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that of stream-enterer, once-returner, non-returner, and 3. If we have lived before how is it that most of
arhatship are testimonies that Buddha taught rebirth us do not recall any of our past lives? Did the
as the natural condition in Saṃsāra and how to gain Buddha teach any techniques that allow us to
freedom from the afflictions. remember our previous existences?

2. The concept of rebirth or reincarnation Aggacitta: Modern research by Prof Ian Stevenson and
precedes the Buddha in India. How is the others on children who could spontaneously recall
teaching on rebirth taught by the Buddha their past lives concludes that one of the major factors
different from that of the other Indian teachers for such an ability lies in the proximity between the
of his time? locations where the previous personality lived and died,
and where the present one took rebirth and lived. It
Aggacitta: The difference lies in their interpretation seems that familiar objects tend to trigger spontaneous
of how rebirth can take place. Some said it is random, past life memories. Other factors include a traumatic
some fated, some the creation of a Creator in a higher death, a need to seek vengeance or to right a perceived
realm of existence; but the Buddha taught that rebirth is injustice suffered, and a strong attachment to family
the result of interactive past life and present life kamma. members. So perhaps for most of us the above factors
do not apply. Nonetheless, past life regression therapists
Ming Wei: The rebirth theories in different traditions claim that they can regress their clients through
within Hinduism rely on their foundational assumption hypnosis to access the past lives in which the root
that soul exists (atman), in contrast to Buddhist causes of their current problems lie.
assumption that there is no soul. Hindu traditions
consider soul to be the unchanging eternal essence The suttas mention non-Buddhist practitioners who
of a living being, and in many of its theistic and non- could recall a few past lives after attaining some sort
theistic traditions the soul asserted to be identical of samādhi. For Buddhist practitioners, the standard
with Brahman, the ultimate reality. Thus, while both technique is to develop the jhānas until the 4th one and
Buddhism and Hinduism accept the karma and rebirth incline the mind to recall past lives. However, since no
doctrine, and both focus on ethics in this life as well as details are given in the suttas on how to actually do so,
liberation from rebirth and suffering as the ultimate such details are provided by the commentaries, such as
spiritual pursuit, they have a very different view on the famous Visuddhi Magga (Path of Purity) compiled
whether a self or soul exists, which impacts the details by Ācariya Buddhaghosa.
of their respective rebirth theories
Ming Wei: Some people deny the existence of our
Dadul Namgyal: The main difference is that in teaching past lives simply because they cannot remember the
rebirth, he taught that while there is a self, it is not a events of their past. Rebirth is a reality although one
permanent, unitary, and independent entity. Like a may not be aware of it. Those who have developed
seed sown in the ground grows into a sprout, a plant, their minds through meditation have confirmed the
a tree, etc. and back to seed and so on, maintaining its existence of past lives. Meditators who have attained
continuum despite each instance of it being distinct powers of concentration have been able to recall their
and different from each other; like a river flows along previous lives in great detail. The Buddha and His
a stretch of earth, undergoing changes over the course prominent disciples, in many countries and at different
of it, yet continuing its flow forward, maintaining its times, have been able to prove the existence of past
continuity despite each stage of it being distinct and lives. The Buddha, on the night of His Enlightenment,
different from all the rest, likewise a sentient being can developed the ability to see His past lives. Thus, it was
be reborn in a continuity despite each moment of it from personal experience that the Buddha taught His
being distinct and different. followers the truth of rebirth.