Author: Mehrullah Azizi
An Analysis of the History and Beliefs of Buddhism (part 24)
Beliefs and Doctrines of Buddhism
5. Denial of the Hereafter (Day of Judgment) (continued)
Part Two: Reincarnation
To further clarify this view, it should be noted that the doctrine of reincarnation is divided into four types or stages:
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Nasakh (transmigration within humans):
In this stage, the soul is transferred from one human being to another human being. This is called nasakh because the soul leaves one person and appears in the body of another person. This is considered a transfer within the same category of human beings.
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Maskh (transformation into animals):
This stage applies to people whose souls, due to wrongdoing and sins, are transferred after death into animal bodies. In this case, the soul moves within the realm of animals.
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Raskh (transformation into plants or inert matter): In this stage, the soul is transferred into beings such as plants. According to them, this stage is more severe because the soul moves from one category to another—for example, from human to plant. Moreover, the soul remains in a fixed, inactive state for a long time, like a plant or even a stone, which has stability and lack of movement.
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Faskh (final dissolution): This stage is contrary to the others and refers to plants that are cut or animals that are slaughtered—beings from which nothing remains after destruction. In this stage, the lowest level of souls comes to an end, and the cycle is completed.
However, the ultimate goal of reincarnation differs in Buddhism and Brahmanical Hinduism. In Brahmanism (Hinduism), it is said that the goal of reincarnation is liberation from worldly attachments and desires; the soul ultimately returns to its original source, Brahma, and becomes one with it—like a drop of water dissolving into the ocean. [1]
In Buddhism, however, the final goal of this cycle of repeated births is the attainment of Nirvana—complete extinction, the end of suffering, and the permanent cessation of this cycle of rebirth.
The belief in reincarnation is not exclusive to Buddhism. Historically, other groups and nations have also believed in it. It is said that ancient Egyptians, some Greek philosophers, and certain thinkers in Persia also held such beliefs. Likewise, in Hindu tradition, this belief is considered one of the most fundamental and ancient doctrines.
In fact, many Indian religions—both before and after Buddha—have adopted this belief from ancient religious traditions. It is even said that reincarnation is so deeply integrated into Indian religious thought that denial of it may exclude someone from being considered a complete follower of those traditions. [2]
B: Response and Critique
The doctrine of reincarnation, as believed by Buddhists, is a superstitious and false belief rooted in the philosophies of ancient Egypt and Greece. The idea that the human soul passes through multiple bodies after death is rejected both by reason and revelation. Below is a rational and theological critique of this theory:
First: According to this belief, a person is rewarded or punished based on deeds from a previous life, yet this contradicts justice, because the individual has no awareness or memory of that previous life. Punishment or reward is only just when a person knows what they have done.
Second: Reincarnation claims that the soul transfers from one body to another. But the question arises: if personality, memory, mental characteristics, and even the body completely change, what remains that allows us to say it is the “same person”? If nothing identifiable remains, then attributing reward or punishment to the same individual becomes meaningless and unacceptable.
Third: If the human soul is transferred into an animal body, and animals lack moral consciousness, how can they carry moral responsibility or complete moral consequences? A being without moral choice cannot be subject to ethical accountability or spiritual evolution.
Fourth: Philosophers claim that spiritual punishment alone is sufficient. However, such punishment is so weak that it neither prevents injustice nor deters wrongdoing. Real pleasure and pain are always connected to the physical body—touch, sight, pain, and comfort are bodily experiences, not merely mental ones. Therefore, if punishment is only spiritual, how can it effectively prevent wrongdoing?
To be continued…
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Sources:
- Reincarnation: Its Principles and the Islamic Ruling on It, p. 201, cited in Duha al-Islam, Vol. 1, p. 250; and Islamic Philosophy, p. 134.
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The Concept of the Hereafter in Buddhism, p. 11.
