as a positive plan, since subtle bodies from this region still have a chance to be born on Earth for spiritual development. When subtle bodies return to any of the regions of Hell, then there is a very remote possibility of their birth on Earth and advancement to God.

Heaven and other planes of existence in the Universe

Each positive and negative plane of existence outside the earthly (physical) plane of existence becomes more and more subtle. By subtle we mean that which goes beyond the understanding of the five senses, reason and intelligence. Satyalok is the subtlest positive plane and is therefore the most difficult to perceive or understand once the level of the highest sixth sense (ESP) has been reached.

Due to the lack of spiritual practice and a higher proportion of shortcomings (sins), most people in the current era pass into the world of the Void or one of the planes of existence of Hell. Typically, we enter the Wasteland world after death when the percentage of disadvantages (incurred due to wrong actions on Earth) is approximately 30%. Demorites usually involve anger towards others and many desires. There is a high probability of attack in the Nether World by higher level ghosts from the lower plane of existence of Hell.

The Earth is the only plane of existence where the merging of people with different spiritual levels occurs. However, after death we go to the exact level of existence corresponding to our spiritual level.

Basically, from the point of view of spiritual science, "praiseworthy actions" to achieve Heaven or higher positive planes of existence are those actions that are done without expectations with the goal of realizing God. The following three criteria can be applied:

• Actions with the worldview that God Himself does this through me, and therefore I cannot claim any benefit
• Acts without conscious expectation of recognition or gratitude
• Action without expectation of results (action for the sake of action)

It is important to note that subtle bodies are often pulled away by negative energies and therefore remain in the world of Emptiness (Bhuvar-loka). To reach a higher plane of existence, which is beyond Heaven, one must be on a high spiritual level. This can only be achieved through consistent spiritual practice in accordance with the six basic laws of spiritual practice along with serious pacification of the ego.

By the dominant body we mean the most active body, that is, the mental, intellectual or subtle ego. For example, in the plane of the Void of Existence (Bhuvarlok), the subtle bodies still have many desires and attachments. As a result, quite often they become ghosts trying to fulfill their wish through their descendants or people on Earth. This leaves them open to higher levels of negative energies from the lower regions of Hell; who used their pull to influence people on Earth. In the World of Emptiness, subtle bodies experience only unhappiness because desires cannot be fulfilled.

In the plane of existence known as Heaven, subtle bodies experience an overabundance of happiness. This happiness far exceeds the happiness experienced on Earth in quantity, quality and duration. As we ascend to the positive planes of existence, there is an increase in the quality of happiness and unhappiness.

Positive planes of existence and reincarnation on Earth

From the subtle planes of existence below Mahar-lok, people must reincarnate on the earthly plane of existence to settle their destiny and complete their calculations. If after his death a person reaches higher regions such as Mahar-loka due to a higher spiritual level, his soul may end its earthly journey and stop reincarnating. However, these evolving subtle bodies may choose to be born of their own free will. They do this due to their expansive nature primarily to act as spiritual guides for humanity and help society evolve in a positive way.

Through spiritual research we have discovered that there are 5 factors that influence this potential for further spiritual growth.

1. Having a large amount of spiritual emotions (bhavas)
2. Having a low ego
3. Having an intense desire for spiritual growth,
4. By performing regular spiritual practice at an increasingly higher level,
5. Affected or not affected by negative energies. When affected or possessed by negative energies, they can seriously hinder the ability to grow spiritually. In the afterlife, such affected subtle bodies may be blocked from entering the higher regions of the Universe by negative energies.

The meaning of the plane of existence on Earth

The plane of existence of the Earth is very important. This is the only plane of existence where we can quickly increase our spiritual growth and settle our date and record report in no time. The main reason for this is that through the physical body we can do a lot to increase spiritual growth and spiritual level and reduce the underlying subtle component of Tama.

Apart from Earth, spiritual growth most often only occurs in regions outside of Heaven, such as Maharloka. This is because in Heaven, subtle bodies risk falling into the endless pleasures it offers. In the planes of existence of Void and Hell, the punishment is so severe, as well as the distress of other top-level ghosts, that it becomes very difficult to rise above suffering to undertake any spiritual practice of value. As one goes to the lower planes of existence of Hell, as the subtle base component of Sattva gradually reduces the environment, it becomes less favorable for the experience of happiness.

Within the planes of existence of Hell, there are some ghosts who perform certain types of spiritual practices in order to gain spiritual power. The highest in the hierarchy of ghosts are sorcerers from the seventh plane of existence of Hell. They have enormous spiritual power and control all other types of ghosts with lesser spiritual power.

When a person penetrates deeper into the various planes of existence of Hell, that is, from the 1st to the 7th, the degree of happiness experienced by the subtle bodies in him decreases, and the degree of unhappiness continues to increase. The minimal experience of happiness is also one of being preoccupied with memories of past positive events, pleasant memories of wealth in a past life, etc. The experience of unhappiness is associated with memories of physical pain and offensive events, memories of unfulfilled desires, e.g. education, home, career, expectations of happiness from children in a past life.

The degree of punishment and pain that must be endured in the different planes of existence of Hell and the associated Narakas increases with the subsequent plane of existence of Hell. Moreover, the period of punishment that must be endured in each Naraka is superior in comparison to the corresponding plane of existence of Hell. If we consider the punishment in the first plane of existence of Hell as 100%, then the punishment in the corresponding first Naraka will be 50% greater, that is, 150%.

Each one is assigned that plane of existence which corresponds to his basic nature in terms of Sattva, Raja and Tama. This is also a function of the spiritual level. Consequently, subtle bodies from the lower positive planes of existence cannot move to the higher positive planes of existence, and those from the first or second negative planes of existence cannot move to the deeper planes of existence of Hell. It's similar to how people on airplanes have difficulty breathing at high altitudes, but people at higher altitudes cope just fine.

Factors that determine the path of the soul after the death of the body

At the time of death, when the physical body becomes inactive, the life energy used for the functioning of the physical body is released. This vital energy at the time of death pushes the subtle body away from the Earth region. The “weight” of the subtle body primarily depends on the amount of the subtle basic component of Tama in our being.

3 Subtle Basic Components: Each of us is made up of three subtle basic components or guas. These components are spiritual in nature and cannot be seen, but they define our personalities. They are:

• Sattva: Purity and knowledge
• Raja: action and passion
• Tama: Ignorance and inertia. In the average person in the current era, the main subtle component of Tama reaches 50%.

The more we become imbued with the components of Raja and Tama, the more we exhibit the following characteristics, which add to our "weight" and influence of the plane of existence we enter in our afterlife:

1. More attachment to worldly things and selfishness
2. More unfulfilled wishes
3. Feeling of revenge
4. Higher number of deficiencies or incorrect actions
5. Higher incidence of personality defects such as anger, greed, fear, etc.
6. Selfishness: By ego we mean how much a person identifies with his body, mind and intellect, as opposed to the soul within

The constant reduction of the proportion of the subtle basic component of Tama and its associated characteristics mentioned above occurs only with sustained spiritual practice in accordance with the six basic laws of spiritual practice. Psychological improvements through self-help books or attempts to be good are superficial and temporary at best.

The importance of mental state at the time of death

The mental state at the time of death, in addition to what was mentioned above, is very important. Our mental state usually refers to a portion of the subtle basic components of our being.

If a person performs spiritual practice even at the time of death, then the influence of desires, attachments, ghosts, etc. will be minimal. This makes his thin body lighter. Therefore, if he goes away in this state, he reaches a better plane of existence among the sub-planes than that which he would have reached if he had yielded to fear.

At the time of death, if a person chants the "Name of God" and is also in a state of submission to the will of God, then he reaches an even better plane of existence in his life after death and his stay occurs with lightning speed.

Factors that determine stay on negative planes

Listed below are the types of deeds in our lives on Earth that usually land in one of the planes of existence of Hell. The extent, duration, and intent of wrongful actions are important factors in determining the planes of existence of hell achieved after death, not just the action itself.

There are two types of death by time:

1. Final Death: This is the time of death that no one can escape.
2. Possible death: Here a person is approaching death, but can be saved due to his merits.

In cases where a person is experiencing an overwhelming crisis in their life or has severe personality disorders, they may consider taking on their own life of depression. Ghosts (demons, devils, negative energies, etc.) also fuel the depression of a suicidal person and sometimes contribute to pushing the person over the edge towards suicide. However, in most cases, suicide remains a deliberate act that happens when a person experiences a possible death phase as per his destiny.

Life on Earth is a precious thing and is given to us primarily for spiritual growth. When we kill others, we create/destroy a karmic "account" with them. However, by committing suicide, we miss the opportunity for spiritual growth. The severity of the sin may vary depending on the circumstances under which a person commits suicide. The invariably subtle body of the average suicide case will go to Bhuvarloka (astral plane). However, for great sins incurred during their life and the circumstances under which they commit suicide, they may go to the lower regions of Hell.

Why is there a time interval between two reincarnations?

