Rebirth and remembering past lives

Maha Satipatthana Buddhist Society (msbs.my); Dhr. Seven, Ash Wells (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

The Buddha remembered his countless past lives. Even today there are monks, nuns, and others who can remember their previous existences. Such a strong memory is a result of deep meditation and mental training [in mindfulness or "memory," smrti, sati, satipatthana].

For those who can recall their past lives, the idea of rebirth becomes an established fact that puts this present life in meaningful perspective.

The law [or regularity, lawfulness, impersonal working out] of karma can only be fully understood in the framework of many lifetimes. Sometimes it takes many lives, even aeons, for karma to bear its fruit.

Rebirth is not limited merely to the human plane [the manussya loka, which includes countless worlds in all directions wehre humanoids exist, earth being but one small example].

The Buddha taught that the plane of human beings is but one among many. In addition, there are planes of heavens, hells, animals, and ghosts [and other types of creatures existing on this and other planes, most numerous being devas of all kinds].

Depending on the karma one has accumulated [deeds one has practiced and stored up], one may be reborn into any of these. Understanding this brings up a sense of empathy and respect for the lives of all beings.

Because no realm is permanent, the repetitive cycle of birth and death [rebirth and redeath] and the wandering on from realm to realm is inherently unsatisfying [unfulfilling and incapable of being fulfilling].

• What is DEATH? - Maha Satipatthana Buddhist Society (msbs.my)

If life is unreal, what is death? Less real.

Eventually one seeks a way out. By following the Noble Eightfold Path to its culmination of enlightenment (spiritual awakening), the process of rebirth ceases completely [and with so do all forms of suffering]. Source

Reliving Past Lives (scientific research)

Dr. Helen Wambach, psychologist, past life regressionist, researcher, and author of Reliving Past Lives: The Evidence Under Hypnosis (4.4 out of 5 stars with 91 ratings)

In Reliving Past Lives, psychologist Dr. Helen Wambach, Ph.D., shares the fascinating results of her scientific research, a large-scale past life group hypnotherapy regression sessions. In an effort to rule out wishful thinking, false reports, clouded memories, and self-aggrandizing fantasies often associated with past life hypnosis reports, Dr. Wambach devised a rigorous protocol. More