("wandering") is a Sanskrit word
that means "wandering." One of the most essential concepts in all
Indian religions is the cycle of reincarnation.
Reincarnation, in the Indian worldview, is a series of
births and rebirths in various worlds and forms, all dependent on the quality
and quantity of karma, which is produced via prior acts and thinking patterns.
Those with good karma may be reincarnated as ani mals or
ghosts, or into realms of punishment, such as hells; those with poor karma may
be reborn as ani mals or ghosts, or into realms of punishment, such as hells.
Neither pleasure nor punishment are everlasting, despite the
fact that they may endure a very long period.
Creatures in paradise enjoy the fruits of their previous
activities, but when their good karma is depleted, they must take another,
lower incarnation; beings in realms of punishment pay for their terrible deeds,
but once this is completed, they must take another, higher birth.
Between these two is the human world, which has an endless
number of possibilities dependent on numerous aspects such as social standing,
income, health, handicap, and one's natal family's religious devotion.
Many various combinations of good and bad karma combine for
many distinct human circumstances, and one's current life and body, according
to popular belief, are a record of one's past.
The caste system is based on the belief that individuals are
where they ought to be in life due of their karma.
Fulfilling one's societal function (svadharma), no matter
how little, not only sustains the social order but also serves as a way of
personal spiritual progress.
Human humans are usually seen to be the finest of all realms
for spiritual life, partially because they can make logical decisions, such as
whether or not to participate in religious life.
Humans vary from ani mals, who are primarily motivated by
instincts, and ghosts or hell dwellers, who are just atoning for their previous
actions.
At the same time, unlike life in the skies, human existence
is full of ups and downs, constantly reminding people of the transience of life
and belongings, as well as the need of spiritual growth.
Embodied existence is a constant cycling from one realm to
the next, leaving one body and assuming another, and the inherent uncertainty
of this condition has led to a search for an unchanging state, completely
outside of this cycle of rebirth, dating back to the time of the speculative
texts known as the Upanishads.
This unchangeable condition is often regarded as life's
ultimate objective, yet few individuals actively pursue it in any generation,
preferring instead to postpone it until some infinite future existence.
Wendy Doniger O'Flaherty (ed. ), Karma and Rebirth in Classical
Indian Traditions, 1980, has further information.