In a study using hypnotic trance to trace a person's past lives, it was discovered that the time lag between two reincarnations on Earth could average between 50 and 400 years. The reasons for this lag are as follows:

The subtle body remains in Heaven or in the space of the Void of existence for variable periods of time to succeed in its merits and demerits (sins).

• Circumstances on the earthly plane of existence must be favorable in order to complete the accounting of life experiences from previous births. This corresponds to the law of Karma. Reincarnation of the subtle body is delayed until the various other souls with whom they will have connections are ready to materialize.
• Sometimes in a past life regression the person does not report being reincarnated in a trance state. The reason for this is that the past incarnation was useless in terms of accumulating life experience (the person did not learn anything), therefore, he does not remember any details.
• In the case of subtle bodies that have been assigned to the deeper planes of existence of Hell, the time lag between two reincarnations can be thousands of years. They remain in their Hell plane of existence until they finish their punishment. In most cases, this means languishing in the plane of existence of Hell in their life after death until the dissolution of the Universe.

Life after death - in summary

The above facts about the different planes of existence give us a fair idea of ​​the possible consequences in our life after death of the way we live. Only with spiritual practice or extreme worthy deeds can one go to the higher planes of existence and thereby avoid misfortune and punishment and enjoy higher levels of happiness. There are also better chances of reincarnation on the earthly plane of existence in circumstances conducive to spiritual practice. This is so that a person moves further in the subtle planes of existence in the Universe. As we go further in the present Era (Kaliyug), there is less chance of people moving to higher planes of existence.

Once we go to the lower dimensions, such as the plane of existence of the Void or other planes of existence of Hell, we remain there and experience severe misfortune for centuries until we fully pay for our shortcomings (sins) by suffering intense punishments and get a chance reincarnate on Earth.

Carrying out consistent spiritual practice on the earthly plane of existence in accordance with the 6 basic laws of spiritual practice is like swimming against the tide in the current era. However, it is also a guaranteed way to progress to higher planes of existence in our afterlife.

Excerpt from Nicholas Roerich’s book “Seven Great Mysteries of the Cosmos”.

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Transmigration of souls, reincarnation (Latin re, “again” + in, “in” + caro/carnis, “flesh”, “reincarnation”), metempsychosis (Greek “transmigration of souls”) - a religious and philosophical doctrine according to which the immortal the essence of a living being (in some variations - only people) is reincarnated again and again from one body to another. This immortal entity is often called the spirit or soul, the "divine spark", the "higher" or the "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 individual’s “I” remains unchanged, passing from body to body in a series of reincarnations. There are also ideas that the chain of reincarnations has a certain purpose and the soul undergoes evolution in it.

The belief in transmigration of souls is an ancient phenomenon. According to S. A. Tokarev, the earliest form of ideas is associated with totemism. Some peoples (Eskimos, North American Indians) believed that the soul of a grandfather or another representative of the same clan group enters a child. The doctrine of reincarnation is a central tenet of most Indian religions, such as Hinduism (including yoga, Vaishnavism, and Shaivism), Jainism, and Sikhism. The idea of ​​transmigration of souls was also accepted by some ancient Greek philosophers such as Socrates, Pythagoras and Plato. Belief in reincarnation is inherent in some modern pagan traditions, New Age movements, and is also accepted by followers of spiritualism, 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 called "reincarnation", differs significantly from traditions based on Hinduism and from New Age movements in that there is no "I" or eternal soul that reincarnates.

Research shows that the number of people in the West who believe in reincarnation has increased markedly in recent decades.

Belief in reincarnation has two main components:

* The idea that a person has a certain essence (“spirit”, “soul”, etc.), which contains the personality of a given person, his self-awareness, a certain part of what a person identifies with the concept of “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 humans have a soul, or other (perhaps all) species of living beings, is resolved differently in different worldviews.

* The idea that the soul, after the death of the body, immediately or after some time, is embodied in another body (the body of a newborn person or other living creature), thus, the life of the individual continues beyond the life of the physical body (eternally, or within a chain of rebirths completed in a certain way).

Transmigration 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 transmigrates into another body. So, life after life, she takes on different bodies - better or worse - depending on her actions 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 teaching for its logic and justice - it follows from it that pious, highly moral behavior allows an individual to progress from life to life, each time experiencing 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. By progressing in this way from life to life, the soul can become so purified that it finally breaks out of the cycle of samsara and, sinless, achieves moksha (liberation).

The philosophical and religious beliefs of the East regarding the existence of an eternal Self have a direct impact on how transmigration of souls is viewed in various Eastern faiths, among which there are great differences in the philosophical understanding of the nature of the soul (jiva or atman). Some movements reject the existence of the “I”, others talk about 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 concepts such as samsara, moksha, nirvana and bhakti.

Hinduism

Transmigration of souls is one of the basic concepts of Hinduism. Just like in the philosophical systems of other Indian religions, the cycle of birth and death is accepted as a natural phenomenon of nature. In Hinduism, avidya, or the individual's ignorance of his true spiritual nature, leads him to identify with the mortal body and matter, an identification that maintains his desire 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 popular belief, the doctrine of reincarnation is not recorded in the oldest of the Vedas, the Rig Veda. However, some scientists point out that it also contains elements of the theory of 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:
“Whoever created it does not know it.
It is hidden from anyone who sees it
Hidden in the mother's womb,
Born many times, he came to suffering."

The Yajur Veda says:
“O learned and tolerant soul, after wandering through waters and plants, the personality enters the womb of the mother and is born again and again. O soul, you are born in the body of plants, trees, everything that is created and animate, and in water. O soul, shining 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 serenely 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 transmigration of souls is reflected in the Shvetashvatara Upanishad 5.11 and Kaushitaka Upanishad 1.2.
“Just as the body grows at the expense of food and water, so the individual self, 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. The Bhagavad Gita, which, according to most Hindus, reflects the main essence of the philosophy of Hinduism and the main meaning of the Vedas, says:
“Just as a person takes off old clothes and puts on new ones, so the soul enters new material bodies, leaving behind old and useless ones.”

Karma, samsara and moksha
The idea of ​​reincarnation of the soul of any living being - humans, animals and plants - is closely related to the concept of karma, which is also explained in the Upanishads. Karma (literally: “action”) is the totality of an individual’s actions that serves as the cause of his next incarnation. The cycle of birth and death driven by karma is called samsara.

Hinduism states that the soul is in a constant cycle of birth and death. Desiring to enjoy in the material world, she takes birth again and again for the sake of satisfying her material desires, which is possible only through the medium of the material body. Hinduism does not teach that worldly pleasures are sinful, but explains that they cannot bring inner happiness and satisfaction, called in Sanskrit terminology ananda. According to the Hindu thinker Shankara, the world—as we commonly understand it—is like a dream. By its nature it is transitory and illusory. Being in the captivity 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 given to it by this world, and begins to search for higher forms of pleasure, which can only be achieved through spiritual experience. After prolonged spiritual practice (sadhana), the individual eventually realizes his eternal spiritual nature - that is, he realizes the fact that his true Self is the eternal soul, and not the mortal material body. At this stage, he no longer desires material pleasures, since - in comparison with 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 implies 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 remains eternally in a state of peace and bliss, which is the result of the realization that all existence is one and indivisible Brahman, and the immortal soul is a piece of this whole. After attaining moksha, the jiva loses his individual nature and dissolves into the “ocean” of impersonal Brahman, which is described as sat-chit-ananda (being-knowledge-bliss).

On the other hand, followers of philosophical schools of full or partial dvaita (“dualistic” schools to which the bhakti movements belong) carry out their spiritual practice with the goal of achieving one of the lokas (worlds or planes of existence) 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 hypostases (such as Krishna or Vishnu for Vaisnavas, 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 achieving moksha is possible in both ways, and simply give personal preference to one of them. It is said that followers of Dvaita want to “taste the sweetness of sugar,” while followers of Advaita want to “become sugar.”

Reincarnation mechanism

In the Vedic scriptures it is said that the individual living entity resides in two material bodies, the gross and the 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 are constantly controlled by the harsh laws of nature, which in turn operate under the strict supervision of God in his Paramatma aspect.

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, which 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 Paramatma, a living being enters a body corresponding to his mentality. This change is called birth.

At the moment of death, the subtle body transfers the soul to another gross body. This process is similar to how air carries smell. It is often impossible to see where the scent of a rose comes from, but it is obvious that it was carried 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 it by the mother. This could be the body of a person, cat, dog, etc.

This is the process of reincarnation, which provides some explanation for out-of-body experiences, as well as the ability to remember 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 one 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 types of bodies - 8,400,000 forms of life. The soul can acquire any of them to fulfill its desires. Every form of life provides a certain type of pleasure and is given to a living being to satisfy his desires.

According to Vaishnava theology, every living being has a spiritual form - "svarupa" ("own form"), which is its eternal form in the spiritual world of Vaikuntha. This eternal form does not change when the living entity passes from one body to another. For example, a person can use his hands for different types of 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. Likewise, the spiritual form of the soul remains unchanged, although the soul passes from one body to another during the process of reincarnation.

Buddhism
Although in popular Buddhist literature and folklore one can often find stories and discussions 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 reincarnation. However, in Buddhism there is the concept of santan - the extension of consciousness, behind which there is no absolute support (in any case, individual - in the Mahayana sutras (for example, the Avatamsaka Sutra) and tantras, “I” can act as a designation for the supra-individual Absolute, "Buddha nature"), santana is associated with constant change, like frames on a film reel, and is formed by recombinations of dharmas according to the law of dependent origination.

Consciousness wanders through the five (six) worlds of samsara (hellish beings, hungry ghosts, animals, people, asuras, gods), as well as the worlds of the sphere of forms and non-forms, which are divided into many locations. These wanderings occur both throughout life and after death; being in one or another world is determined by one’s mental state. The location is determined by previous deeds (karma). Only human existence, characterized by intelligent choice, allows one to influence the wanderings in samsara. At the moment of death there is a transition to another location depending on previous actions.

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 certain high lamas, who are considered manifestations (tulkus) of Buddhas and bodhisattvas, preserving the line of rebirth. After the death of such a lama, a newly born child is sought, who is a continuation of the line. Candidates are tested using a complex system of tests.

Reincarnation in early Buddhism and the teachings of the Buddha

The idea of ​​repeated births is characteristic of Buddhism: the enlightened state (buddhi) cannot be achieved in one life, it will take many thousands of years. Renowned Buddhist scholar Edward Conze writes:
“Buddhahood is one of the highest perfections that can be achieved, and for Buddhists it is self-evident that in order to achieve it, great effort will be required over many lifetimes. »

One of the foundations of Buddhism is the teaching of the “four noble truths,” which refers to the inherent desire of 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, traced back to early Buddhism, a living being can be born at one of five levels of existence: among the inhabitants of hell, animals, spirits, human beings and celestial beings. Like Hinduism, this choice is determined by desire and karma, and the process of reincarnation continues until the living being either "disintegrates" at death or achieves shunyata, the "great emptiness" - a perfection that only a few achieve.

Numerous stories about the transmigration of souls 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 describe, often in allegorical form, 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 the Jataka stories. It details how the Buddha compassionately accepted the bodies of devas, animals and even trees 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 occupies a central place. The Dalai Lama, the supreme representative of Tibetan Buddhism, states: “According to the Theravada school of philosophy, after a person reaches nirvana, he ceases to be a person, completely disappears; however, according to the highest school of philosophical thought, the personality still remains, and the existence of the “I” continues.” Mahayana Buddhism adopts abhidharma, as did early Buddhism. Depending on the ratio of righteous and sinful deeds committed earlier, a living being after death finds itself in the world of Non-Forms, the World of Forms, or one of six states of being in the World of Passions:

1. The abode of the gods is the highest abode of the gods;
2. Abode of the Demigods
3. Abode of Humanity
4. Animals
5. Spirits and ghosts
6. Naraka are hellish creatures

Selfishly pious souls end up in the abode of the gods, where they enjoy heavenly pleasures until the favorable karma runs out, and this pleasure is also associated with suffering - from the consciousness of the fragility of pleasure and the inability to make decisions.

Vicious souls end up in the world of naraks, where they remain for a time that corresponds to the severity of the sins they have committed. Aggressive individuals driven by jealousy are born as demigods; greed leads to the world of hungry ghosts. If the main defilement of a person was passion, and good deeds balance and overcome negative ones, then he incarnates 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 a state of enlightenment. States of being, be it god, man, beast or someone else, appear as part of the illusion of carnal existence. The only reality is Buddhahood, which transcends the ordinary world of samsara.

The three main vices—stupidity, greed, and lust—characterize the absence of true Buddhahood.

Only after a living being has conquered these three vices does he cease to be a victim of bodily identification and, going beyond the six realms of illusory existence, achieves nirvana. Thus, nirvana is beyond the six post-mortem states of existence. At the same time, it is not recognized, unlike the Theravada doctrine, as something ontologically opposite to samsara; on the contrary, nirvana is the other side of any samsaric existence. Beings who have achieved nirvana transcend the cycle of birth and death of samsara, while 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 doctrine of reincarnation in Buddhism is a promising philosophy of life, affirming the continuous development of a living being, during which it breaks free from the shackles of illusion and, emerging free, immerses itself in the immortal nectar of reality.

Chinese Buddhism
In northern forms of Buddhism, the idea of ​​reincarnation is expressed in a different way. Chinese Buddhism, which some characterize as "down-to-earth", often neglects the concept of reincarnation and similar "abstractions" in favor of such things as the beauty of nature. This influence came primarily from 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 the ancient scripture known as the Prajna Paramita Sutra (written on wooden tablets and said to contain the words of the Buddha himself).

Zen Buddhism
Traditionally, Zen teachers taught ideas about the transmigration of souls, but the main focus of Zen was on meditation techniques rather than on metaphysical issues, including, for example, the concept of reincarnation.
In the history of Zen, there were several prominent teachers who preached reincarnation and the eternal existence of the soul (understood not as the individual imperishable Atman, but as the 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-chow (778-897) wrote: “Before the existence of the world, the nature of Personality already exists. After the destruction of the world, the nature of the Personality remains intact.” Hui-neng (638–713), called the “sixth Chinese patriarch of Zen,” gathered his disciples around him before his death. Anticipating the teacher's imminent death, the students began to cry pitifully.
“Who 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 have left 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 Self undergoes neither birth nor death, it does not go and does not come...”

The ideas of reincarnation in Zen Buddhism were most clearly outlined in the 13th century by the teacher Dogen (1200-1253), the founder of the Soto Zen school. In his essay "Shoji" (the 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 for their importance for Zen practice.

Taoism

Starting from the Han Dynasty, Taoist documents say that Lao Tzu was reincarnated on earth several times, starting from the era of the Three Lords and Five Emperors. In one of the main scriptures of Taoism, Zhuang Tzu (IV century BC .), it is stated:
“Birth is not the beginning, nor is death the end. There is limitless being; there is continuation without beginning. Being outside of space. Continuity without beginning in time."

The basis of the belief in reincarnation in Taoism is the so-called “Lu Lu Lunhui” (六度輪回) or six stages of existence in the reincarnation of living beings. These six stages include both people and animals and insects - each of them respectively reflects more and more severe punishment for living beings who have sinned in previous incarnations, but do not yet deserve the extreme form of damnation on a plane of existence like purgatory. Individuals who have cleansed themselves 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 remission of sins.

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, Neoplatonists and Neopythagareans.

As Cicero notes, Pherecydes of Syros (6th 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 popular 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 said that he could remember his past lives (Ephalis and Euphorbus). In antiquity, the connection between Pythagorean philosophy and reincarnation was generally accepted.

Empedocles described Pythagoras as follows:
“For as soon as he strained all the power of his mind towards knowledge, he without difficulty contemplated all the countless phenomena of the world, having foreseen for ten or twenty human generations. »

Empedocles said about himself:
“Once upon a time 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, having outlined a number of proofs of the immortality of the soul, stated:
“If the immortal is indestructible, the soul cannot perish when death approaches it: after all, from everything that has been said it follows that it will not accept death and will not be dead!”

The phenomenon of transmigration of souls is described in detail in Plato’s dialogues “Phaedo”, “Phaedrus” and “Republic”.

The essence of his theory is that, drawn by sensual desire, a pure soul from heaven (a world of higher reality) falls to earth and puts on a physical body. First, the soul that descends into this world is born in the image of a person, the highest of which is the image of a philosopher striving for higher knowledge. After the philosopher’s knowledge reaches perfection, he can return to his “heavenly homeland.” If he becomes entangled in material desires, he degrades and in his future incarnation is born in the form of an animal. Plato described that in the next life, gluttons and drunkards may become donkeys, unbridled and unjust people may be born wolves and hawks, and those who blindly follow conventions are likely to become bees and ants. After some time, the soul, in the process of spiritual evolution, returns to human form and receives another opportunity to gain freedom.

Among the followers of Plato, Heraclides of Pontus expounded the original doctrine of the reincarnation of souls. The Platonist Albinus (2nd century AD) identifies four reasons why souls descend into bodies. The concept of the transmigration of souls was also adopted in Neoplatonism (for example, in the work of Porphyry “On the Cave of the Nymphs”). Cicero’s dialogue “Tusculan Conversations” (book 1) and the essay “The Dream of Scipio”, included in the dialogue “On the State,” talk in detail about concepts common in antiquity. Platonist Philo of Alexandria, commenting on Gen. 15:15, said that this passage of the Bible “clearly indicates the indestructibility of the soul, which leaves its abode in the mortal body and returns to its native abode, which it originally left to come here.” However, in another place he noted that “ nature has made the soul older than the body... but nature determines seniority rather by dignity than by length of time.”

