Originally posted by rvsakhadeoQuote: "A thought did occur to me while typing this out that this bundle of past memories/impressions could very well be taken,as per modern scientific thinking, as the information contained in the genetic code."
For your knowledge, Karoly, the Hindu thought in these matters says that we are formed of three bodies.One body is called the Sthula Deha or the gross body. As everyone knows the gross body is made up of muscles,bones,fat,blood etc. The second body is the Sukshma Deha or the subtle body. The subtle body comprises of the bundle of "Karma"s that we carry f ...[text shortened]... btle body by spiritual practices, we i.e. our Causal body,the Soul will not attain liberation.
This idea would require that our DNA be modifiable during our life in accordance with our memories/impressions, which means, modifiable by our experiences. This sounds like Lamarckianism, which has been abandoned. Furthermore, any DNA alterations that might encode our memories/impressions, would influence our offspring in this life, who are presumably other selves, not our putative reincarnations.
Originally posted by JS357Not what I thought. I was thinking of a transfer of our past memories and impressions as if they were electromagnetic waves and for this Subtle Body,comprising of our Karma Bundles and past impressions/memories to then latch on to the DNA strands(which may act as receptors) of the putative reincarnations.
Quote: "A thought did occur to me while typing this out that this bundle of past memories/impressions could very well be taken,as per modern scientific thinking, as the information contained in the genetic code."
This idea would require that our DNA be modifiable during our life in accordance with our memories/impressions, which means, modifiable by our exp ...[text shortened]... our offspring in this life, who are presumably other selves, not our putative reincarnations.
Only in this way,if at all,the recall of past births, by the reincarnated soul ,will be possible.
Wild thinking ?
Originally posted by rvsakhadeoIt's wild thinking that leads to scientific breakthroughs. Assuming for the sake of exploration that a transfer of memory/impressions occurs, and the transfer occurs in accordance with the natural order of the universe (not by case-by case ad-hoc divine intervention of the natural order) then a phenomenon is at work that is in principle, explainable by science. The idea of a natural transfer would also suggest that the sender "knows" the unique IP address-like identifier of the appropriate recipient and can connect to it, or the recipient "knows" the IP address-like identifier of the appropriate sender and can tune in to it. Or some sort of mutual match-up would occur, like looking for a lock and key that work together. Being natural and apparently unique to each individual, DNA would be a good candidate. With DNA being essential to the transfer, this would have the added benefit that we would not come back as rocks.🙂
Not what I thought. I was thinking of a transfer of our past memories and impressions as if they were electromagnetic waves and for this Subtle Body,comprising of our Karma Bundles and past impressions/memories to then latch on to the DNA strands(which may act as receptors) of the putative reincarnations.
Only in this way,if at all,the recall of past births, by the reincarnated soul ,will be possible.
Wild thinking ?
Originally posted by rvsakhadeoThis reminds me of Groundhog Day here in the USA.
Hindus believe that when a person dies i) his /her soul leaves the body and yet lingers on for a period of 10 days near the place of death,till a "Shraddha" ceremony is conducted which includes preparation of food items especially liked by the dead person and taking the offerings near the burning "ghat" and offering them to crows. If the crow takes the mo ...[text shortened]... is/her rebirth.
My request to you is whether you believe in reincarnation and why/why not ?
Originally posted by rvsakhadeoI love cows. Does that qualify me as a Hindu?
Hindu religious thought consists of a jumble of concepts from the noblest ones about the Ultimate Reality to hoary and ludicrous superstitions,because it is an old religion having absorbed many cultures and sects across the subcontinent. But have not heard of cow going to heaven on death.Cow is a sacred animal much loved by Hindus.
I don't eat cows though. I raise and slaughter my own steers. I love them too.
Delicious!
What do Hindus' do with their steers I'd like to know?
Originally posted by josephwHindus do not eat the meat of cows or steers. Bullocks are used for carts or for ploughing.
I love cows. Does that qualify me as a Hindu?
I don't eat cows though. I raise and slaughter my own steers. I love them too.
Delicious!
What do Hindus' do with their steers I'd like to know?
Originally posted by rvsakhadeoToward the end of winter many people gather around the hole in the
What happens on that day? Anything to do with the dead?
ground where the groundhog stays. If he comes out and sees his
shadow it is suppose to scare him so he goes back in. If he does not
see his shadow he is suppose to stay out and walk around. This is
suppose to be a sign of how much more winter or bad weather we
will have before spring. So they have news cameras out to record
the event and report what happened on the Television news. If they
say he saw his shadow, that is a sign that there will be six more weeks
of winter or bad weather. No, it does not have anything to do with
the dead. It was the sign aspect of both that reminded me of it.
