INDIAN PHILOSOPHY

INDIAN PHILOSOPHY – KARMA AND REBIRTH
not to be born, and the second best is to die at once.
The significant meaning is that every one should seek
to avoid rebirth by knowing the Ultimate nature of
Oneself. The second best is to be understood as the
renunciation of all and become a nothing (akincana) or
a zero, and avadhuta who has thrown away all that
make one deem himself to be living in the worldly sense
of the term. Dying to possessions and even rights and
duties, (sarvadharman parityajya of the Gita) is to die at
once and this will prevent the formation of the next life
itself. This is done by Saranagati, as the great
Sathakopa did show, and earned for himself the name
of one who has destroyed and was the enemy of future
births or the potency that makes for it (satha). Swami
Ishwarananda's standpoint of not trouble oneself with
karma or rebirth but to attain the ultimate state is
understandable, but not the support he tries to get from
biology or the science and physiology of life.
REFERENCES
Bhagavad Gita
Upanisads that deal with rebirth & birth. Isa, etc.
Sri Aurobindo: Problem of Rebirth, Karma and rebirth – higher
lines of karma. Life Divine.
Annie Besant: Reincarnation
Wincent Lutoslavski: Pre-existence and Reincarnation
Plato’s Republic
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