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, presenting the views of the Brahmans, say that, according to their teaching, the soul lives after the death of the body, but do not mention anything about its return to the body. However, according to Megasthenes, the Brahmans “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 (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 move after their death into other bodies, and 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 became widespread from the mid-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 (Ralbah), Nachmanides (Ramban), Bahya ben Asher, Shelomo Alkabez and Chaim Vital. The rationale for reincarnation arises from considerations of why pious people and sinless children suffer or are innocently killed. This goes against the belief that good people should not suffer. From this it is concluded that such people are the reincarnation of sinners in a previous birth.

Some Kabbalists also accepted the idea that human souls could be reincarnated into animals and other life forms. Similar ideas, starting from the 12th century, are found in a number of Kabbalistic works, as well as among many mystics of the 16th century. Many stories about the gilgul are given in Martin Buber's collection of Hasidic stories, in particular those concerning the Baal Shem Tov.

Another view on reincarnation is that the soul is reborn again provided that it has not completed a certain mission. Followers of this view view gilgul as a rare phenomenon, and do not believe that souls migrate constantly.

The belief in the transmigration of souls is accepted in Orthodox Judaism. Works such as Sha'ar Hagilgulim (Gate of Reincarnation), based on the writings of Rabbi Yitzchak Luria (and compiled by his student Rabbi Chaim Vital), describe the complex laws of reincarnation. One of the concepts that appears in Shaar Hagilgulim 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 that gilgul or in previous ones. These prayers fall into the category of prayers said before going to bed.

Christianity

All major Christian denominations do not accept the possibility of reincarnation and view it as contrary to the basic concepts of their religion. However, some Christian movements indirectly touch on this topic in their teachings about death, and some leave this issue open to individual understanding by believers, relying on a number of ambiguously interpreted passages from the Bible.


It is generally accepted that the doctrine of reincarnation has been rejected by its followers since the birth of Christianity. Traditionally, the presence of ideas of 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 Pythagoreanism 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 gained wide acceptance among theosophists of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and was later adopted by adherents of the New Age movements. Proponents of this hypothesis argue that the doctrine of reincarnation was accepted by early Christians, but was later rejected.

Today there are attempts to reconnect Christianity with reincarnation. Examples include Geddes MacGregor's Reincarnation in Christianity: A New Vision of Rebirth in Christian Thought, Rudolf Steiner's Christianity as a Mystical Fact, and Tomaso Palamidesi's Past Life Recollection and Techniques, which describes several methods of recollection. past lives.

Currently, the theory of transmigration of souls is accepted by a number of fringe Christian groups, which include 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

The Qur'an makes no explicit mention of life after death and reincarnation of the soul. The Qur'an only scratches the surface of major theological and philosophical issues pertaining to the nature of the afterlife. Only later were extensive theological commentaries written that organize 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 Koran devoted to this issue.

Muslims have a rather complex system of ideas about the nature of death, the very moment of dying and what happens after death. According to the Islamic view of life after death, the soul of the deceased is placed behind a "barzakh" (barzakh), and the body, interred, decomposes and eventually turns to dust. Only on the Day of Judgment, by the will of Allah, will new bodies 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 committed during their lives.

Like other religions, Islam teaches that God did not create man so that he would one day die—the idea of ​​rebirth and renewal runs through the Koran. A famous scripture verse says, “He is the one who gave you life, and He will send you death, and then He will give you life again.” The same idea is found in the Quran as a warning to idolaters: “God 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 resurrection, according to some researchers, may equally likely apply to reincarnation. For example, Sura 20:55/57 quotes God's words to Moses: “We created you from the earth, and We will bring you back again.” you into the earth, and then we will create you again.” Some researchers interpret the meaning of this verse as the body, which is constantly being created and destroyed, and the soul, which, after the death of the body, is born again, but in a different body.

In the Islamic tradition, a human being is a soul resurrected by a spirit. According to traditional interpretations of the Koran, lost souls go to the judgment of Allah after death. 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 post-mortem torment. Although sinners will be fully punished only after the “final resurrection,” non-believers go to their eternal hell immediately upon 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 heaven. Pious Muslims receive their full reward only after the resurrection, but, unlike the infidels, the righteous rest peacefully while waiting for the appointed hour.

It is believed that after a funeral, two angels, Munkar and Nakir, with black faces, terrifying voices, piercing blue eyes and hair flowing to the ground, come to the person in the grave. They interrogate the deceased about the good or evil deeds he committed during his lifetime. This interrogation is called "judgment in the grave"; such a judgment awaits all devout Muslims. In order to prepare the deceased for this trial, during the funeral, relatives and friends whisper in his ear various pieces of advice that will help him correctly answer the questions of the divine judges. If the deceased successfully passes this “exam”, he will taste “heavenly bliss” while still in the grave; if not, unbearable torment awaits him. However, in due course, both sinners and righteous will go through a “new creation” in preparation for the resurrection, after which the pious and the unfaithful will go to their final destinations - heaven or hell.

During the era of the rise of Islam, there was a slightly different theological understanding of death - it was likened to sleep. The idea of ​​resurrection played a central role in the original concept of the afterlife, but was not formulated so strictly, and, according to some researchers, could well be interpreted from the point of view of the doctrine of reincarnation. The analogy to sleep was the only consistently espoused concept of death by early Muslim theologians. Ancient ideas 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 has made the night a covering for you, and sleep a rest, and has created a day for awakening (nushur).” Night is the canopy that covers the sleeper; sleep is a prototype 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 the term with the concept of resurrection. According to some researchers, the original Islamic ideas about death were closely related to the idea of ​​​​reincarnation: the one who sleeps must inevitably wake up. Is this awakening some kind of final resurrection, or does it occur in the cycle of birth and death; in any case, the question of posthumous existence occupied an important place in early Islamic philosophy. In modern Islam, the majority of devout Muslims are inclined towards 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 entering a new body.

In Islamic scriptures, reincarnation is referred to as tanasuh, a term that is rarely used by orthodox Muslim philosophers, but appears quite often in the writings of Arab and Middle Eastern thinkers and theologians. Arab and Persian theologians, like Kabbalists, believe that the transmigration of the soul is a consequence of a sinful or failed life. The concept of "tanasukh" is much more widespread among Muslims in India, which can be attributed to the influence of Hinduism. Proponents of reincarnation claim that the Koran supports the doctrine of transmigration of souls and cite a number of quotations as evidence, some of which are given below: “To him who violated the Sabbath, We said: be a monkey, vile and despicable.” “He is the worst of all who angered 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 give you life again.”

The meaning of these and other verses of the Qur'an was explored by such famous Persian Sufi poets as Jalaluddin Rumi, Saadi and Hafiz. The theme of 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 branch of Islam formed in the 11th century and is considered heretical by orthodox Islam. Its founder was Fatimid, the caliph of al-Hakim. Some Druze 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 recently it has become increasingly influential among orthodox Muslims.

Historically, the persecution that scientists who did not belong to the orthodox branch 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 the Gnosticism that came from it; the Nestorians brought Neoplatonic teachings to Arabia, and the Jews brought Kabbalistic writings. The teachings of the Hermeticists also took root in the Middle East. Around this 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 Druze “heresy” was born, the doctrine of rebirth of the soul had already entered Islam and was again 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 searching for the secret, esoteric meaning in the Koran.

Muhammad himself argued that the wisdom of the Qur'an was mainly based on the hidden meaning of its words: the Qur'an was “revealed in seven dialects, and in each of its verses there are two meanings - the manifest and the hidden... I received from God's messenger a twofold knowledge. I teach one of them...but if I revealed the other to people, it would rip their throats out.” According to some researchers, this “secret meaning” of many texts included the theory of transmigration of souls, which over time was consigned to oblivion.

Reincarnation in heretical movements of Islam

In the series of articles “Reincarnation. Islamic Ideas,” Islamic scholar M. H. Abdi described the events that resulted in the rejection of the doctrine of reincarnation from orthodox Muslim doctrine:
“For several centuries, prominent followers of Mohammed accepted the doctrine of reincarnation, but hid it from a wide circle of believers. This position was justified by certain psychological factors. Islamic faith has always primarily called for righteous deeds. ...In addition, the defensive battles known as Jihad, or holy wars, fought by Muslims in the early days of the Islamic religion, and the later wars of conquest (and therefore not holy wars), significantly influenced the fate of Islam. Previously, philosophical, mystical and ethical movements 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 sacred topics as the transmigration of the soul require a special approach. In order to judge them, it is necessary to have an understanding of the higher levels of consciousness, cause-and-effect laws and the operation of the laws of evolution. The 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 traditional branches of Islam are still afraid of being branded as heretics, therefore the doctrine of reincarnation is discussed and interpreted only in line with the Sufi tradition. Some orthodox theologians believe that without 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 impossibility of combining the suffering of innocent children with the idea of ​​God's mercy or, at worst, justice, forces some quite liberal Muslim theologians (Mu'tazilites) 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 the Shiites; This teaching in a specific form also exists among the Ismailis and is the most important part of the doctrine of Babism.”

