Reincarnation - A radical alternative to Darwinism

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1. Reincarnation - A radical alternative to Darwinism

Today, I again write to you from Kathmandu, Nepal, having just finished taking part in two weeks of wedding activities.

In our last issue I talked about the belief in Nepali culture that the effects of a person's actions determine their destiny, and how this sense of "destiny" can extend to a person's next life. An important part of the Nepali belief system being that we all live many lifetimes (we reincarnate), and that our destiny or "karma" carries over from past lifetimes into the present and future.

A few days ago I engaged in a conversation with "Budhi" a long time servant of my friend, which lovingly touched upon his belief in reincarnation.

About a year ago, Budhi went through a sudden health crisis which necessitated an expensive emergency operation. There was no way he had anywhere near the money required to pay for the operation, and his life literally hung in the balance.

"I lay in the hospital bed thinking that death was likely," Budhi said.
"I realized that in many ways I had been blessed, and I resigned myself to dying."

Before continuing, Budhi lifted up his shirt to proudly show me his scar - a brutal looking rambling line that extended from near his solar plexus all the way down towards his right hip.

"I wasn't laying there all that long," Budhi said, "Before my master, your friend arrived."
"My master listened intently to what the doctors had to say, and afterwards asked them several questions."
"He then looked at me and said he had decided to bear the expense of the operation, and that he hoped I would have a speedy recovery."

"Frankly," Budhi said, "I wasn't sure if my master's kindness was a dream or not. Especially since shortly after he spoke, they placed me under anesthesia and I was operated on."

"I awoke from the anesthesia twelve hours later, and it was the intense pain from the incision that led me to understand I was indeed still alive."

"My master has been very kind to me," Budhi said. "More kind than I could ever imagine, and certainly more kind than I could ever expect."
"When I am born again, I will be his father and he will be my son, and I will treat him very kindly."

Later I spoke to my friend about all of this. He said he had been touched by his servant's long time caring service, and he committed to paying for the operation without a moment's hesitation, even though to do so was considered quite out of the ordinary.

He said, "I of course realized there was no way he could ever pay me back without my tripling his salary. So I suggested we wipe the slate clean and start our relationship anew, without either side feeling in debt to the other."

"Furthermore," my friend said, "As a child there were many times when my family did not have enough food for all of us to eat. My father and mother often sacrificed for us children, while going hungry themselves. Now I have five children of my own, and enough money to feed all of us. Budhi's illness gave me the opportunity to sacrifice for him, like my parents had sacrificed for me. It offered me the opportunity to express my heartfelt thanks to my deceased parents."

My friend's words and actions reveal a beautiful depth of appreciation and love that is rarely seen in the world.

I realize now it was his kindness that first drew me to my friend when I met him close to twenty years ago. Since then I have tried my best to mirror his behavior in all of my relationships, even though I still often fail miserably!

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