(Originally written April 20, 2007 in Book 7)
Philosophy of Religion
John H. Hick
Chapter 10 - Human Destiny: Karma and Reincarnation
The Popular Concept
It is common in the West to believe in a single birth and death. But, in Hindu culture it is common to believe in an endless cycle of life.
The East will point to the difficulty in Western thought of a divine all-Good God and inequality of birth as contradictory. Hindu thought makes inequality of bird a natural consequence of a previous life.
There are three main strands of personal identity in a human being:
1) a connecting thread of memory
2) a bodily continuity
3) a psychological continuity of mental dispositions
A connecting thread of memory and bodily continuity are lost in reincarnation; but, a psychological continuity of mental dispositions is retained.
The criteria of reincarnation verifiability is too broad. If simply claiming that because I have the same personality traits as some one who died a long time ago makes me the reincarnation for that person then I could be the reincarnation of anyone.
The Vedantic Conception
In Vedantic Hinduism, Brahman is the ultimate reality beyond all equalities.
Brahman expresses itself through the existence of the material universe (maya) which is temporary and finite.
Each individual soul (jiva) is a manifestation of maya. Both the maya and jiva are illusionary.
Brahman is like space. Jiva is like a jar. The space inside the jar is the true reality of the jar. Once the jar is broken the space inside the jar converges with all of space. Thus, once finite existence is overcome the self can merge with the real self. Jiva can merge with Brahman.
Hindus believe in reincarnation for three reasons:
1) It is revealed in the Vedas
2) It makes sense of many aspects of life
3) There are fragmentary memories of former lives and fuller memories in those who achieve moksha (liberation and enlightenment)
A Demythologized Interpretation
Karma can be conceived of as a collective, non-individual force. In this way it is a moral truth.
Thus, we are not monadic individuals, but mutually interacting parts of one human world.
"Most western philosophers would probably have no difficulty accepting the last form of reincarnation doctrine, for it is a vivid affirmation of humanity" (Hick, 143).
Fin.
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