The belief of Reincarnation and Past Life has existed for centuries in various civilizations and faiths .Oral traditions and written legends around the world make it evident that reincarnation has been an integral part of human worldviews from the early days of civilization.
Carl Gustav Jung (1875 – 1961) wrote ‘My life often seemed to me like a story that has no beginning and no end. I had the feeling that I was a historical fragment, an excerpt for which the preceding and succeeding text was missing. I could well imagine that I might have lived in former centuries and there encountered questions I was not yet able to answer; that I had been born again because I had not fulfilled the task given to me.’
In Tibetan Buddhism’s Bardo Thodol or Book of the Dead which was said to have been written by Padma-Sambhava, an Indian mystic who introduced Buddhism to Tibet in the 8th century, it is stated that a soul passes through many nonphysical worlds before reincarnation on earth.
The main difference between Hinduism and Buddhism is that Buddhism feels there is no permanent soul, just a pulsating subconscious that goes from life to life learning lessons until enlightenment is reached. In Buddhism, there exist three fires of craving, ill will, and ignorance which cause rebirth. To achieve nirvana these fires must be extinguished. Hinduism on the other hand believes in a permanent soul.
Spain was a great center of philosophy, and Solomon ibn Gabirol שלמה בן יהודה אבן גבירול or Avicebron(1021 – 1058), a Spanish Jew, brought Plato's teachings (who believed in a soul) to the European thought.
In Egypt, transmigration was the accepted mechanism of reincarnation. After a person died, he or she would reincarnate as an animal for as long as 3000 years until purified. Only then, would he or she return to the human form. The Books of Hermes states "From one soul of the Universe are all souls derived. The soul passes from form to form".
Elsewhere, in ancient Greece, Orpheus (Ὀρφεύς) the founder of Greek theology was used by both Pythagoras and Plato as a source for their own philosophies. Pythagoras (582-507BC) stated and recalled many memories of his soul's incarnations (in Troy etc.). Plato (427-347 BC) stated every soul is immortal. In every succession of life & death you will do and suffer what like fitly may suffer at the hands of like.
The Roman poet Ennius introduced Karma to the Romans. In his "Annals", he tells how Homer appeared to him in a dream and told him their two bodies had the same soul. Virgil (70-19 BC) in the Aeneid says, "All souls return again into living bodies".
According to these teachings all human souls have a common origin from Adam Kadmon. Adam's original sin brought higher and lower souls into confusion. As a result every soul passes through a series of incarnations before returning to God. Ancient Jews believed that Moses was the reincarnation of Abel, the Son of Adam. The Messiah was the reincarnation of Adam himself, who had already come a second time as David.
