Transmigration The belief that human souls after death pass into other bodies either human or animal, and mistakenly given as a synonym for reincarnation, metempsychosis, etc. Transmigration in general means the passing of an entity from one imbodiment to another, without regard to the status of the entity or the form of the imbodiments, so that it includes various specific meanings denoted by other terms.

Actually the word refers to the transmigration of life-atoms, especially those of the human vehicles after dissolution. According to their own affinities and degree of development, these life-atoms which have composed the lower human principles transmigrate to other physical psychomental bodies, there to pursue each its own further specific evolution, unretarded by the temporary association with its former body. Eventually, when the proper cyclic time arrives, they are all again attracted back to the reincarnating human entity to which they formerly belonged. The teaching as to the transmigration of the life-atoms is very important in elucidation of the unity of all life, the interaction of all nature, and the working of karma.

The meanings of transmigration, metempsychosis, metensomatosis, the Hebrew gilgulim, etc., are not synonymous. Each one of these words has its own particular significance, although many of these different words overlap to a certain extent. Thus a being who reincarnates on earth -- takes up a body of flesh -- likewise transmigrates in the sense of passing over from one condition of life to another, followed by a third and yet others; and that during this process there is a certain change of the condition of the soul or migrating entity which is the particular meaning of metempsychosis; and furthermore, the assumption of a new physical body which is part of the meaning of reincarnation appears in the specific term metensomatosis, and yet again the phase of rebirth is likewise involved. Each one of these different terms, and others, sets forth one particular aspect of the destiny and adventures of the peregrinating entity.

(See also: Transmigration, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Body mind and Soul)

Metempsychosis Commonly used for the entry of the soul into a new body or reimbodiment; but etymologically it means the clothing of a monad with a new soul, while metensomatosis means the clothing of that ensouled monad with a new body.

The new psychic vesture with which the monad is clothed -- its metempsychosis in this case -- is evolved from the monad itself. Metempsychosis is in one sense a transmigration, but transmigration is not necessarily metempsychosis; for transmigration merely means changing or passing over from one condition to another, and therefore may include metensomatosis.

Metempsychosis also means that the soul "is an indivisible entity in its inmost essence, which is pursuing a course along its own particular evolutionary path as an individual monad, taking upon itself 'soul' after 'soul'; and it is the adventures which befall the soul, in its assumption of, or assuming, 'soul' after 'soul,' which in their aggregate are grouped together under this word Metempsychosis.

"In ordinary language metempsychosis is supposed to be a synonym for transmigration, reincarnation, pre-existence, and palingenesis, etc., but all these words in the Esoteric Philosophy have specific meanings of their own, and should not be confused" (OG 105).

(See also: Metempsychosis, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary)

samsari: (Sanskrit) "One in samsara; wanderer."

A soul during transmigration, immersed in or attached to mundane existence, hence not striving for liberation (moksha). A samsari is someone who is not "on the path."

See: materialism, samsara, San Marga, worldly.

(See also: Samsari, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

Hinayana (Sanskrit). The " Smaller Vehicle"; a Scripture and a School of the Northern Buddhists, opposed to the Mahayana, "the Greater Vehicle", in Tibet. Both schools are mystical. (See "Mahayana".) Also in exoteric superstition the lowest form of transmigration.

(See also: Hinayana, Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary, )

moksha: (Sanskrit) "Liberation."

Release from transmigration, samsara, the round of births and deaths, which occurs after karma has been resolved and nirvikalpa samadhi - realization of the Self, Parasiva - has been attained. Same as mukti.

See: jivanmukta, kaivalya, kundalini, nirvikalpa samadhi, Parasiva, raja yoga, videhamukti.

(See also: Moksha, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

A Theosophical definition of Transmigration :

Transmigration

This word is grossly misunderstood in the modern Occident, as also is the doctrine comprised under the old Greek word metempsychosis, both being modernly supposed to mean, through the common misunderstanding of the ancient literatures, that the human soul at some time after death migrates into the beast realm and is reborn on earth in a beast body. The real meaning of this statement in ancient literature refers to the destiny of what theosophists call the life-atoms, but it has absolutely no reference to the destiny of the human soul, as an entity.