A specialist in the history of Islam, I. G. Brown, develops this meaning in his work “Literary History of Persia.” Talking about the esoteric trends of Islam, he mentions three types of reincarnation that are recognized by Muslim thinkers:

1. Khulul - a recurring incarnation of a saint or prophet
2. Rijat - the return of an imam or other religious figure immediately after his death
3. Tanasuh - 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 movement 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 accept the existence of the forms of reincarnation mentioned by mystics. Just like in other Abrahamic religions, in Islam the theory of rebirth of the soul is in the background and 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 creed of this religious tradition. Muslim theologian Erla Waugh says the following on this matter:
“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 so far from the orthodox form 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 internal problems of the history and culture of Islam. This is clearly 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 in the course of time will take on a new, more attractive appearance through contact with other teachings, both nurtured within Islam and created from without, as a protest against the restrictions it imposes. ."

Just like the soul transmigrates
from a child's body to a youth's
and from it to senility, so at the moment of death
she passes into another body.
- Bhagavad Gita, 2.13.

In India, the ancient sacred land of Krishna, Rama, Buddha and countless avatars (Divine incarnations), reincarnation is perceived as a reality, obvious to the humble street sweeper, to the erudite pandit (scholar), and to the righteous sadhu (holy saint). .

Reincarnation or reincarnation(in Sanskrit पुनर्जन्म - punarjanma) is one of the basic concepts of Hinduism. The cycle of birth and death is accepted as a natural phenomenon of nature.

In Hinduism, avidya (that is, ignorance) of a person regarding his true spiritual nature leads him to identification with the mortal body and matter, which supports his desire to remain in the cycle of karma and reincarnation.

Reincarnation in the Vedas

First the transmigration of souls is mentioned in the Vedas- the oldest sacred scriptures of Hinduism. According to Indologist Vladimir Erman, the doctrine of reincarnation is not traced in the oldest of the Vedas, the Rig Veda.

However, some scientists point out that it also contains elements of the theory of 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:

Whoever created it does not know it.
It is hidden from anyone who sees it
Hidden in the mother's womb,
Born many times, he came to suffering.

In this hymn of the Rig Veda, there are two meanings of the word bahuprajah: “having many offspring” and “born many times”.

Such references literally permeate the Avatara Veda, Manusamhita, Upanishads, Vishnu Purana, Bhagavata Purana, Mahabharata, Ramayana and other ancient texts of India, included either in the original Sanskrit Veda or being among the Vedic literary works which are considered to be supplementary.

The ancient Indian grammarian Yaska gives both these meanings in Nirukta. The Yajurveda says:

O learned and tolerant soul, after wandering in waters and plants, the personality enters the womb of the mother and is born again and again.
O soul, you are born in the body of plants, trees, everything that is created and animate, and in water.
O soul, shining 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 serenely in the mother's body like a child sleeping in its mother's arms.

The hymn “To Yama” (Rigveda, 10.14) contains a hint of possibility of returning to earth: “Having left (everything) sinful, return home again! Connect with the body, full of vitality!”

Reincarnation in the Upanishads

A detailed description of the doctrine of reincarnation is contained in the Upanishads - ancient philosophical and religious texts in Sanskrit, adjacent to the Vedas.
Namely concept of transmigration of souls reflected in the Shvetashvatara Upanishad 5.11 and the Kaushitaka Upanishad 1.2.

Just 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.

The Bhagavad Gita, which, according to most Hindus, reflects the essence of Hindu philosophy and the main meaning of the Vedas, says:

Just as a person takes off old clothes and puts on new ones, so the soul enters new material bodies, leaving behind old and useless ones.

The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (4.4.1-4) further explains how how is reincarnation accomplished?:

[At the moment of death] the area of ​​its [soul's] heart begins to glow, and this light helps the soul to come out through the eye, through the head or through other openings in the body. And while she departs, pranas [various streams of vital air] accompany her to her next place of stay... Her knowledge and deeds follow her, as does wisdom, although individual details of her past life are not preserved.

Just as a caterpillar, crawling to the tip of one blade of grass, having collected itself, drags itself to another, so the soul, having thrown off one body, along with its ignorance, is transferred to another, new body.
Just as a jeweler gives a gold bar a new, more attractive form, so the soul, having thrown off the old and useless body, puts on new and, perhaps, better bodies than before, which it receives in accordance with its past actions, capabilities and desires.

Karma and samsara

The idea of ​​reincarnation of the soul of any living being - people, animals, plants - is closely related to the concept of karma, which is also explained in the Upanishads.

The word karma comes from the verbal root Kri - “to do” or “to act” - a word expressing causation. In other words, it indicates not only an action, but also an inevitable response to it.

Karma has a negative aspect known as vikarma, which roughly translates to " bad karma" “Bad” in the sense that it is associated with vicious or base activities that lead to subsequent birth in lower species of life and, as a negative result, bind the soul to the world of birth and death.

Positive karma implies charitable, merciful activity, the result of which is the desired reaction - a reward in the form of material well-being, which also binds the soul to the material world.

Only akarma frees us from the cycle of birth and death, relieves us of any reactions - positive and negative, that bind us to this world of duality; it enables the soul to return to its original nature.

Spiritual activities are of pious origin. The sacred scriptures of world religions generally share the same opinion about spiritual activity, believing that it elevates a person above both “good” and “bad” karma.

The Vedic texts contain provisions that clearly and definitely distinguish between three types of activities: good, bad and transcendental.

Hinduism states that the soul is in a constant cycle of birth and death. Desiring to enjoy in the material world, she takes birth again and again for the satisfaction of her material desires, which is possible only through the material body.

Hinduism does not teach that worldly pleasures are sinful, but explains that they cannot bring inner happiness and satisfaction, called ananda in Sanskrit terminology.

According to the Hindu thinker Shankara, our world is like a dream. By its nature it is transitory and illusory. Being in the thrall 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 given to it by this world, and begins to search for higher forms of pleasure, which can only be achieved through spiritual experience.

After prolonged spiritual practice (sadhana), the individual realizes his eternal spiritual nature, that his true “I” is the eternal soul, and not the mortal material body.

At this stage he no longer desires material pleasures because they seem insignificant compared to spiritual bliss. When all material desires cease, the soul is no longer born and is liberated from the cycle of samsara.

Moksha

When the chain of birth and death is broken, the individual is said to have achieved moksha- salvation.

While all philosophical schools of Hinduism agree that moksha implies 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 Advaita Vedanta(often associated with Jnana Yoga) believe that after achieving moksha, the individual remains forever in a state of peace and bliss, which is the result of the realization that all existence is one and indivisible Brahman, and the immortal soul is a part of this one whole.

After attaining moksha, the jiva loses his individual nature and dissolves into the “ocean” of impersonal Brahman, which is described as sat-chit-ananda (being-knowledge-bliss).

On the other hand, followers of philosophical schools of full or partial dwights(“dualistic” schools to which the bhakti movements belong) carry out their spiritual practice with the goal of achieving one of the lokas (worlds or planes of existence) of the spiritual world or the kingdom of God (Vaikuntha or Goloka), for eternal participation there in the games of God in one of his forms (such as Krishna or Vishnu for Vaishnavas, and Shiva for Saivites).

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 achieving moksha is possible in both ways, and simply give personal preference to one of them. It is said that followers of Dvaita want to “taste the sweetness of sugar,” while followers of Advaita want to “become sugar.”

Thus, in Hinduism the emphasis is placed on the fact that material things are perishable and one must gradually abandon material joys in favor of spiritual ones. But, on the other hand, we come to the material world in dense bodies, and each experience has its own value too.

Which point of view is close to you: exclusively spiritual aspirations or the value of physical life with all its pros and cons?

Materials used in the article:

Stephen Rosen, “Reincarnation in world religions”/>“Yajurveda”, 12.36-37/>Translator’s commentary on hymn 10.14. Rigveda, translation by T. Ya. Elizarenkova/>“Shvetashvatara Upanishad” 5.11/> Lysenko V. G. Karma. New Philosophical Encyclopedia

It is enough to watch a few Bollywood films to understand: the concept of reincarnation is one of the foundations of Hinduism. However, India is not the only country that believes in the transmigration of souls. And not only because Hinduism is practiced by people in different parts of the world, but also because the very concept of reincarnation is characteristic of many religions. It is especially common in the beliefs of various traditional tribes around the globe.

What kind of thing is this, reincarnation? The term “reincarnation” itself comes from the Latin language and literally means “reincarnation.” In Hinduism this process is known as Punarjanma. You can learn more about the Hindu vision of reincarnation by reading various myths about how the god Vishnu reincarnated into various creatures to help people. In simple terms, reincarnation is the transmigration of the soul. People who believe in reincarnation position man not as a body with a soul, but as a soul with a body. After the death of the body, the soul can change it, just as we change clothes when they wear out. However, the soul cannot choose absolutely any body it “likes,” because each subsequent reincarnation depends on how a person lived his previous life - on his karma. So, if a person behaved unworthily, he can be reborn into a bird, animal or any other form of life.

