reincarnation/transmigration

[coconutpalm]

I'm not sure whether the nuance between these two words fall under the category of religious research or not. After all, from my search of several different dictionaries, there is simply no difference!
Or is that there is indeed some nuance that I, a non-native, can't catch?

Please help me.
Thank you in advance!

 

[maxiogee]

To the best of my knowledge…
The concept of reincarnation can mean that the spirit of the deceased is reborn as something else, not necessarily another person.
The concept of the transmigration of the soul means that, upon death, the soul passes into a new person.

However, as with almost all religious concepts, there are always likely to be different 'flavours' of any belief.

 

[foxfirebrand]

I agree, especially if by "something else" you mean some other living thing. That leaves plant-vs-animal available as the crucial quibble.

Also, in Transmigration there is the belief that the same soul, and in essence the same person, does not relive life as someone else, but passes to the "next world," where a whole succession of "worlds" is sometimes presumed to exist.

The etymology is instructive here-- being "in flesh again" as opposed to "traveling across."

Well if that's an example of agreement, I don't guess you'd care to know what I'm like when I'm disagreeable.
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[maxiogee]

The concept of reincarnation can mean that the spirit of the deceased is reborn as something else, not necessarily another person.

I agree, especially if by "something else" you mean some other living thing.

That's the usual concept (pun intended!) of "reborn".

I have yet to see a stone being born

 

[foxfirebrand]

I have yet to see a stone being born

I haven't either, but then I'm not old enough. I have heard of whole mountain ranges being born by a process of tectonic upthrust and subduction, and of course even more suddenly by volcanic action.

Certainly gemstones are "born." Some radical animists would ascribe birth, and eventual death, to all stones. I would personally say the stuff comes about by a primitive sort of hatching.
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[coconutpalm]

Thanks for your reply, Tony and Fox!
The reason that I want to distinguish between these two religious words is that they are concepts that are very important in Buddhism, and there are many many tales about them in our culture. Yet I'm really confused about their English expressions.

From what you have explained to me, may I give two examples to see whether I have grasped your meanings?

1. A woman is killed and her hatred for the killer is so strong that her soul doesn't go to heaven nor to hell, but remains in mortal world. She finds a person and "borrows" her/his body and takes revenges on her killer.
------------ transmigration

2. A woman does many wrongs in her life. When she dies and is put on trial before Hades, Hades says: "You lived a immoral life. As a punishment, you will live as a pig in the other life."
-------------reincarnation


And, could you tell me whether you're disagreeing or not? Your words are too complicated for me. If I have a clue, it may help me better understand you. Thanks!

 

[maxiogee]

1. A woman is killed and her hatred for the killer is so strong that her soul doesn't go to heaven nor to hell, but remains in mortal world. She finds a person and "borrows" her/his body and takes revenges on her killer.
------------ transmigration

2. A woman does many wrongs in her life. When she dies and is put on trial before Hades, Hades says: "You lived a immoral life. As a punishment, you will live as a pig in the other life."
-------------reincarnation

Yes to both.
I would, however, query the notion that a 'body' would be available to this woman to 'borrow' — where is its soul?

And, could you tell me whether you're disagreeing or not? Your words are too complicated for me. If I have a clue, it may help me better understand you. Thanks!

We were disagreeing slightly on the concepts, partly in jest.

 

[coconutpalm]

Yes to both.
I would, however, query the notion that a 'body' would be available to this woman to 'borrow' — where is its soul?

It's generally believed that the other soul is "suppressed", hiding in somewhere unknown, yet it's still THERE. And in some tales, the body's original soul will revolt and the real complication begins.

Anyway, it's religious thing, yet I'm really intrigued by such tales. There are many many beautiful ones.

And finally, I really want to say "thank you" again!
Thank you!

 

[ireney]

I am not sure (of course) but since there's a soul already in that body wouldn't that be a possesion? Or does it have to be a demon of sorts for a foreign spirit entering your body to be called so?