Reincarnation
Authoritative Sources (to incorporate)[edit]
- Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, section 156 (pp. 183-185 (all)) (older translation at Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Bahá 'Abbás, pp. 642 (4th sentence from the top) -645 (3rd sentence from the bottom))
- Some Answered Questions, Chapter 81
Two aspects to reincarnation[edit]
"Question: What is your belief about reincarnation?
"Answer: The subject of reincarnation has two aspects. One is that which the Hindustani people believe, and even that is subdivided into two: reincarnation and metempsychosis. According to one belief the soul goes and then returns in certain reincarnations; therefore, they say that a sick person is sick because of actions in a previous incarnation and that this is retribution. The other school of Hinduism believes that man sometimes appears as an animal--a donkey, for instance--and that this is retribution for past acts. I am referring to the beliefs in that country, the beliefs of the schools. There is a reincarnation of the prophetic mission. Jesus Christ, speaking of John the Baptist, declared he was Elias. When John the Baptist was questioned, "Art thou Elias?" he said, "I am not." These two statements are apparently contradictory, but in reality they do not contradict. The light is one light. The light which illumined this lamp last night is illuminating it tonight. This does not mean that the identical rays of light have reappeared but the virtues of illumination. The light which revealed itself through the glass reveals itself again so that we can say the light of this evening is the light of last evening relighted. This is as regards its virtues and not as regards its former identity. This is our view of reincarnation. We believe in that which Jesus Christ and all the Prophets have believed. For example, the Báb states, "I am the return of all the Prophets." This is significant of the oneness of the prophetic virtues, the oneness of power, the oneness of bestowal, the oneness of radiation, the oneness of expression, the oneness of revelation."
- ('Abdu'l-Bahá, Promulgation of Universal Peace, pp. 167-168)
Reincarnation does not exist (nor has it been taught in prior revelations); we come to the planet only once (from conception/embryonic development in the womb) though we can develop infinitely in the next world[edit]
Reincarnation does not exist; we come to the planet only once (as baby in the womb) though God can help us develop in the next world[edit]
"We know from His Teachings that reincarnation does not exist. We come on to this planet once only. Our life here is like the baby in the womb of its mother, which develops in that state what is necessary for its entire life after it is born. The same is true of us. Spiritually we must develop here what we will require for the life after death. In that future life, God, through His Mercy, can help us to evolve characteristics which we neglected to develop while we were on this earthly plane. It is not necessary for us to come back and be born into another body in order to advance spiritually and grow closer to God.
- (From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, April 22, 1954: Ibid., in Lights of Guidance, no. 1826)
No revelation from God has ever taught reincarnation; the soul comes into being at conception/embryo formation and continues after death, with capacity for infinite development[edit]
"It is clear from the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh about the nature of the soul and of life after death as published in 'Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh', that the Bahá'í position on this subject is wholly incompatible with the theory of reincarnation...
"...for your additional information we give the following quotations from letters written on behalf of the beloved Guardian on this subject:
'No revelation from God has ever taught reincarnation; this is a man-made conception. The soul of man comes into being at conception.' (To an individual believer, April 1, 1946)
...
'Evolution in the life of the individual starts with the formation of the human embryo and passes through various stages, and even continues after death in another form. The human spirit is capable of infinite development.
'Man's identity or rather his individuality is never lost. His reality as a person remains intact throughout the various states of his development. He does not preexist in any form before coming into this world.' (To an individual believer, November 26, 1939)
...
- (From a letter of the Universal House of Justice to the National Spiritual Assembly of Monaco, August 5, 1969, in Lights of Guidance, no. 1820)
Need for accepting the Faith's teachings on non-reality of reincarnation (regardless of other believers or scholars)[edit]
We must use Writings of the Prophets as our measurement (and Bahá'u'lláh did not mention reincarnation)[edit]
"We must use the Writings of the Prophets as our measurement. If Bahá'u'lláh had attached the slightest importance to occult experiences, to the seeing of auras, to the hearing of mystic voices; if He had believed that reincarnation was a fact, He, Himself, would have mentioned all of these things in His Teachings. The fact that He passed over them in silence shows that to Him, they had either no importance or no reality, and were consequently not worthy to take up His time as the Divine Educator of the human race."
- (From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, April 22, 1954: Ibid., in Lights of Guidance, no. 1827)
We must accept what 'Abdu'l-Bahá says about (non-existence of) re-incarnation as true[edit]
"What the Master says about re-incarnation we Bahá'ís must accept as true; the proofs and evidence to the contrary are subject to other interpretations than that of re-incarnation."
