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28th
August 2010
Reincarnation
(Continued from
Weekend Voice of August 7th)
 But
you have asked for arguments of the impossibility
of reincarnation. This is what we must now explain.
The first argument for its impossibility is
that the outward is the expression of the inward;
the earth is the mirror of the Kingdom; the
material world corresponds to the spiritual
world. Now observe that in the sensible world
appearances are not repeated, for no being in
any respect is identical with, nor the same
as, another being. The sign of singleness is
visible and apparent in all things. If all the
granaries of the world were full of grain, you
would not find two grains absolutely alike,
the same and identical without any distinction.
It is certain that there will be differences
and distinctions between them. As the proof
of uniqueness exists in all things, and the
Oneness and Unity of God is apparent in the
reality of all things, the repetition of the
same appearance is absolutely impossible. Therefore,
reincarnation, which is the repeated appearance
of the same spirit with its former essence and
condition in this same world of appearance,
is impossible and unrealizable. As the repetition
of the same appearance is impossible and interdicted
for each of the material beings, so for spiritual
beings also, a return to the same condition,
whether in the arc of descent or in the arc
of ascent, is interdicted and impossible, for
the material corresponds to the spiritual.
Nevertheless, the return of material beings
with regard to species is evident; so the trees
which during former years brought forth leaves,
blossoms and fruits in the coming years will
bring forth exactly the same leaves, blossoms
and fruits. This is called the repetition of
species. If anyone makes an objection saying
that the leaf, the blossom and the fruit have
been decomposed, and have descended from the
vegetable world to the mineral world, and again
have come back from the mineral world to the
vegetable world, and, therefore, there has been
a repetition -- the answer is that the blossom,
the leaf and the fruit of last year were decomposed,
and these combined elements were disintegrated
and were dispersed in space, and that the particles
of the leaf and fruit of last year, after decomposition,
have not again become combined, and have not
returned. On the contrary, by the composition
of new elements, the species has returned. It
is the same with the human body, which after
decomposition becomes disintegrated, and the
elements which composed it are dispersed.
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If,
in like manner, this body should again return
from the mineral or vegetable world, it would
not have exactly the same composition of elements
as the former man. Those elements have been
decomposed and dispersed; they are dissipated
in this vast space. Afterward, other particles
of elements have been combined, and a second
body has been formed; it may be that one of
the particles of the former individual has entered
into the composition of the succeeding individual,
but these particles have not been conserved
and kept, exactly and completely, without addition
or diminution, so that they may be combined
again, and from that composition and mingling
another individual may come into existence.
So it cannot be proved that this body with all
its particles has returned; that the former
man has become the latter; and that, consequently,
there has been repetition; that the spirit also,
like the body, has returned; and that after
death its essence has come back to this world.
If we say that this reincarnation is for acquiring
perfections so that matter may become refined
and delicate, and that the light of the spirit
may be manifest in it with the greatest perfection,
this also is mere imagination. For, even supposing
we believe in this argument, still change of
nature is impossible through renewal and return.
The essence of imperfection, by returning, does
not become the reality of perfection; complete
darkness, by returning, does not become the
source of light; the essence of weakness is
not transformed into power and might by returning,
and an earthly nature does not become a heavenly
reality. The tree of Zaqqum,[1] no matter how
frequently it may come back, will not bring
forth sweet fruit, and the good tree, no matter
how often it may return, will not bear a bitter
fruit. Therefore, it is evident that returning
and coming back to the material world does not
become the cause of perfection.
(ContinueD in next Weekend VOICE)
Discuss
Story
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