What is the history of the belief in karmic rebirth?
August 3, 2016 7:55 PM Subscribe
Need help researching karmic rebirth in Buddhism
I am fascinated with the Buddhist idea of karmic rebirth, and want to know the best resources for discovering the history of this idea.
Any books or other sources that can assist me in tracing the origin of this tenet in Buddhist thought are enormously appreciated. When did it start? Were there precedents in other religions? Etc.
I am fascinated with the Buddhist idea of karmic rebirth, and want to know the best resources for discovering the history of this idea.
Any books or other sources that can assist me in tracing the origin of this tenet in Buddhist thought are enormously appreciated. When did it start? Were there precedents in other religions? Etc.
The exhaustive, sometimes-dry-but-always-erudite History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps podcast is currently deep into a series on the history of Indian philosophy and its relationship to India's faiths, including Buddhism (scroll down for these). One of them focuses on the concept of karma and its theological implications.
posted by ryanshepard at 9:38 PM on August 3, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by ryanshepard at 9:38 PM on August 3, 2016 [2 favorites]
Can we stay in touch about this?
My very lay man's understanding is that reincarnation is not just Buddhist, it goes back farther. Plus, apparently the Gnostics had this going on. In contemporary times, critiques of the Matrix film series peg them as Gnostic, and the definitive film about reincarnation is without peer A Cloud Atlas, also by the Wachoski Siblings + Tim Twver, who did the film Run Lola, Run. Also in the same vein.
A Cloud Atlas.
So much beauty there. Anyway, MeMail me. I saw Cloud Atlas with a friend that practices Hindu, and she was less blown away.
There's a new book about comparative religion and geological history and magical practice by Gordon White called Star Ships
This book ticks your box.
Let's talk. It's a good question.
I actually see the question of reincarnation as of political importance. For example, if we reincarnate, then a lot of geopolitical conflicts and violence, generally, just looks a bit unnecessary. Oops. What a can of worms here!
Anyway, this is a great question I've been pondering from different angles. Go ahead. Keep thinking about it. You're not wrong.
You might also want to google "Latter Day of the Law Buddhism" just as another aside.
posted by jbenben at 1:07 AM on August 4, 2016 [1 favorite]
My very lay man's understanding is that reincarnation is not just Buddhist, it goes back farther. Plus, apparently the Gnostics had this going on. In contemporary times, critiques of the Matrix film series peg them as Gnostic, and the definitive film about reincarnation is without peer A Cloud Atlas, also by the Wachoski Siblings + Tim Twver, who did the film Run Lola, Run. Also in the same vein.
A Cloud Atlas.
So much beauty there. Anyway, MeMail me. I saw Cloud Atlas with a friend that practices Hindu, and she was less blown away.
There's a new book about comparative religion and geological history and magical practice by Gordon White called Star Ships
This book ticks your box.
Let's talk. It's a good question.
I actually see the question of reincarnation as of political importance. For example, if we reincarnate, then a lot of geopolitical conflicts and violence, generally, just looks a bit unnecessary. Oops. What a can of worms here!
Anyway, this is a great question I've been pondering from different angles. Go ahead. Keep thinking about it. You're not wrong.
You might also want to google "Latter Day of the Law Buddhism" just as another aside.
posted by jbenben at 1:07 AM on August 4, 2016 [1 favorite]
Just want to add that the Gordon White book answers your question + you can contact him on Twitter or FB for clarification.
I'm only halfway through Star Ships. Pretty sure your answer is in there.
posted by jbenben at 1:12 AM on August 4, 2016
I'm only halfway through Star Ships. Pretty sure your answer is in there.
posted by jbenben at 1:12 AM on August 4, 2016
Buddhist Abbot and scholar Thanissaro Bhikkhu wrote an excellent book about this that you can read for free online. Given your interest I would direct you to chapter 2: An Ancient Controversy.
posted by selfnoise at 4:49 AM on August 4, 2016
posted by selfnoise at 4:49 AM on August 4, 2016
This is actually one of those questions where the Wikipedia article (Saṃsāra) is useful, and extensively documented with references to recent scholarly publications. Basically, the idea of a cycle of rebirth, affected by one's deeds, appears in the Upanishads, and is shared by all the major Indian religious traditions (Buddhism, Jainism, Hindu traditions, and Sikhism). They differ quite a lot in the metaphysical details, though - e.g. the Hindu philosophers discussed the relationship of the individual unchanging soul (Atman) with the world soul (Brahman), while Buddhists deny the very existence of an unchanging self.
posted by brianogilvie at 7:47 AM on August 4, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by brianogilvie at 7:47 AM on August 4, 2016 [2 favorites]
I am not clear if you are interested in Buddhist only resources. I don't think I have read about Buddhism per se and have not read anything in this space in a long time.
If you are interested in more beyond that, serious astrology texts posit that we reincarnate and we have some say in the timing of our birth and initial life circumstances. Spiritually oriented astrology texts will talk about things like charts that describe a life that is predominantly reaping karma or sowing karma. So, you might be interested in books like Astrology, karma and transformation. Searching Amazon for "spiritual astrology" gets plenty of titles.
You might also be interested in the works of Edgar Cayce. At one time, I had multiple books derived from his psychic readings. If you search Amazon, there are many books about him, some of which speak of things like the Akashic record, which a concept relevant to karma and reincarnation. "There is a river" is a good place to start in order to understand who he was and what his life's work was all about.
Some sources claim that early Christians were also practitioners of astrology and believed in reincarnation. Such texts will pull out specific quotes from the Bible and interpret them through a lens of astrology and reincarnation.
posted by Michele in California at 11:04 AM on August 4, 2016
If you are interested in more beyond that, serious astrology texts posit that we reincarnate and we have some say in the timing of our birth and initial life circumstances. Spiritually oriented astrology texts will talk about things like charts that describe a life that is predominantly reaping karma or sowing karma. So, you might be interested in books like Astrology, karma and transformation. Searching Amazon for "spiritual astrology" gets plenty of titles.
You might also be interested in the works of Edgar Cayce. At one time, I had multiple books derived from his psychic readings. If you search Amazon, there are many books about him, some of which speak of things like the Akashic record, which a concept relevant to karma and reincarnation. "There is a river" is a good place to start in order to understand who he was and what his life's work was all about.
Some sources claim that early Christians were also practitioners of astrology and believed in reincarnation. Such texts will pull out specific quotes from the Bible and interpret them through a lens of astrology and reincarnation.
posted by Michele in California at 11:04 AM on August 4, 2016
From http://www.accesstoinsight.org/
This site contains the "original" teachings of the Buddha (translated into English)
The Buddhist term is
Samsara (the round of rebirth)
Search for Samsara
posted by Dr. Robert at 2:16 PM on August 7, 2016
This site contains the "original" teachings of the Buddha (translated into English)
The Buddhist term is
Samsara (the round of rebirth)
Search for Samsara
posted by Dr. Robert at 2:16 PM on August 7, 2016
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by erst at 8:03 PM on August 3, 2016