Originally posted by JS357I have someting to add. The Hindu tradition on transmigration of souls states that ,at the moment of dying/near about it,whatever passes in the dying person's mind,will be the magnet towards which the Subtle Body and the Causal Body will be drawn. An example is given about a sage who was very fond of a pet deer,was thinking about it when dying,as a result of which,he became a deer in his next birth. So the problem about ID of the putative reincarnation is solved.
It's wild thinking that leads to scientific breakthroughs. Assuming for the sake of exploration that a transfer of memory/impressions occurs, and the transfer occurs in accordance with the natural order of the universe (not by case-by case ad-hoc divine intervention of the natural order) then a phenomenon is at work that is in principle, explainable by science ...[text shortened]... to the transfer, this would have the added benefit that we would not come back as rocks.🙂
However,we must presume that the bundle of Karmas and past impressions will travel as if it is an electomagnetic wave.
Even in this connection,there is some hope for the hypothesis. Telepathic transmission of thoughts between twins/perons deeply attached with each other is almost an accepted fact,leading to a conclusion that thought also travels as if it is an electomagnetic wave.
Originally posted by rvsakhadeoI have thought about the idea that we are like water evaporating from the sea, forming raindrops, that find our way back to the sea. Is this analogy inadequate? Total loss of identity, or, should I say, merging of identity into that of the sea. The analogy I think of when pondering reincarnation is of beads being strung on strings, defining an identity.
I have someting to add. The Hindu tradition on transmigration of souls states that ,at the moment of dying/near about it,whatever passes in the dying person's mind,will be the magnet towards which the Subtle Body and the Causal Body will be drawn. An example is given about a sage who was very fond of a pet deer,was thinking about it when dying,as a result ...[text shortened]... pted fact,leading to a conclusion that thought also travels as if it is an electomagnetic wave.
Both analogies allow for spiritual progress, the spiritual progress of a raindrop is given to the whole, the progress of a bead goes along the string.
I guess I see no good reason to commit to a reincarnation theory ("live as if it is true'😉 but I continue to explore.
Originally posted by rvsakhadeoThere is a significant proportion of Hindus who are not vegetarians. Those who do eat meat, have different approaches to the way the animal is killed. Jhakta is usually prescribed often, which is intended to cause the animal the least suffering. It is a form of beheading, rather than the slicing of the throat as prescribed by other religions, principally Judaism and Islam. Sikhs follow Jhakta also.
Hindus do not eat the meat of cows or steers. Bullocks are used for carts or for ploughing.
Hinduism contains many different and varying sects and, whilst in the main they follow vegetarianism, even those that do, can have some laws that allow the consumption of meat at times.
Various reasons for vegetarianism are offered, some emphasising health and Indian concepts of nutrition, others religious and ritual, and others from the idea of non-harm to living animals.
I understand reincarnation in a general sense rather than an individual sense, but one that includes the possibility that some aspects of 'individuals' can re-appear, in larger or greater part.
I am persuaded of the Buddhist idea of no final separate 'self', but they (somewhat awkwardly, imo) follow reincarnation ideas. They talk of 'mind-streams'. Currently I think we, connected to the underlying "Ground of Being", never actually die but simply change form, return and merge with the "Ocean" of the mysterious Source.
To me, Awareness or Mind, or the Tao is indestructable and is the heart of existence. 'We' are all a part of that and never leave it, but separate "selves" and "entities" are passing phenomenon within it, but phenomenon that appear to be somehow, in large or smaller part, influenced by what has gone 'before'.
Shakyamuni avoided talking to much about the afterlife, appearing to say that the here and now of suffering and release from suffering was the prior focus.
Originally posted by TaomanMany Hindus,in fact a majority of them,eat meat. But such food normally comprises of chicken,mutton,fish,eggs. Nowadays the rich and fashionable Hindus eat even Emu meat. There is a small percentage of Hindus who ,possibly among villages where the cowhide is still being used for various purpose, eat cows/bulls ( not by slaughtering them ) carcasses which the farmers ask them to remove.There are slaughterhouses for cows/bulls/buffaloes whose meat is exported to the middle east countries like Saudi Arabia,Kuwait etc. The export as well as the slaughter is organised by Muslims.
There is a significant proportion of Hindus who are not vegetarians. Those who do eat meat, have different approaches to the way the animal is killed. Jhakta is usually prescribed often, which is intended to cause the animal the least suffering. It is a form of beheading, rather than the slicing of the throat as prescribed by other religions, principally Jud ...[text shortened]... nutrition, others religious and ritual, and others from the idea of non-harm to living animals.