A documentary broken into 4 parts:
the concept of reincarnation, I think, has broad appeal, even to people who have no religious inclinations.
Thus, reviving this topic.
A pity that the video links shared be @Jereme are no longer available.
Sharing a video on 观落阴 (I guess can be loosely translated as communicating with the dead or seance) and its relation to reincarnation:
Some pointers I picked up from the Venerable:
- one will definitely reincarnate within 49 days from death
- the first 7 days is critical and one would likely reincarnate then
- a small “death” occurs after every 7 day period if one is unable to reincarnate up to 7 times (7 x 7 = 49 days)
- communicating with the dead may not mean one is really speaking to one’s intended loved one - could be another entity
Question on rebirth & reincarnation Ajahn Brahm explains how you can see past life in meditation
Going through this video, brings to mind how important the belief in reincarnation is to our practice.
If one is is able to see one’s past life, one’s faith in reincarnation, past lives and rebirth will naturally increase.
The attachment to the current life should diminish.
As Ajahn Brahm says it to ““see the big picture””
Has anyone in this forum been able to experience their past life before?
Venerable Thubten Chodron taking some questions on Rebirth.
I had 2 points to think about after watching the video:
- rebirth / reincarnation is critical to the practice of Buddhism
- is there a self that continues from rebirth to rebirth? Buddha has refuted it and taught about no self but am I able to really discern this Truth?
Part 2 of the Question and Answer session with Venerable Thubten Chodron on Rebirth:
The Venerable talks about the soul versus impermanence and mindstreams and other concepts.
I find it quite deep and hard to understand…will need to chew on it…
Venerable Tenzin Tsepal explores four reasons to consider rebirth and the evidence for past and future lives.
In the previous video (by Venerable Tenzin Tsepal), it was mentioned that Dr Jim Tucker was like the successor in scientific research into reincarnation after Dr Ian Stevenson retired.
So who is Dr Jim Tucker?
A search on YouTube also turned up this video:
Evidence of Reincarnation by Dr. Jim Tucker (clip)
Some choice quotes from the video:
consciouness continues on after the physical body dies
challenges us to take a different view of reality
Master Ri-Chang shared this quote
所以我们平常有一句话，“顶圣眼生天，人心饿鬼腹”， 然后呢“畜生膝盖离，地狱脚板出”，就是说这个他走的时候，这个看他识从哪一个地方走，就晓得下一世到哪里去。
Lamrim Commentary Track 76a
My reading of the quote is that from observing where the consciousness begins to depart from our body, one can know which realm the consciousness will be going.
Master Ri-Chang notes that eventually the consciousness will depart from the heart area.
这个是指他粗细慢慢地，暖舍的时候的次第，实际上最后那个识心，细的识心最后走的时候，从那个心生的地方走。
I find it interesting the level of detail that Buddhist teachings go into, especially on the topic of death that is not much discussed in society but I think most people are very much worried about.
Master Sheng Yen talks about reincarnation:
Buddhism holds that reincarnation is an inevitable phenomenon. People must take responsibility for all their actions, so we get what we deserve through reincarnation.