Ask A Monk: Remembering Past Lives

"Why don't we remember past lives?"

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[CecilBlanc]

The human population has increased and increased over time. Could someone explain the reincarnation process in relation to this. Are there brand new lives that come into existence? Or if we were to take the scientific facts of evolution or the fact that all life (including human beings) evolved from stars atoms etc, were we once stars, bacteria, animals before we were humans?

[MrGunwitch]

@iceseekers

...less of me. There is no me, this is the whole point. One who has realised enlightenment is one who has realised anatta (no-self).

[MrGunwitch]

@iceseekers

Some comments:

1) Its good to be skeptical. The Buddha taught investigation not blind faith. This is a crucial distinction that seperates Buddhism from all the quack religions out there.

2) There are no 'souls' per se. What we construe of as an 'I' is merely a process. This process is conditioned by prior actions, (including those from previous incarnations). It is this 'mind-stream' process that passes from one life to another.

3) The whole idea is to think

tbc

[tanned06]

By equipping oneself with a strong concentrated mind emergent from Jhana or access concentration meditation, one is capable of analyzing the ultimate truth of mind and matter. From which, retrospecting into nama-rupa of the past through maneuvering mind stream can be achieved to experientially see one's past lives. This knowledge will absolutely clear one doubt about the existence of rebirth, and the function of dependent origination crossing generations.

[Anon371]

All of us can learn how to recall who we were in past lives by training in objective psychic techniques to access the Akashic Records.

[arsehole420]

i was on board with you until you said "i can barely remember what i did this morning."

[Mahatche]

@MagpieRising Rebirth was never an important part of the system for me. For me the part that covers life is more important than what happens after death. No religion gives a good answer on after life IMO. But Philosophically I relate in every other way. Meditation is being backed by neuro scientists. I could care less about the after life. The Buddhist way of living, helps me more than their way of death.

[zamplify]

@ShaloneCason Sādhu!

[MagpieRising]

@ShaloneCason not having evidence for past lives is/was crucial for me. The whole system seems to be based on reincarnation, cause and effect, determinism, etc. So to not have experience or evidence of reincarnation makes it difficult to take the rest of the teachings seriously, especially if you are someone who considers their non-spiritual life fulfilling. I only turned to buddhism because non-spiritual life was unfulfilling. I still seek evidence for past lives to make faith less of a leap.

[ShaloneCason]

How can remembering a past life make me happier right now? i don't think it can...so I don't care to train such a skill or look further into such an idea. The Buddha admonished a man who spent 30 years learning how to walk on water, when he could have easily paid a boatman $10 to get across!