Affiliation: Assistant Professor, Department of Space, Planetary & Astronomical Sciences & Engineering, IIT Kanpur
Email: kmooley@iitk.ac.in
Affiliation: Director, IIT Mandi Professor, Department of Electrical Engineering (on leave) IIT Kanpur
Email: lbehera@iitk.ac.in
Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) convey the idea of a cycle of death and rebirth (samsāra; e.g. Matsya-purāṇa, Vāyu-purāṇa and Viṣṇu-purāṇa), and define liberation or emancipation (from this cycle and from suffering, i.e. moksha) as the goal of human life (e.g. Vāyu-purāṇa, Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa). IKS texts also portray a mind or sukshma sharira (also known as linga sharira and antah karana; e.g. Yoga Sutra, Sānkhya Kārikā) and conscious energy getting embodied and disembodied. This concept is more popularly known as reincarnation and in IKS literature this has been referred to as punar janma (e.g. Gheranda Samhita). Experimental studies of reincarnation have relied heavily on psychological studies of children having past life memories. About 2500 cases of children with past-life memories (PLMs) have been documented as part of the 50-year research program spearheaded by the Department of Perceptual Studies (DOPS) at the University of Virginia (UVA). Based on the statements of the children, their previous personalities have been identified in about two-thirds of the cases (Tucker 2021).
1] Kim Penberthy, University of Virginia - Department of Perceptual Studies
2] Marina Weiler, University of Virginia - Department of Perceptual Studies
3] Saeedeh Sadeghi, University of Virginia - Department of Perceptual Studies
Affiliation: Assistant Professor, Department of Space, Planetary & Astronomical Sciences & Engineering, IIT Kanpur
Email: kmooley@iitk.ac.in
Affiliation: Director, IIT Mandi Professor, Department of Electrical Engineering (on leave) IIT Kanpur
Email: lbehera@iitk.ac.in