Expert: Stuart Resnick - 8/10/2009

Question
HI, I've been reading the Dali Lama and he said that proof of reincarnation is that non material things cannot be produced by a material source, hence, reincarnation (In Healing and Anger) However, non material things are produced by material sources every day.  IE Dreams, desires, thoughts, are all produced by the brain, a material source. There is no need for the hypothesis of reincarnation.  Please explain.  THanks

Answer
You are correct, there's no need for the hypotesis of reincarnation. Only one thing is needed: meeting this very moment with clarity and compassion.

Reincarnation is like ANY idea. There's no need to cling to it. In some particular situations, you can USE ideas like reincarnation if it's helpful. Say you're angry at someone who has hit you. You can think, "Last lifetime, I hit him, so this lifetime he hit me. So now everything is OK, and I can let go of my anger." Use any concept if it helps point you back to just-now. Then throw the concept away.