Reincarnation, << `ree` ihn kahr NAY shuhn, >> is the belief that the soul survives after death and is reborn in the body of another person or some other living thing. The word reincarnation means coming back into the flesh. This concept is also called transmigration of the soul.
The ancient Greeks and some primitive peoples believed in reincarnation. The concept is an important part of Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism, and other religions that originated in India. It also is a doctrine of some modern spiritualist movements (see Spiritualism ).
In the religions of India, reincarnation is related to the law of karma. According to this law, a person’s actions determine the type of body that the soul will enter during reincarnation. If a person leads a good life, his or her soul will be reborn in a higher state, such as the body of a priest. If a person leads a bad life, the soul will be reborn in a lower state, such as the body of a dog.
Other religions explain reincarnation in different ways. Some teach that the soul may be reborn in the body of a descendant of the person.
