REINCARNATION AND REBIRTH

Dear Balarishi,

     You have told about your earlier birth memories. What is the difference between rebirth and reincarnation?

     When God descends on this earth, it is known as avathar. When an enlightened being comes again to this world, it is reincarnation. When a soul comes back due to the karmic plan, it is rebirth. Avathar and reincarnation happens with a sankalpa and a purpose. But rebirth is out of compulsion of the karmic arithmetic.

     Normally it is said that a child will have traces of previous life memories till it is one to one and a half years old. Later on those memories fade away and few vague strokes of resemblance flashes rarely.

     Re incarnation is mostly to continue the same path or spiritual work in more or less same situation. The association of the mission continues as though it is well planned. For me my affiliation and closeness to forests and chanting are very much connected with earlier life time. Even now whenever I read vedic chants for the first time they seem to be so familiar.

      As in Hinduism, Buddhism also has strong roots with reincarnation theory and many Buddhist monks reincarnate as per their own specifications given in preceding life time.