The followers of Bahá'u'lláh must accept the teaching that reincarnation does not exist[edit]
"We know from His Teachings that reincarnation does not exist...
"This is the Bahá'í Teaching, and this is what the followers of Bahá'u'lláh must accept, regardless of what experiences other people may feel they have."
- (From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, April 22, 1954: Ibid., in Lights of Guidance, no. 1826)
Bahá'í position is incompatible with reincarnation and we are not influenced by categorical assertions of scholars[edit]
"It is clear from the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh about the nature of the soul and of life after death as published in 'Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh', that the Bahá'í position on this subject is wholly incompatible with the theory of reincarnation...
"...for your additional information we give the following quotations from letters written on behalf of the beloved Guardian on this subject:
...
'We as Bahá'ís are not influenced by the categorical assertions of scholars. We believe that what Bahá'u'lláh has revealed and Abdu'l-Bahá has written is from God, and divinely inspired; that Bahá'u'lláh is a Manifestation of God, and has access to a knowledge denied to ordinary human beings.'" (Letter written to an individual believer, April 22, 1954 on behalf of the Guardian)
- (From a letter of the Universal House of Justice to the National Spiritual Assembly of Monaco, August 5, 1969, in Lights of Guidance, no. 1820)
Bahá'í cannot be a Theosophist for belief in reincarnation[edit]
"A Bahá'í cannot at the same time be a Theosophist; many Theosophists have become believers and very enlightened ones, but as we do not believe in reincarnation we obviously cannot be active as Theosophists and Bahá'ís at the same time."
"Proofs" of reincarnation subject to other interpretations (self-persuasion)[edit]
We must accept what 'Abdu'l-Bahá says about re-incarnation as true; its "proofs" are subject to other interpretations[edit]
"What the Master says about re-incarnation we Bahá'ís must accept as true; the proofs and evidence to the contrary are subject to other interpretations than that of re-incarnation."
People's imagination of a previous life can be explained by the power of the mind to imagine what it believes[edit]
"We know from His Teachings that reincarnation does not exist...
"This is the Bahá'í Teaching, and this is what the followers of Bahá'u'lláh must accept, regardless of what experiences other people may feel they have. You yourself must surely know that modern psychology has taught that the capacity of the human mind for believing what it imagines is almost infinite. Because people think they have a certain type of experience, they think they remember something of a previous life, does not mean they actually had the experience, or existed previously. The power of their mind would be quite sufficient to make them believe firmly such a thing had happened."
- (From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, April 22, 1954: Ibid., in Lights of Guidance, no. 1826)
We must accept non-existence of reincarnation regardless of the experiences other people may feel they have[edit]
"We know from His Teachings that reincarnation does not exist...
"This is the Bahá'í Teaching, and this is what the followers of Bahá'u'lláh must accept, regardless of what experiences other people may feel they have."
- (From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, April 22, 1954: Ibid., in Lights of Guidance, no. 1826)
Proofs against (certain types of) reincarnation[edit]
Culmination of everything in the material world would be in vain[edit]
"If the worlds of God were to culminate in this material world, then all creation would be in vain and existence itself would be a childish game. For the ultimate result of this endless universe, the most noble reality of man, would go hither and thither for a few days in this ephemeral abode and receive his rewards and punishments. In the end, all would attain perfection, the creation of God with its infinite beings would be completed and consummated, and thus the divinity of the Lord and the names and attributes of God would cease to have any effect and influence upon the spiritual beings which now exist."
- ('Abdu'l-Bahá, Some Answered Questions, Chapter 81, par. 12)
The material world does not have such worth that a man would wish to return a second time[edit]
"...this material world is not of such worth or advantage that one who has been freed from its cage should seek once again to be caught in its snare."
- ('Abdu'l-Bahá, Some Answered Questions, Chapter 81, par. 10)
All humankind is suffering and none at rest or blissful for a reward in past lives[edit]
"When thou lookest about thee with a perceptive eye, thou wilt note that on this dusty earth all humankind are suffering. Here no man is at rest as a reward for what he hath performed in former lives; nor is there anyone so blissful as seemingly to pluck the fruit of bygone anguish."
- ('Abdu'l-Bahá, Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, sec. 156, p. 184)
All humankind is suffering; no man at rest or so blissful in this world as to seem to pluck the fruit of bygone anguish[edit]
"When thou lookest about thee with a perceptive eye, thou wilt note that on this dusty earth all humankind are suffering. Here no man is at rest as a reward for what he hath performed in former lives; nor is there anyone so blissful as seemingly to pluck the fruit of bygone anguish."