How do people who believe in it see all this? Here are seven of the most interesting facts about reincarnation that you might want to know.

Unfinished business and unfulfilled desires

If the deceased has some unfinished business or unfulfilled desires, the soul cannot be reborn into a new body. She will continue to wander between two worlds until her desires are fulfilled and her affairs are completed.

Beating the Dead

This is exactly what the custom looks like from the outside, which is necessary in order to erase all the soul’s memories of the life of its deceased body. The fact is that, according to Hindu beliefs, the soul needs to be freed from memories of its past life. That is why, during one of the post-mortem rituals, Hindus hit the deceased hard on the head: it is necessary for the soul to forget its life. Memories of a soul's previous life can negatively affect its next life.

Memory is retained

Despite all efforts, memories cannot be completely erased: they are preserved, but remain in the subconscious of the new being. In general, Hindus believe that our subconscious mind stores information about all the events that happened to our soul during all its earthly lives. But, since our soul is not pure enough, we cannot connect with Brahma (the Hindu name of the main God) and remember all our lives. Only a few people who practice meditation and sadhana can remember their previous lives.

Cats aren't the only ones who have multiple lives.

According to Hinduism, every living creature has 7 lives. Throughout these seven lives, the soul will be reborn again and again, depending on its karma. After the seventh life, the soul gains freedom (in Hinduism this is called Moksha).

Wheel of Samsara

Birth, death and rebirth are natural stages of the soul's existence. As soon as she takes the form of a new body, she also takes on a new ego. If the soul abuses the good things that it received with the new body, it loses its purity. Thus, when the body dies, the immortal soul is left alone with its sins, which means it will need to be cleansed in the next life (this usually happens through suffering). This is why Hindus believe that all the blessings (or misfortunes) of this life are the result of their past lives.

Reincarnation is not instantaneous

The soul does not immediately find a new body. It may take a year or even tens of years before she can start a new life in a new body, because it must suit the soul according to its karmic parameters.

Third Eye

Hindu texts and illustrations suggest that we all have a third eye: we have simply failed to open it. Because of this, we cannot see our karma. The third eye is the eye of enlightenment. It can be “opened” through the practices of sadhana and dhyana, which can also help our soul rise to a new level. It was in this way that Gautama Buddha achieved enlightenment.

What does “wheel of samsara” mean? as such existed in ancient India among the brahmans even before the teachings of Buddha Shakyamuni. The very first mention is found in the Upanishads, where the laws and nature of all things are revealed. The texts say that the highest beings reside in blissful nirvana, and all others, darkened by the three mental poisons, are forced to rotate in the wheel of rebirth, drawn there by the laws of karma.

Samsara is full of suffering, so the main goal of all beings is to find a way out and return to a state of perfect bliss. Many generations of sages searched for the answer to the question “How to break the wheel of samsara?”, but there was no sensible way until he achieved Enlightenment. It was Buddhism that developed a clear concept of samsara () and presented it as a well-functioning mechanism of cause-and-effect relationships based on the principles of karma and reincarnation. The concept of samsara can be expressed as a continuous cycle of births and deaths of living beings in all manifested worlds of the Universe. If we translate the word “samsara” literally, it means “wandering that lasts forever.” According to the Buddhist teaching about Enlightenment, that is, exit from the cycle of life and death, there are countless worlds and countless living beings who manifest themselves in these worlds and act in them, each according to their karma.

The wheel of samsara in Buddhism is the totality of all worlds that are in constant motion and transformation; nothing in them is permanent and unshakable.

Variability is the main attribute of everything manifested, therefore samsara is depicted in the form of a wheel, continuously making one revolution after another.

Circle of life, wheel of samsara– its rotation symbolizes the continuity and cyclical nature of events in the Universe.

A simplified symbol of the wheel of samsara is a rim and eight spokes connecting it to the hub. According to legend, Buddha himself laid it out with rice on the sand. The spokes of the wheel mean the rays of truth emanating from the teacher (according to the number of steps).

Lama Gampopa, who lived in 1079-1153, identified three main characteristics of samsara. According to his definition, its nature is emptiness. That is, all the manifested worlds that are possible are not real, they do not carry truth, basis, foundation, they are ephemeral and constantly changing, like clouds in the sky. You should not look for truth in ethereal fantasy, and constancy in changeable things. The second quality of samsara is that its appearance is an illusion. Everything that surrounds living beings, as well as the forms of embodiment of the beings themselves, is a deception, a mirage, a hallucination. Like any illusion that has no basis, samsara can carry an infinite number of manifestations, it can take all conceivable and inconceivable forms, be expressed in an infinite number of images and phenomena, which, having barely arisen and having no real basis, are immediately transformed in others, they change or disappear in accordance with the laws of karma. The third attribute is the most important, because the main characteristic of samsara is suffering. But let us note that Buddhists put a slightly different meaning into the concept of “suffering” than we are used to.

The term "suffering" in Buddhist teaching is not the antithesis of happiness or pleasure. Suffering can be defined as any emotional instability, any activity of the mind that gives rise to new emotions and experiences. If you find the opposite meaning of suffering, then for a Buddhist it will be a state of perfect calm, peace, freedom and inner bliss. Not euphoria and idle bliss, but a feeling of universal peace and harmony, completeness and integrity.

But worldly life, with its bustle and worries, does not even smell of such peace and complete spiritual balance. That is why everything associated with samsara, be it joy, sadness, delight or grief, is associated with suffering. Even seemingly positive moments cause discomfort. Having something, we admit the thought of loss and suffer. When we love someone, we fear separation. Having achieved something, we see that this is not the peak, there are more difficult and higher goals, and we suffer again. And, of course, the fear of death is the fear of losing everything, including the body and one’s own life, which seems to be the only one.

According to Vedic texts, one revolution of the wheel of Samsara corresponds to a time interval called kalpa (1 day of the life of the god Brahma). In the Buddhist tradition, Brahma has nothing to do with it; the world arises due to the presence of karmic preconditions remaining after the destruction of the previous world. Just as a being in Samsara is born and dies following karma, so worlds arise and are destroyed under the influence of the same law. One cycle of the wheel is called Mahakalpa and consists of four parts of 20 kalpas each. In the first quarter, the world is formed and develops, in the second period it is stable, in the third it degrades and dies, in the fourth it remains in an unmanifested bardo state, forming the karmic prerequisites for the next incarnation. The common expression “the wheel of Samsara has turned” is usually used to mean the change of eras, when the old is broken and the new emerges.

The wheel of samsara plays a huge role in Buddhism, forming the basis of the doctrine of liberation. The teaching of liberation from the cycle of birth and death is based on four statements called the Noble Truths, which Shakyamuni Buddha formulated after his Enlightenment. Having learned the true essence of samsara, he not only rediscovered all the laws of karma, but also found a way to break the circle of rebirths.

Four Noble Truths of Shakyamuni Buddha:

Coming out of meditation, the Buddha formulated four main discoveries that he made during the process of Enlightenment. These discoveries are called the Noble Truths and sound like:

1. Dukha(pain) - everything in earthly life is permeated with suffering.
2. Samudaya(desire) - the causes of all suffering are endless and insatiable desires.
3. Nirodha(end) - suffering comes to an end when there are no desires.
4. Magga(path) - the source of suffering - desire - can be eradicated by following special techniques.

Dukha means that the mind is clouded by ignorance, it is like an eye that sees everything except itself, and because of this it perceives the world in a dual way, separating itself from it. The Eightfold Path is a means that helps the mind see itself, realize the illusory nature of the world around us, overcoming five obstacles:

1. Affections- the desire to possess and hold near oneself.
2. Anger- rejection.
3. Jealousy and envy- not wanting others to be happy.
4. Pride- elevating oneself above others.
5. Confusion and ignorance- when the mind does not know what it wants and what is good for it and what is harm.

Samudaya means that the darkened mind is full of contradictory emotions, rigid concepts, principles and self-restraints, which do not allow it to be at peace and constantly push it from one extreme to another.

Nirodha suggests that by eradicating ignorance, the mind will return to a harmonious state, transforming turbulent emotions and limitations into wisdom.

Magga- an indication of methods of combating ignorance.

Methods for getting rid of desires and achieving liberation are collected in the teachings of the Middle Path, also called the Eightfold Noble Path.

Karma and reincarnation

The definition of the wheel of samsara, as mentioned above, is closely related to such concepts as karma and reincarnation.

Reincarnation

The concept of reincarnation, familiar to many beliefs, presupposes the presence in living beings of both mortal temporary bodies and immortal, subtler and even eternal shells, indestructible consciousness, or “spark of God.” According to the theory of reincarnation, beings, incarnating in different worlds, practice certain skills, fulfill the missions assigned to them, after which, leaving their mortal body in this world, they move into a new body with a new mission.