Theosophy accepts all aspects of the ancient teaching, but explains and interprets them. Our doctrine in this respect unless, indeed, we are treating of the case of a "lost soul,"is "once a man, always a man." The human soul can no more migrate over and incarnate in a beast body than can the psychical apparatus of a beast incarnate in human flesh. Why? Because in the former case, the beast vehicle offers to the human soul no opening at all for the expression of the spiritual and intellectual and psychical powers and faculties and tendencies which make a man human. Nor can the soul of the beast enter into a human body, because the impassable gulf of a psychical and intellectual nature, which separates the two kingdoms, prevents any such passage from the one up into another so much its superior in all respects. In the former case, there is no attraction for the man beastwards; and in the latter case there is the impossibility of the imperfectly developed beast mind and beast soul finding a proper lodgment in what to it is truly a godlike sphere which it simply cannot enter.

Transmigration, however, has a specific meaning when the word is applied to the human soul: the living entity migrates or passes over from one condition to another condition or state or plane, as the case may be, whether these latter be in the invisible realms of nature or in the visible realms, and whether the state or condition be high or low. The specific meaning of this word, therefore, implies nothing more than a change of state or of condition or of plane: a migrating of the living entity from one to the other, but always in conditions or estates or habitudes appropriate and pertaining to its human dignity.

In its application to the life-atoms, to which are to be referred the observations of the ancients with regard to the lower realms of nature, transmigration means briefly that the particular life-atoms, which in their aggregate compose man's lower principles, at and following the change that men call death migrate or transmigrate or pass into other bodies to which these life-atoms are attracted by similarity of development  - be these attractions high or low, and they are usually low, because their own evolutionary development is as a rule far from being advanced. Nevertheless, it should be remembered that these life-atoms compose man's inner  - and outer  - vehicles or bodies, and that in consequence there are various grades or classes of these life-atoms, from the physical upwards (or inwards if you please) to the astral, purely vital, emotional, mental, and psychical.

This is, in general terms, the meaning of transmigration. The word means no more than the specific senses just outlined, and stops there. But the teaching concerning the destiny of the entity is continued and developed in the doctrine pertaining to the word metempsychosis.

See also: Transmigration, Mysticism, Body Mind and Soul)

According to the Vijñānavādins, embedded at the heart of Buddhism lies a seeming paradox. In contrast to the Brahmanic teachings of the Upanishads, the Buddha stated quite clearly that the self (atman) is an illusion and that man thus has no soul (anatman). However, there is transmigration (samsara) from one body to another. This poses a difficult question: "If there is no soul, what is it that reincarnates?" The theory of consciousness-only starts by explaining the regularity and coherence of sense impressions ...

See also:

Consciousness-only, Consciousness-only - Doctrine, Consciousness-only - History

Read more here: » Consciousness-only: Encyclopedia II - Consciousness-only - Doctrine

Reincarnation

Belief that after a person dies, he returns again to the earth, inhabits a new body, and does this as many times as needed to acheive spiritual perfection.

Whereas Hindus typically believe that reincarnation includes transmigration of souls between animal, plant, and even inanimate forms, New Agers believe reincarnation is limited to human and celestial forms. Reincarnation generally assumes a doctrine of karma. The idea is the basis for the practice of attempting past life regression

(See also: Reincarnation, New Age Spirituality, Body Mind and Soul)

Pythagoras' followers were commonly called "Pythagoreans." For the most part we remember them as philosophical mathematicians who had an influence on the beginning of axiomatic geometry, which after two hundred years of development was written down by Euclid in The Elements. The Pythagoreans are known for their theory of the transmigration of souls, and also for their theory that numbers constitute the true nature of things. They performed purification rites and followed ascetic, dietary and moral rules which they believed would enable their soul to ...

See also:

Pythagoras, Pythagoras - Biography, Pythagoras - Pythagoreans, Pythagoras - Literary works, Pythagoras - Scientific contributions

Read more here: » Pythagoras: Encyclopedia II - Pythagoras - Pythagoreans

kaivalya: (Sanskrit) "Absolute oneness, aloneness; perfect detachment, freedom." Liberation.

Kaivalya is the term used by Patanjali and others in the yoga tradition to name the goal and fulfillment of yoga, the state of complete detachment from transmigration. It is virtually synonymous with moksha. Kaivalya is the perfectly transcendent state, the highest condition resulting from the ultimate realization. It is defined uniquely according to each philosophical school, depending on its beliefs regarding the nature of the soul.

See: moksha, samarasa, Sivasayujya, jnana.

(See also: Kaivalya, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

Pythagorean thought was dominated by mathematics, but it was also profoundly mystical. In the area of cosmology there is less agreement about what Pythagoras himself actually taught, but most scholars believe that the Pythagorean idea of the transmigration of the soul is too central to have been added by a later follower of Pythagoras. On the other hand it is impossible to determine the origin of the Pythagorean account of substance. It seems that the Pythagorean account begins with Anaximander's account of the ultimate substance of things a ...

See also:

Pythagoreanism, Pythagoreanism - Influence, Pythagoreanism - Pythagorean cosmology, Pythagoreanism - Influences, Pythagoreanism - Reference

Read more here: » Pythagoreanism: Encyclopedia II - Pythagoreanism - Pythagorean cosmology

A Theosophical definition of Rebirth :

Rebirth

One of the several aspects or branches of the general doctrine of reimbodiment. A word of large and generalized significance. Signifying merely a succession of rebirths, the definition becomes generalized, excluding specific explanations as to the type or kind of reimbodiment. The likeness between the idea comprised in this word and that belonging to the term reincarnation is very close, yet the two ideas are quite distinct. (For this difference see Reincarnation; also Preexistence, Metempsychosis, Transmigration, etc.)

See also: Rebirth, Mysticism, Body Mind and Soul)

The Monpa are mainly followers of Tibetan Buddhism of the Gelugpa sect, although several members of the Bhut Monpa are followers of Bön and Animism. In every household, small Buddhist altars placed with statues of Buddha are given water offerings in little cups and burning butter lamps. The belief in transmigration of the soul and reincarnation is widespread, as their life is largely centered on the Tawang monastery in Tawang district, where many of the young Monpa boys would join the monast ...

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Monpa, Monpa - Religion, Monpa - Culture, Monpa - Society, Monpa - Lifestyle and Dress, Monpa - Economy, Monpa - History, Monpa - Miscellaneous

Read more here: » Monpa: Encyclopedia II - Monpa - Religion

Lycanthropy is often confused with transmigration; but the essential feature of the were-animal is that it is the alternative form or the double of a living human being, while the soul-animal is the vehicle, temporary or permanent, of the spirit of a dead human being. The vampire is sometimes regarded as an example of lycanthropy; but it is in human form, sometimes only a head, sometimes a whole body, sometimes that of a living pers ...

See also:

Lycanthropy, Lycanthropy - Spiritual and supernatural implications of lycanthropy, Lycanthropy - Local animal forms found in lycanthropy, Lycanthropy - Lycanthropy in North America, Lycanthropy - Lycanthropy in South America, Lycanthropy - Lycanthropy in Europe, Lycanthropy - Lycanthropy in Africa, Lycanthropy - The were-tiger of the East Indies

Read more here: » Lycanthropy: Encyclopedia II - Lycanthropy - Spiritual and supernatural implications of lycanthropy

One of the features that distinguishes the Middle Eastern religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam) from the Indian religions (most notably Hinduism and Buddhism) is the view of life and death. For the religions of the Middle East, life and death are linear: a being is born, lives, and then dies, at which point their soul or other death-surviving component, transmigrates to a domain that is not normally accessible to living beings and generally remains there indefinitely, or until some future at the end of the world. (There are exceptions to t ...

See also:

Rebirth Buddhism, Rebirth Buddhism - Rebirth in the context of other religions and other Buddhist beliefs, Rebirth Buddhism - Rebirth as Buddhist Reincarnation, Rebirth Buddhism - Rebirth as Cycle of Consciousness, Rebirth Buddhism - Commentaries

Read more here: » Rebirth Buddhism: Encyclopedia II - Rebirth Buddhism - Rebirth in the context of other religions and other Buddhist beliefs

Xisuthrus, Xisuthros (Greek) [from Chaldean Khas-is-adra]

Also Sisuthrus. The tenth king of Chaldea, son of Ardates according to Berosus, the last king of the mythical age, who reigned for 18 Sari. According to Chaldean legend during his reign a great flood occurred. Xisuthrus was warned in a vision by the gods to build a vessel five stadia long and two in breadth, and to take with him into it his friends and relatives, likewise to place therein all species of animals, and to trust himself to the deep. Eventually the ark settled on the mountain of Nizir, the dwelling of the gods, also regarded as the cradle of the Chaldean race. The Jewish story of Noah was taken from this earlier Chaldean legend.

