Need to ask a smart Hare Krsna something

[Cronus Protagonist]

How does the soul transfer after you're dead? I can see how a baby turns into a youth, then a man, then an old man, etc., but how does it transfer to a new person, a new baby?

What's the mechanics behind that?

[Pale_Rider]

1. Having worked among the Hare Krishnas ...

... in my graduate studies twenty some years ago, they believe that the un-enlighted soul transfers to its next host depending upon the actions and deeds of its previous life. If the soul is enlighten, then it breaks out of the reincarnation cycle and joins the "godhead". Something like that.

At the time I was more interested in some of the sociological, cultural, and some of the more nefarious practices at the Berkeley, CA temple (major in socio-cultural anthropology, minor in Asian philosophy).

[Cronus Protagonist]

2. I'm quite endeared to the Hare Krsnas, which is why I asked

And I know about the reincarnation and the quest for Nirvana, I was wondering how they posit that the soul of a living being is reincarnated into another human, or an other living thing. How is it done? What's the process?

Come to think of it, I could ask the same question of a Christian - how does the soul transfer to heaven or hell? What is the carrier medium? Where are these places located?

[crispini]

3. Not a Krsna here,

(Buddhist), but as far as reincarnation goes, we posit the doctrine of 'dependent origination.' Best metaphor I've ever heard is one candle lighting another candle before the original candle blows out.

Buddhists believe that the "soul" (it's not really a soul) is in a latent state between lives and reincarnates when the conditions are right. Latent like leaves in a tree are latent when the tree is in winter, but come into existent when spring comes.

FWIW... :D

[parasim]

4. I've asked the same question

when I went to a temple of some Hare Krsna friends of mine and they recommended I read this book to begin to understand what happens.



http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0892131012/103-0274539-7399854?v=glance

They gave me the book and I've just started reading it.

[Pale_Rider]

5. Most of the Hare Krsnas that I dealt with ...

... were fine, deeply religious and very moral people.(I was born a Roman Catholic and but now I'm a catholic.) See Crispini's post(a good reply) in this thread.

BTW: The Berkeley temple in the early 80's was in a period of turmoil as the corrupt temple leader, the infamous Hans "Jack London" Kary aka Sri Hansadutta decided to mix rock and roll, drugs, paranoia and guns (and lots of guns) with Bhakti devotion. I had spoke with a senior ISKCON leader (who I felt typified the best) from India that was assessing the situation. The undoing of Hansadutta was when he went into a Berkeley Cadillac auto dealership and machine-gunned up the cars in the lot. ISKCON promptly removed him.