Reincarnation East West

by Joseph Head and Joseph Head and S. L. Cranston (Editors)

Book Overview

Reincarnation: An East-West Anthology This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0835600351
• ISBN13: 9780835600354
• Release Date: January 1968
• Publisher: Quest Books (IL)
• Length: 341 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.1" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

Reincarnation most extensive collection, Presented by the writers

"I died as mineral and became a plant, I died as plant and rose as animal, I died as animal and I was man. ... Yet once more I shall die as a man, to soar ..." Rumi (Sufi poet) Reincarnation: Reincarnation (Metempsychosis) is a philosophical term, in Greek, referring to the belief of transmigration of the soul, especially its reincarnation after death. It is a doctrine popular among a number of Dharmic Religions of the East such as Hinduism and Jainism wherein an individual incarnates from one body to another, either human, animal, or plant. Generally the term is only used within the context of Greek Philosophy, but was also used by modern philosophers such as Schopenhauer; otherwise the phrase transmigration is more appropriate. While belief in reincarnation is most characteristic of Asian religions and philosophies, it also appears in the religious and philosophical thought of primitive religions, in the ancient Middle East, Manichaeism, and Gnosticism, as well as modern religious movements as theosophy. Birth and Rebirth: The major religions that hold a belief in reincarnation, however, are the Asian religions, especially Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, and Sikhism, all of which arose in India. They all hold in common a doctrine of karma (act), the law of cause and effect, which states that what one does in this present life will have its effect in the next life. In Hinduism the process of birth and rebirth--i.e., transmigration of souls--is endless until one achieves salvation, by realizing the truth that liberates--i.e., that the individual soul and the absolute soul are one. Thus, one can escape from the wheel of birth and rebirth. An Evolutionary Ascent: Professor John Boodin, was a devotee to the value of ancient thought, especially of Plato, so closely approximated some Ancient Wisdom teachings, that a Theosophist bestows on the passing phases of modern science, " Living things run their cycles in the cosmic process. They have their descent as well as ascent. ... The evolutionary ascent takes place through the stream of life from generation to generation. But the stream of life is not something apart from its environment. It includes its field. The stream of life of which we are a part runs its cycle within the earth cycle, devolution following evolution. The earth cycle itself runs its course within the solar cycle of which the earth and the other planets are a part. And the solar cycle runs its course within still more comprehensive cycles within which galaxies of stars rise from nebulae. But all the cycles run their course within the field of cosmic control." John Boodin, Three Interpretations of the Universe Early Christianity: While debating whether or not reincarnation was once believed by the early Church, reincarnation is a concept that tied early Christian doctrines with Neoplatonic philosophy. Some Gnostic sects, which differed very widely from Christian theology and living, adopted most of esoteric concepts. Most of

A Very, Very Informative Book !

This book is a good starting point for anyone wishing to learn about reincarnation. It has just about everything on the subject in it. The first chapters on the lectures at Harvard are a little heavy, but once you get past that (and you don't even have to read that part) there is a wealth of information that I think is unmatched in any other book. It is intellectual, without being boring, and fascinating and astounding without being too weird or unacceptable. Well done, and I highly recommend it.......you'll be amazed !!