By Rev Dr Felix Chung
Definition of
reincarnation

What is re-incarnation?
According to A Lion Handbook of Religions,
the word “reincarnation” means the belief
that individual souls survive death and are
reborn to live again in a different body, thus
passing through a series of lives.
Held in pre-Aryan India, the belief is
associated with the doctrine of Karma.

Some traditions believe rebirth is possible
only in human bodies; others envisage hellish
or heavenly states, while others suggest a
transmigration in which human souls are tied
to animal or vegetable forms.
Some Hindu apologists explain the doctrine
as a mythical way of speaking about the
continuity of the human race.

Transmigration of souls: The belief held by
some Hindus that souls are detached from
their bodies at death and are attached to
other human, animal or vegetable bodies.
What the new body will be depends on the
individual’s karma.

Where does it come
from?

 The concept of life after death is rooted in many
eastern religions. In religion perspective,
reincarnation belongs to the study of life after death
in folk religions.
Reincarnation in Chinese
context

It belongs to little tradition of Buddhism and
Taoism, and folk religions, integrated with
local cultures
The reincarnation concept developed into
different teachings in different Buddhism
stream
In Tibetan Buddhism, there are various form
of reincarnation, the common idea is the
“Namshés”

Namshés the abbreviated form of
namparshéspa; which is the name of a
principle that knows.
There are six distinct namparshéspa, each of
the five senses has its own particular
namparshéspa.
A sixth one is attached to the mind, which is
regarded as the awareness of the personality.

The namshés is a spiritual entity attached to
the material body but not entirely dependent
upon it, which separates from it at the time of
death and ceases to be usable by it.
This namshés then emigrate and take up
residence in another body.
Taoist religious concept on
immortality

Not exactly like the concept of reincarnation
or transmigration, it is a quest for the
immortality through various ways, the
popular ways are through alchemist works,
breathing exercises in meditation, and magic.
In some cases, they believe the soul can leave
a person’s physical body and travel to and
back from other space and time dimensions.
Folk religions

 One distinct difference in Taoist religion is that they
believe the immortality of the physical body.
Buddhism in little tradition and folk religious
beliefs are similar.
It is closely related to the concept of Karma
(game of action), and the system of merit and
punishment.
The characteristics of
Chinese religious concept

The relationship between Man,
gods/spirits/ghosts, and land
The cyclic circle of time moving towards the
future
The dynamic force of Ying-Yan working in
the universe
Therefore, we have diverse religious beliefs
that are integrated together in Chinese minds
Gods
(Heavenly; both personal and impersonal)
Spirits
Man
Land / Nature
Time: cyclic and moving forward by recurrence
Relationship in this universe: Gods, man and nature, closely relates to
each other
Spiritual world and spirits, closely related to gods, man, and nature, a
holistic approach integrates all together
(Felix Chung 2006)
Life after death

-Life after death in Eastern religion is not an
end of life, but a beginning of a next life of a
person
 -The boundary between human beings and
Gods/ spirits is open, human beings are
freely moving upward to the higher
hierarchy/other form of life or downward to
the lower hierarchy/form of life, depending
on the merits
Chinese reincarnation
concept

In folk religious beliefs, a person has three
souls and 7 spirits, one body.
If a person died, his seven spirits will
disappear, one spirit disappears in every 7
days.

His three souls will also go to different
destination, one goes into the grave with the
deceased body, one goes into the wooden
tablet in the temple or in home, the third will
go to the Hades which Chinese called yellow
spring.

 It is the third one that will be reincarnate and
takes another body to rebirth. The one that is in
the wooden tablet and in the grave will be
worshipped by the descendants, therefore will
be rested forever.
 This concept of reincarnation is far from logical
thinking, if you ask why there are three different
souls going into different destination, and why
the reborn-soul will then take another two
different souls to form the new identity. Why
only one soul reincarnate?

You never find a logical answer. However,
since folk religions is talking about power
and authority; obedience and believe,
followers are not supposed to ask questions,
but to follow the guidance.
The related concept and religious rites that
are developed by the concept of life after
death are:

1 Ancestor worship: to make sure your
ancestor rest peacefully, you need to take
care of them well. Therefore,
veneration(religious value and acts) and
honour (cultural and social value and acts)
are closely associated.

2.Ghosts and spirits worship
3.The merits and punishment system: merits
can help to transfer the lost souls, wondering
ghosts, deceased ancestor’s souls to another
level of life forms peacefully.

 Reciting of Buddhism texts in some streams of
Buddhism; good behaviour; and charity works
all can help to gain favourable merits for
someone or the dead.
 In the transmigration, it is particular important
for someone to gain enough merits if he or she
wants to be transferred to a higher level of life
form or to be remained as human beings.
However, that transferal is not assured.
Christianity

What do we believe in life after death?
The teachings of Jesus Christ(Lk 16:19-31)
 Souls could not come back to the earth; nor could they
communicate with people who are still living alive
 Souls will be rested or suffer in Hades waiting for the
final judgment
 Only those who believe in Jesus Christ are resting while
waiting for the final judgment

 The teachings of Paul & John:
-There is no reincarnation, but a final judgment
-There will be the resurrection of the dead (Rev 20:46); judgment of the dead and the second death of the
dead (Rev 20:11-15)
-There is the transformation of body (1Cor 15:50-54; 1
Thess 4:15-18) rather than the transmigration after death
-There is only one chance to believe in Christ, that is
while you are still have life on earth, not after
What should we do in
gospel conversation?

Dialogue with those who believe in
transmigration or reincarnation based on the
teaching of the bible.
Share the Christ-centered gospels: 1Cor 15:35
 -Christ died for our sins in accordance with
the scriptures
 He was buried

 He was raised on the third day in accordance with the
scriptures
 He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve, then he
appeared t more than five hundred brothers and
sisters at one time

Remind them of the chance of making thing
right with God while they are still living on
earth, not trusting life after death which is
quite uncertain and is not assured.
Since they believe in judgment according to
behavior, engage with them the conversation
of the doctrine of sins and grace.
Doctrine of creation is a good entry point
What can we learn?

Since there is a judgment day, no second
chance for all, to live for God as his witness
and ambassador while we still have the
chance on earth.
Since we are certain of the coming of the end
of our life on earth, to grasp / hold tightly
the doctrine of grace and to serve & love him
with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength