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Reincarnation and Samsara

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As the real self (atman) remains unchanged throughout

Concepts

life, it likewise continues after death. This soul is

Key Concepts

carried within the subtle (astral) body to its next

Introduction

destination. The precise nature of the new body is

Atman: The Self

determined by the state of mind at death and is

Reincarnation and Samsara

specifically influenced by (1) the person's desires, and

Karma

(2) his karma.

Prakriti: Matter
Maya: Illusion
Moksha: Liberation
God: Perceived in Three
Ways

Key Points
At death the soul passes into
another body.
It is carried within the subtle body.
The next body is determined by
the state of mind at death, and by

Samsara refers to the process of passing from one

the soul's desires and deserts.

body to another throughout all species of life. Hindus

The nature of the soul is the same,

believe that consciousness is present in all life forms,

regardless of which body it resides

even fish and plants. However, though the soul is

in.

God: Two Main

Understandings
Sanatana Dharma
Varnashrama Dharma

present in all

Samsara passing through the six

species, its

categories of lifeforms is

potential is

considered painful for the eternal

exhibited to

soul.

different degrees.

One Goal, Different Paths

In aquatics and plants it is most "covered", practically

Scripture and Guru

asleep, whereas in humans it is most alert. This progression

Kala: Time

of consciousness is manifest throughout six broad "classes

Creation

of life, "namely (1) aquatics, (2) plants, (3) reptiles and

Core Values

insects, (4) birds, (5) animals and (6) humans, including the

Practice

residents of heaven. Most Hindus consider samsara

Lifestyle

essentially painful, a cycle of four recurring problems: birth,

Tradition

disease, old-age, and death.

Extras
Glossary Terms
Samsara: the perpetual cycle of repeated birth and death.

A Useful Analogy
Replacing old clothes with new
As the body wears clothes, the soul "wears" the body.
We discard clothes when they become old and useless, and buy and put on new ones.
We buy clothes on the basis of (1) what we want, and (2) what we can afford. Similarly, we
get our next body according to (1) our desires and (2) our karma.
Just as a person wears layers of clothing, the soul wears a number of material coverings.
They are primarily two:
the subtle body, also called the astral or ghost body It consists largely of the mind
and usually remains with the soul as it quits the gross body.
the gross or external body, which the soul (with the subtle body) discards at death

Related Stories

Story of Maharaja Bharata (STO-103)

A story about reincarnation.

The Life and Death ofAjamila (STO-104)

The time of death.

Related Practices
The Hindu rites of passage at death, during and after the funeral
ceremony, are to ensure the peaceful passage of the soul. They aim
to prevent the person being "held up" in his or her spiritual evolution,
and particularly to avoid the possibility of remaining in subtle form as
a ghost (as yet without a new body).
In fact, many Hindus consider all rites of passage as preparation for
inevitable death.

Scriptural Passages
"As the embodied soul continually passes in this body from boyhood to youth to old age, the
soul similarly passes into a new body at death."
"Whatever state of being one remembers when he quits his body, 0 son of Kunti, that state he
will attain without fail."
"The living entity, thus taking another gross body, obtains a certain type of ear, eye, tongue,
nose and sense of touch, which are grouped about the mind. He thus enjoys a particular set of
sense objects."
Bhagavad-gita 2.13, 8.06, 15.9

See also: Bhagavad-gita 2.22, 8.06, 15.810

Meaning and Purpose

Why are we not born with equal opportunity despite attempts to accomplish this through social
reform?

Related Values and Issues

The notion of a soul within all bodies is particularly relevant to the following issues:
abortion
animal welfare/rights
negative discrimination of all kinds (racism, ageism, sexism, nationalism, religious
sectarianism, etc.)
empathy for others
non-violence (ahimsa)
questions of identity

Personal Reflection
We could explore our feelings towards animals. What similar features do they share with
humans? What are the differences?
Could reincarnation relate to the phenomenon of those about to die seeing their entire lives

passing before their eyes?

How can we explain out-of-body or near-death experiences, and spontaneous "past-life
memories."

Common Misunderstandings
Hindus believe that in the next life the soul becomes a different person or even an
animal.
No, the soul retains its identity, and the same "real-self" passes into a new body. Any
differences between the body we now have and that which we receive in the next life reflect the
subtle (psychological) changes undergone in this chapter of life.
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"Heart of Hinduism" is Copyright: ISKCON Educational Services, 2004