- ('Abdu'l-Bahá, Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, sec. 156, p. 184)
Teaching the Faith to those who believe in reincarnation[edit]
Must only teach those really ready for the Cause; to let alone those who are not hungry; avoid controversial issues in the beginning if possible (e.g., reincarnation)[edit]
"We should never insist on teaching those who are not really ready for the Cause. If a man is not hungry, you cannot make him eat. Among the Theosophists there are, no doubt, many receptive souls, but those who are satisfied should be just associated with in a friendly way, but let alone. Once a seeker comes to accept the concept of progressive religion, and accepts Bahá'u'lláh as the Manifestation for this day, the reincarnation concept will fade away in the light of truth; we should try and avoid controversial issues in the beginning if possible."
- (On behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 23 June 1948, Unfolding Destiny, p. 451)
While not believing in reincarnation, one may refer one's friends to the explanation of 'return' as given by Bahá'u'lláh in the Kitab-i-Iqan and the statements made by Abdu'l-Bahá in 'Some Answered Questions' whereby the attributes and qualities but not essence or individuality of things returns[edit]
"It is clear from the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh about the nature of the soul and of life after death as published in 'Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh', that the Bahá'í position on this subject is wholly incompatible with the theory of reincarnation. We suggest that you refer this friend to the explanation of 'return' as given by Bahá'u'lláh in the Kitab-i-Iqan and the statements made by Abdu'l-Bahá in 'Some Answered Questions'.
"...for your additional information we give the following quotations from letters written on behalf of the beloved Guardian on this subject:
...
'The Bahá'í view of 'reincarnation' is essentially different from the Hindu conception. The Bahá'ís believe in the return of the attributes and qualities, but maintain that the essence or the reality of things cannot be made to return. Every being keeps its own individuality, but some of his qualities can be transmitted. The doctrine of metempsychosis upheld by the Hindus is fallacious.' (To an individual believer, March 27, 1938)
...
'Man's identity or rather his individuality is never lost. His reality as a person remains intact throughout the various states of his development. He does not preexist in any form before coming into this world.' (To an individual believer, November 26, 1939)
...
- (From a letter of the Universal House of Justice to the National Spiritual Assembly of Monaco, August 5, 1969, in Lights of Guidance, no. 1820)
Idea of reincarnation contrary to the Faith's Teachings; 'return' in the Iqán implies no return of the essence[edit]
"While we have not located any references to Madame Blavatsky, the founder of Theosophy, there are a number of statements, in letters written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, on Theosophy itself. For example:
- The idea of Masters as expounded by the Theosophists is contrary to the Teachings. The doctrine of 'return' as set forth by Bahá'u'lláh in the Iqán is essentially different, implying no incarnation or return of the essence, but simply the return of the attributes and qualities. It is just like the return of fragrance and colour in flowers. The individuality is neither lost nor identified. It is untransferable.
- It is therefore sheer superstition to believe that holy souls can voluntarily return to this world and serve the people.
- (22 April 1939 to an individual believer)
- (On behalf of the Universal House of Justice, "New Religious Movements, Tolkien, Marriage", 6 July 1994)
For Bahá'í friends who believe in such as reincarnation, there is need to educate the friends in the teachings (and practice them in our everyday life through our example and Administration and in our contacts with other people) and gradually wean them away from such illusions[edit]
"Concerning your appeal for a solution to the problem, we are instructed to say that the approach is twofold. It involves a process of educating the friends, deepening their understanding of the Teachings and their trust in the power of the Cause, and gradually weaning them away from those illusions and practices which are potentially destructive of their spiritual and material well-being.
"You are encouraged to ponder the advice contained in the following statement written on behalf of the beloved Guardian to an individual believer who was troubled about matters that are similar, although not identical, to those which concern the friends in Trinidad and Tobago:
'We must use the Writings of the Prophets as our measurement. If Bahá'u'lláh had attached the slightest importance to occult experiences, to the seeing of auras, to the hearing of mystic voices; if He had believed that reincarnation was a fact, He, Himself, would have mentioned all of these things in His Teachings. The fact that He passed over them in silence shows that to Him, they had either no importance or no reality, and were consequently not worthy to take up His time as the Divine Educator of the human race.
'We must turn our faces away from these things, and toward the actual practice of His Teachings in our everyday life through our Bahá'í Administration, and in our contact with other people and the examples we give.'"
- (From a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer, August 30, 1984, in Lights of Guidance, no. 1771)