There is a lot of controversy about the phenomenon of reincarnation. Reincarnation is most often mentioned in Hinduism. It is spoken about in the Vedas and Upanishads, in the Bhagavad Gita. For residents of India, this is as common a phenomenon as sunrise and sunset. Buddhism, based on Hinduism, develops the theory of reincarnation, supplementing it with knowledge of the law of karma and ways to escape the wheel of samsara. According to Buddhist teachings, the cycle of birth and death forms the basis of changing samsara, no one has absolute immortality, and no one lives once. Death and birth are only transformations for a certain being, which is part of the changing Universe.

Taoists also accepted the idea of ​​reincarnation of the soul. It was believed that Lao Tzu lived on earth several times. In Taoist treatises there are the following lines: “Birth is not the beginning, just as death is not the end. There is limitless being; there is continuation without beginning. Being outside of space. Continuity without beginning in time."

Kabbalists believe that the soul is doomed to incarnate in the mortal world over and over again until it cultivates the highest qualities of the Absolute in order to be ready to unite with it. As long as a being is darkened by selfish thoughts, the soul will end up in the mortal world and be tested.

Christians also knew about reincarnation, but at the Fifth Ecumenical Council in the 6th century, information about it was prohibited, and all references were removed from the texts. Instead of a series of births and deaths, the concept of one life, the Last Judgment and eternal stay in Hell or Paradise without the possibility of leaving them was adopted. According to Hindu and Buddhist knowledge, the soul goes to Heaven and Hell, but only for a while, in accordance with the severity of the sin committed or the significance of the good merit. Some scholars believe that Jesus himself was born on earth up to thirty times before incarnating as a missionary from Nazareth.

Islam does not directly support the ideas of reincarnation, leaning towards the Christian version of Judgment and exile of the soul to Hell or Heaven, but in the Koran there are references to resurrection. For example: “I died as a stone and was resurrected as a plant. I died as a plant and was resurrected as an animal. I died as an animal and became a Human. What should I be afraid of? Has death robbed me? It can be assumed that the original text of the book also underwent changes, although Islamic theologians, of course, deny this.

Zoroasters and Mayans knew about reincarnation; the Egyptians considered the idea of ​​no life after death absurd. Pythagoras, Socrates, Plato did not find anything surprising in the ideas of reincarnation of the soul. Proponents of reincarnation were Goethe, Voltaire, Giordano Bruno, Victor Hugo, Honoré de Balzac, A. Conan Doyle, Leo Tolstoy, Carl Jung and Henry Ford.

Bardo State

Buddhist texts also make reference to the “bardo state,” the period of time between births. It literally translates as “between two.” There are six types of bardo. In terms of the cycle of samsara, the first four are interesting:

1. Bardo of the Dying Process. The period of time between the onset of a disease leading to death or injury to the body and the moment when the mind and body are separated. This time of agony is an extremely important moment. The ability to maintain self-control in it is available only to those who have conscientiously practiced throughout their lives. If one manages to keep the mind under control, this is a great achievement, otherwise at that moment the person will experience severe pain. The suffering of most people at the time of death is extremely strong, but if someone has accumulated a lot of good karma, then he will have support. In this case, for example, a person may experience visions of saints or deities appearing to help in this difficult hour. The dying moments of life are also important. The experiences that fill the mind before the last breath have enormous power and give immediate results. If a person has good karma, then he is calm and does not experience torment. If there are sins that a person regrets, then repentance shown now will help cleanse himself. Prayers also have great power, and good wishes are immediately fulfilled.
2. Bardo Dharmata. An interval of a timeless nature. The mind, after being freed from signals coming from the senses, goes into the original equilibrium state of its nature. The true nature of the mind manifests in every being, since everyone has the original Buddha nature. If beings did not have this fundamental quality, they would never be able to achieve Enlightenment.
3. Bardo of Birth.The time in which the mind forms the prerequisites for rebirth. It lasts from the moment of exit from the state of Dharmata bardo and the emergence of unclear karmic prerequisites until the moment of conception.
4. Bardo Between Birth and Death, or Bardo of Life. This is ordinary everyday consciousness throughout life from conception to the bardo of the dying process.

There are also two additional states of consciousness:

5. Bardo of Dream. Deep dreamless sleep.
6. Bardo of Meditative Concentration. A state of meditative concentration.

Karma

The concept of karma can be viewed in two aspects. The first aspect: is an activity that has a result. In the Buddhist tradition, karma has the meaning of any action. Action here can be not only a completed act, but also a word, thought, intention or inaction. All manifestations of the will of living beings form his karma. The second aspect: karma is the law of cause and effect that permeates all the phenomena of samsara. Everything is interdependent, has a cause, has an effect, nothing happens without a reason. Karma as the law of cause and effect is a fundamental concept in Buddhism that explains the mechanisms of the processes of birth and death, as well as ways to interrupt this cycle. If we consider karma from this position, then several classifications can be given. The first divides the concept of karma into three main types:

• karma
• akarma
• vikarma

Word "karma" in this classification it means good deeds that lead to the accumulation of merit. Karma accumulates when a living being acts in accordance with the laws of the Universe and does not think of selfish benefits. Activities that benefit others and the world, self-improvement - this is karma. Karma, according to the laws of reincarnation, leads to rebirth in higher worlds, to a reduction in suffering and open opportunities for self-development.

Vikarma- the opposite concept. When someone acts contrary to the laws of the Universe, pursues exclusively personal gains, causes harm to the world, then he accumulates not merit, but retribution. Vikarma becomes the cause of rebirth in the lower worlds, suffering, and lack of opportunity for self-development. In modern religions, vikarma is called sin, that is, an error in relation to the world order, a deviation from it.

Akarma- a special type of activity in which there is no accumulation of merit or accumulation of reward; it is an activity without consequences. How is this possible? A living being acts in samsara according to the instructions and motives of his ego. Abstracting from his “I” and performing actions as not a doer, but only an instrument, not a source of will, but a conductor of other people’s ideas, the creature shifts karmic responsibility to the one in whose name he commits the action. The difficulty is that in this case one should completely exclude one’s own motives, judgments, will, not expect any rewards, praise, or reciprocal services from one’s actions, completely surrendering oneself into the hands of the bearer of the idea. This is an activity offered as a selfless sacrifice. Akarma is the deeds of holy ascetics who performed miracles in the name of God, and the service of devoted priests who entrusted themselves to the will of the revered deity; these are feats and self-sacrifice in the name of justice and the salvation of the suffering, this is the activity of monks who, according to the law of Dharma (the law of world harmony), bring benefits to living beings out of love and a sense of unity with the entire universe, without expecting anything in return; these are actions done out of love and compassion.

The last type of karma is directly related to Enlightenment, as it allows you to defeat your false ego.

The second classification divides karma from the point of view of the manifestation of consequences.

Prarabdha karma, or the consequences of actions experienced now, in this birth. This is the reward received for deeds committed. Here we can talk about karma as “fate”.

Aprarabdha karma, or consequences that are unknown when and how they will manifest themselves, but have already been formed by a cause-and-effect relationship. Programming of the next incarnations is underway.

Rudha karma they name consequences that have not yet occurred in the manifested world, but a person feels their onset intuitively, as if standing on the threshold.

Bija Karma- these are not the consequences themselves, but the causes of the consequences that have not yet formed a response, but will definitely appear. These are sown seeds that have not yet given roots and shoots.

As is clear from the above, the law of karma presupposes universal conditionality, that is, all events are causally connected. The rotation of the wheel of samsara occurs due to this connection. One thing catches another and so on ad infinitum.

How to get out of the wheel of samsara?

Good and bad deeds

The main reason that drags beings into the cycle of rebirth is the three poisons, symbolized as the pig of ignorance, the rooster of passion and the serpent of wrath. Eradicating these obscurations helps to free oneself from negative karma and find a way out of the wheel of samsara. According to Buddhist teachings, there are ten good and ten unwholesome types of actions that create one or another karma.

Negative actions consist of actions of body, speech and mind. One can sin with the body by committing murder out of stupidity, anger or desire for pleasure. Committing theft by force or deceit. Committing infidelity to a partner, rape or any kind of perversion of a sexual nature.

You can sin with speech by lying to the detriment of others and to your own benefit, creating a quarrel, gossiping and slandering: being rude to your interlocutor directly or behind your back, making offensive jokes.

You can sin with your mind by having incorrect (not corresponding to the truth) views, hostile thoughts towards other people or their activities, greedy thoughts about possessing someone else’s things or attachment to your property, thirst for wealth.

Ten positive actions purify the mind and lead to liberation. This:

1. Saving the lives of any creatures: from insects to humans.
2. Generosity, and not only in relation to material things.
3. Loyalty in relationships, lack of sexual promiscuity.
4. Truthfulness.
5. Reconciliation of warring parties.
6. Peaceful (friendly, soft) speech.
7. Non-idle wise speech.
8. Satisfaction with what you have.
9. Love and compassion for people.
10. Understanding the nature of things (knowledge of the laws of karma, comprehension of the teachings of Buddha, self-education).

