--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Angela Mailander <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Let me ask you again, is it possible that these animal reincarnations are intended to be symbolic? They plainly are in the Tibetan Book of the Dead. Why would they be literal in the Gita? >
IMO, othodox Hindus believe the animal reincarnations to be literal. However, MMY appears to allow a symbolic interpretation of the process of reincarnation. For example, he states that we are reborn on a daily basis to give us an opportunity to learn and involve into higher levels of consciousness. Given this interpretation, we can deduce that the animal reincarnations can mean the habitual attachments to the material world that people can have when they indulge in the senses. In spite of this liberal interpretation, I don't think MMY ruled out the literal interpretation of the word. For instance, someone asked him if he would reincarnate back to earth again after he dies. MMY said he does not expect to do so.