The Xisuthrus-Noah story has more than one application in now forgotten human history. In one, Xisuthrus is the ideal figure of a race passing over from one to the next succeeding continental system; or on the cosmic scale, of the transmigration of the various classes of monads with their chief from one dying planet to the succeeding planet, the child of the former. In the case of the earth, it is the transmigration of the ten or twelve classes of monads from the moon-chain to the earth-chain, the ark standing for the cosmic surroundings governed by karmic law and holding the monads together as classes. Xisuthrus or Noah, therefore, is the collectivity of all these monadic classes into a unity for purposes of mythologic story.

(See also: Xisuthrus, Xisuthros, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Body mind and Soul)

Most Abrahamic religions agree that a human being comprises the body, which dies, and the soul, which need not do so. The soul, capable of remaining alive beyond human death, carries the essence of that person with it, and God will judge that persons life accordingly after they die. The importance of this, the focus on it, and the precise criteria and end result differs between religions. Reincarnation and transmigration tend not to feature proeminently in Abrahamic religions. Although as a rule they all look to some form of afterlife ...

See also:

Abrahamic religion, Abrahamic religion - Overview, Abrahamic religion - Origins, Abrahamic religion - Patriarchs, Abrahamic religion - The Supreme Deity, Abrahamic religion - Judaism, Abrahamic religion - Christianity, Abrahamic religion - Islam, Abrahamic religion - Inclusivity, Abrahamic religion - Religious scriptures, Abrahamic religion - Judaism, Abrahamic religion - Christianity, Abrahamic religion - Islam, Abrahamic religion - Rastafari movement, Abrahamic religion - The coming, Abrahamic religion - Afterlife, Abrahamic religion - Judaism, Abrahamic religion - Christianity, Abrahamic religion - Islam, Abrahamic religion - Worship, Abrahamic religion - Circumcision, Abrahamic religion - Food restrictions, Abrahamic religion - Evangelism

Read more here: » Abrahamic religion: Encyclopedia II - Abrahamic religion - Afterlife

Orphic Mysteries or Orphica (Ancient Greek). These followed, but differed greatly from, the mysteries of Bacchus.

The system of Orpheus is one of the purest morality and of severe asceticism. The theology taught by him is again purely Indian. With him the divine Essence is inseparable from whatever is in the infinite universe, all forms being concealed from all eternity in It. At determined periods these forms are manifested from the divine Essence or manifest themselves.

Thus through this law of emanation (or evolution) all things participate in this Essence, and are parts and members instinct with divine nature, which is omnipresent. All things having proceeded from, must necessarily return into it; and therefore, innumerable transmigrations or reincarnations and purifications are needed before this final consummation can take place. This is pure Vedanta philosophy. Again, the Orphic Brotherhood ate no animal food and wore white linen garments, and had many ceremonies like those of the Brahmans.

(See also: Orphic Mysteries, Orphica, Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary, )

Chang-chub byang chub (jang-chub, chang-chub) (Tibetan) Also Byang-tzyoobs, Tchang-chub.

Translation for Sanskrit bodhi (enlightenment, awakening). Byang chub sems dpa' (jang-chub-sem-pa) translates the Sanskrit bodhisattva, one who has attained a high degree of spiritual knowledge and mystic power; "An adept who has, by the power of his knowledge and soul enlightenment, become exempt from the curse of UNCONSCIOUS transmigration -- may, at his will and desire, and instead of reincarnating himself only after bodily death, do so, and repeatedly -- during his life if he chooses.

He holds the power of choosing for himself new bodies whether on this or any other planet -- while in possession of his old form, that he generally preserves for purposes of his own" (ML 285).

