|
| |
REBIRTH (PUNARJANM)
The Concept of Life and Death
Birth and
Death
Immortal soul
What is Rebirth Law
of Action (Karm Phal)
Rebirth and past Memories
Everyone who is born has to
die. It is the law of the animate (living) world that whoever is born must die.
What happens to the body and the soul after death? This always remains the
question.
According to Vedic Scriptures the body perishes after death, but this is not the
case with the soul. The soul (Atma) in reality is beyond birth and death. The so
called ‘birth’ of the soul is its entry into a body and its so-called ‘death’ is
its separation from that body. After it discards a body the soul enters a new
body in accordance with its actions (deeds). This cycle is known as REBIRTH
I REINCARNATION or PUNARJANM which is one of the main
principles of the Vedic Religion.
Birth and Death
The animate body comprises five
elements: ether (space), air, fire, water and earth. When the soul enters the
body it gives it life. The body becomes lively and starts performing deeds
(actions). It continues doing so as long as the soul resides in it. When the
body becomes aged, diseased or inactive due to certain reasons, the soul leaves
it, causing it to become lifeless. This is known as DEATH. The dead body is
unable to perform any action by itself. According to the Vedic scriptures, the
body is cremated (burnt) as mentioned in the Yajurved (40.15) “BHASMANTAM
SHARIRAM”, i.e. the body burns to ashes. “The elements of ether merges
into the cosmic space, the life giving breath returns to the atmosphere, the
heat of the body merge into the heat of the sun, the liquid unites with the
water and the material body mixes with the earth. (Rigveda 10-16-3)
The soul
is immortal (does not die)
After death the body
perishes, but the soul does not perish because it is, by nature, immortal. When
the soul establishes a link with a body we refer to it as birth, and when it
leaves the body we call it death. This means that the soul existed before birth
and will exist after death. The Gita (2-23) very well describes the immortality
of the soul thus: - “Weapons cannot injure it; fire cannot burn it;
it cannot be soaked in water nor can the wind dry it.”
What is
Rebirth?
At the time of death the soul does not
die. What happens to it then? The soul follows the cycle of birth after death
and vice versa. It is always discarding an old body and entering a new one. This
is known as rebirth. The body undergoes three stages, i.e. childhood, youth and
old age. Similarly, death can be understood as the fourth stage when the soul
departs from the old body to reside in a new one. Gita (2-22) clarifies this
point further: - “Just as a person discards old and dirty clothes and puts on
new ones, so does the soul discard the old or weak body and enters a new one.”
Rebirth and the Law of
Action (Karm Phal)
The principle of Rebirth is tied up with the Law of Action. One reaps good or
bad fruits in accordance with one’s actions. The Principle of Law of Action
applies to both the present life and the life to come, i.e. the life after
death. The soul carries with it the impressions of its actions into the next
life.
Happiness and sorrows are associated with life from birth. Children are born
under varied conditions and circumstances. Some are born cripple or lame, some
healthy and some strong. Some take birth in poor homes while others in rich
homes. Some are intelligent, while some are mentally retarded. Why are these
differences found amongst children? Even children born in one home of the same
parents have differences among them. Anyone who believes in the Justice of God
will not accept that such differences are brought about by acts of God. God
cannot practice such thoughtless acts. If He does, then He is unfair and unjust,
which He is not.
These differences help to prove the principle of Rebirth, that is, a person
takes birth according to one’s actions in the previous life. One reaps in the
present life the fruits of his or her actions of the past life. It is with the
justice meted out by God that one takes birth according to one’s past actions.
God is omniscient. He operates with justice and thoughtfulness. He shows no
favouritism and does not make mistakes.
A person has to accept God’s justice and undergo happiness or suffering
according to one’s deeds in his or her previous life. Even though we realise
that such persons are suffering through their own actions, it is our duty to
lessen their suffering through appropriate means. The theory of Rebirth enables
one to understand the cycle of life and death and realise the justice and
orderliness in the creation of God. Thus the principle of Rebirth and the Laws
of action (karm) are inseparable.
Rebirth and past
Memories
The theory of Rebirth raises the
question, “why are we unable to recall events of our past lives?” When we
examine deeply, we find that we are forgetful of many events even in our present
life. It is difficult to remember what we ate only a few days ago and even more
difficult to remember events of childhood days. Life ends in death and changes
the existing circumstances completely. Therefore it is natural to forget all
events associated with previous lives.
Another significant fact about past memories is that it is to our advantage to
forget the past life. If one were to remember all the associations, troubles,
pains and sorrows of the past then the present life would become a miserable
one. If unhappy events of the past were to remain unforgettable and fresh all
the time then the present life would be unhappy. Therefore in the process of
rebirth God’s act of destroying our memories of the past is a blessing to us. If
one does want to know about one’s past and future then he or she has to develop
such powers through Yoga and Meditation.
Adapted from
‘Dharmic Shiksha (Vedic Religious Knowledge) – Form Four’, Arya Pratinidhi Sabha
of Fiji 1999.
Copyright: Arya
Pratinidhi Sabha of Fiji
back
to top
|