According to the law of karma, all the deeds of living beings have their own unique weight and are not subject to offset. For good deeds there is a reward, for bad deeds - retribution, if in Christianity there is a principle of “weighing” the total merits and sins, then in relation to the wheel of samsara and the teachings of the Buddha, everything will have to be calculated individually. According to the ancient Indian epic Mahabharata, which describes the lives of both great heroes and great sinners, even heroes go to hell to atone for their bad karma before ascending to heaven, and villains, before being cast into hell, have the right to feast with the gods , if they have certain merits.

Image of the wheel of samsara

Usually the wheel of samsara is symbolically depicted as an ancient chariot with eight spokes, but there is also a canonical image of the cycle of life and death, common in Buddhist iconography. Thangka (image on fabric) contains many symbols and illustrations of the processes occurring with the soul in the cycle of rebirth, and has instructions on how to get out of the wheel of samsara.

The central image of samsara itself contains one central circle and four circles, divided into segments, illustrating the action of the law of karma. In the center there are always three beings, representing the three main poisons of the mind: ignorance in the form of a pig, passion and attachment in the form of a rooster, and anger and disgust in the form of a serpent. These three poisons underlie the entire cycle of samsara; a being whose mind is darkened by them is doomed to be reborn in the manifested worlds, accumulating and redeeming karma.

The second circle is called Bardo, after the name of the state between births, which was described above. It has light and dark parts, symbolizing good merits and sins that lead either to rebirth in the higher worlds or in hells, respectively.

The next circle has six parts according to the number of six types of worlds: from the darkest to the brightest. Each segment also depicts a Buddha or bodhisattva (holy teacher of the dharma), coming to a given world out of compassion to save living beings from suffering.

According to Buddhist teachings, worlds can be:

Although the worlds are located in a circle, you can be reborn both from the bottom up and from the top down, from the human world you can ascend to the world of the gods or fall into hell. But we need to dwell in more detail on the world of people. According to Buddhists, human birth is the most advantageous, since a person balances between the unbearable suffering of hells and the selfless bliss of the gods. A person can realize the law of karma and take the path of liberation. Often human life is called a “precious human rebirth”, since the being gets a chance to find a way out of the cycle of samsara.

The outer rim in the image symbolically illustrates the law of karma in action. The segments are read from the top clockwise, there are twelve in total.

First story indicates ignorance regarding the nature of the world, its laws and ignorance of the truth. A man with an arrow in his eye is a symbol of the lack of a clear vision of what is happening. Because of this ignorance, creatures fall into the cycle of worlds, spinning in it at random and acting without clear awareness.

Second story depicts a potter at work. Just as a master sculpts the shape of a pot, so spontaneous unconscious motives form the prerequisites for a new birth. Raw clay is formless, but it contains in advance an infinite number of forms of all products made from it. Typically this stage corresponds to conception.

Third plot depicts a monkey. The restless monkey symbolizes a restless mind, which has the nature of dual (not single, not true) perception; such a mind already contains the seeds of karmic tendencies.

Fourth picture shows two people in a boat. This means that on the basis of karma, a certain form of manifestation of a being in the world and its mission for a given incarnation are created, that is, the creature realizes itself as one thing or another, the psychophysical characteristics of a future life are manifested, and the prerequisites for life circumstances are formed.

Fifth picture depicts a house with six windows. These windows in the house symbolize the six streams of perception through the six senses (including the mind) through which the being receives information.

On the sixth sector a couple is depicted making love, which means that the organs of perception have come into contact with the outside world and have begun to receive information. This stage corresponds to birth in the manifested worlds.

Seventh picture shows water being poured onto a hot iron. That is, the mind recognizes the received sensations as attractive, disgusting or neutral.

Eighth picture depicts a person drinking alcohol (beer, wine), which symbolizes the emergence of likes or dislikes based on judgments about the sensations received.

Ninth sector shows again the monkey, who collects fruits. That is, the mind creates rules of behavior for itself - pleasant things should be desired, unpleasant things should be avoided, neutral things should be ignored.

Tenth part depicts a pregnant woman. Since the cliches of behavior formed by the subconscious formed the karmic prerequisites for a new incarnation in the worlds of samsara.

In the eleventh picture a woman gives birth to a child. This is the result of the action of karma created in a previous life.

AND last sector contains an image of a deceased person or an urn with ashes, symbolizing the frailty of any manifested life, its finitude. In this way, for a living being, the wheel of samsara began to turn.

The entire wheel of samsara with its contents is firmly held in its sharp claws and teeth by the deity Yama - the deity of death (in the sense of the frailty and impermanence of everything), and it is not at all easy to escape from such a grip. In iconography, Yama is depicted in blue (formidable), with a horned bull's head with three eyes looking into the past, present and future, surrounded by a fiery aura. On Yama’s neck is a necklace of skulls, in his hands is a staff with a skull, a lasso for catching souls, a sword and a precious talisman implying power over underground treasures. Yama is also the posthumous judge and ruler of the underworld (hell). As if in contrast to such a stern creature, next to it, outside the wheel, stands the Buddha, pointing to the Moon.

The image of the Buddha is a pointer on how to get out of the wheel of samsara, a sign of the existence of a path of liberation, a path that leads to peace and tranquility (symbol of the cool Moon).

The Eightfold (Middle) Path of Liberation

How to stop the wheel of samsara? You can break the cycle of rebirth by following the Middle Path, which is so named because it is accessible to absolutely all beings and does not imply any extreme methods available only to a select few. It consists of three large stages:

1. Wisdom
1. Right View
2. Right Intention
2. Moral
1. Correct speech
2. Correct Behavior
3. Right way of life
3. Concentration
1. The Right Effort
2. The right direction of thought
3. Correct Concentration

Right View lies in the awareness and acceptance of the Four Noble Truths. Awareness of the law of karma and the true nature of the mind. The path of liberation lies in the purification of consciousness - the only true reality.

Right Intention consists of working on desires, transforming negative emotions into positive ones, and developing good qualities. Realizing the unity of all things, the practitioner cultivates a feeling of love and compassion for the world.

Morality is very important on the path, since without it Enlightenment is not possible. To maintain morality, it is required not to commit sinful actions and not to allow the mind to be stupefied by various means. The latter is very important, since a besotted mind is dull and unable to cleanse itself.

Correct speech consists of abstaining from the four sinful acts manifested through speech. Let us remember that this is abstinence from lies, rudeness, gossip and words that lead to quarrels. Correct behavior consists in abstaining from sinful acts committed through the body (murder, appropriation of someone else's property in various ways, betrayal and perversion, and also for people of clergy - celibacy).

Right way of life involves obtaining a means of subsistence in an honest way that does not create bad karma. Activities that harm Enlightenment include trade in living beings (humans and animals), slave trade, prostitution, and activities related to the manufacture and sale of weapons and murder instruments. Military service is considered a good thing, as it is thought of as protection, while the arms trade provokes aggression and conflicts. Also sinful are the acts of producing meat and meat products, creating and selling alcohol and drugs, deceptive activities (fraud, taking advantage of someone else’s ignorance), and any criminal activity. Human life should not be made dependent on material things. Excesses and luxury give rise to passions and envy; worldly life should be of a reasonable nature.

The Right Effort to eradicate old beliefs and established cliches. Continuous self-improvement, developing flexibility of thinking and filling the mind with positive thoughts and motivations.

The right direction of thought involves constant vigilance in recognizing what is happening as it is, without subjective judgment. Thus, the feeling of dependence on everything that the mind calls “mine” and “I” is eradicated. The body is just a body, feelings are just sensations of the body, a state of consciousness is just a given state of consciousness. By thinking this way, a person is freed from attachments, related worries, unreasonable desires and no longer suffers.

Correct Concentration is achieved by meditation practices of various levels of depth and leads to Little Nirvana, that is, personal liberation. In Buddhism this is called the state of arhat. In general, there are three types of nirvana:

1. instant- a short-term state of peace and tranquility that many people have experienced throughout their lives;
2. actual nirvana- the state of the One who has achieved nirvana in this body during life (arhat);
3. never ending nirvana (parinirvana ) - the state of one who has achieved nirvana after the destruction of the physical body, that is, the state of Buddha.

Conclusion

So, in different traditions, the wheel of samsara has approximately the same meaning. Additionally, you can read about the wheel of samsara in the texts of Buddhist sutras, where the mechanisms of karma are described in detail: what kind of reward for what sins and merits does a person receive, how does life work in the higher worlds, what motivates living beings of each world? The most detailed description of the wheel of rebirth is contained in the doctrine of liberation, as well as in the texts of the Upanishads.

In short, the wheel of samsara means the cycle of birth and death through reincarnation and in accordance with the laws of karma. Going through cycle after cycle, living beings gain experience of various incarnations, suffering and pleasure. This cycle can last an incalculably long time: from the creation of the Universe to its destruction, therefore the main task for all conscious minds is to eliminate ignorance and enter nirvana. Awareness of the four Noble Truths reveals a true view of samsara as a great illusion permeated with impermanence. While the wheel of samsara has not started turning and the world still exists, one should move along the Middle Path given to people by the Buddha. This path is the only reliable means of getting rid of suffering.