(See also: Chang-chub, byang chub, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

A Theosophical definition of Preexistence :

Preexistence

This term means that the human soul did not first come into being or existence with its present birth on earth; in other words, that it preexisted before it was born on earth.

This doctrine of preexistence is by no means typically theosophical, for it likewise was a part of the early teachings of Christianity, as is evidenced in the writings that remain to us of Origen, the great Alexandrian Church Father, and of his school.

The theosophical student should be very careful in distinguishing the technical meanings that pertain to several words which in popular and mistaken usage are often employed interchangeably, as for example preexistence, metempsychosis, transmigration, reincarnation, reimbodiment, rebirth, metensomatosis, palingenesis.

Each one of these words has a specific meaning typically its own, and describes or sets forth one phase of the destiny of a reimbodying and migrating entity. In popular usage, several of these words are used as synonyms, and this usage is wrong. Preexistence, for instance, does not necessarily signify the transmigration of an entity from plane to plane nor, indeed, does it signify as does reincarnation that a migrating monad reinfleshes or reincarnates itself through its ray on earth. Preexistence signifies only that a soul, be it human or other, preexisted before its birth on earth.

The doctrine of the great Origen, as found in his works that remain to us, was that the human soul preexisted in the spiritual world, or within the influence or range of the divine essence or "God," before it began a series of reincarnations on earth. It is obvious that Origen's manner of expressing his views is a more or less faithful but distorted reflection of the teaching of the esoteric philosophy. The teaching of preexistence as outlined by Origen and his school and followers, with others of his mystical quasi-theosophical doctrines, was formally condemned and anathematized at the Home Synod held under Mennas at Constantinople about 543 of the Christian era. Thus passed out of orthodox Christian theology as a "newly discovered heresy" what was a most important and mystical body of teaching of the early centuries of the new Christian religion  - to the latter's great loss, spiritual and intellectual. The doctrines of Origen and his school may be said to have formed an important part of original Christian theosophy, a form of universal theosophy of Christianized character. (See under their respective heads the various correlated doctrines mentioned above.)

See also: Preexistence, Mysticism, Body Mind and Soul)

A Theosophical definition of Reincarnation :

Reincarnation

An anglicized word of Latin derivation, meaning "reinfleshment," the coming again into a human body of an excarnate human soul. The repetitive reimbodiment of the reincarnating human ego in vehicles of human flesh  - this being a special case of the general doctrine of reimbodiment. This general doctrine of reimbodiment applies not solely to man, but to all centers of consciousness whatsoever, or to all monads whatsoever  - wheresoever they may be on the evolutionary ladder of life, and whatsoever may be their particular developmental grade thereon.

The meaning of this general doctrine is very simple indeed. It is as follows: every life-consciousness-center, in other words, every monad or monadic essence, reincorporates itself repeatedly in various vehicles or bodies, to use the popular word. These bodies may be spiritual, or they may be physical, or they may be of a nature intermediate between these two, i.e., ethereal. This rule of nature, which applies to all monads without exception, takes place in all the different realms of the visible and invisible universe, and on all its different planes, and in all its different worlds.

There are eight words used in the theosophical philosophy in connection with reimbodiment, which are not all synonymous, although some of these eight words have almost the same specific meaning. They are: preexistence, rebirth, reimbodiment, palingenesis, metensomatosis, metempsychosis, transmigration, reincarnation (see under each word for definition). Of these eight words, four only may be said to contain the four different basic ideas of the general doctrine of reimbodiment, and these four are preexistence, reimbodiment, metempsychosis, and transmigration.

In no case is the word reincarnation identical with any of the other seven words, though of course it has grounds of strong similarity with them all, as for instance with preexistence, because obviously the entity preexists before it reincarnates; and on the same grounds it is similar to rebirth, reimbodiment, and metensomatosis.

The meaning of the word reincarnation differs specifically from rebirth in this, that the latter word simply means rebirth in human bodies of flesh on this earth; while the former term also contains the implication, tacit if not expressed, of possible incarnations in flesh by entities which have finished their earthly pilgrimage or evolution, but who can and sometimes do return to this earth in order to incarnate for the purpose of aiding their less evolved brothers.

See also: Reincarnation, Mysticism, Body Mind and Soul)