Rebirth and the Stream of Life

Reviews / Votes

Mikel Burley has written a profound and intriguing study of reincarnation and its relation to karma and ethics using his depth of knowledge of religious traditions and discussions by philosophers, religious studies experts, and anthropologists of the ethical and experiential meaning of rebirth ... Burley not only shares an immense knowledge of Western, Hindu, and Buddhist scholarship on all dimensions of rebirth, he also uses his words very artfully and insightfully. * Reading Religion * [A]n original, fascinating, and deeply informed book. It gives a detailed understanding of what it means to believe that we undergo multiple lives with the adequate use of resources from religious studies, anthropology, and theology. ... The author's reference to various interrelated phenomena such as memories, metaphysics, ethics, demythologize, and the doctrine of Karma makes the book an invaluable one. ... [A] masterpiece ... recommended for every category of people, especially scholars and students of philosophy of religions. * Reviews in Religion and Theology * With clarity and erudition, Burley shows how the many varieties of belief in rebirth are intelligible only in relation to the cultural and moral practices in which a society's concepts, like that of personhood, are embedded. The sympathetic understanding of rebirth and karma that Burley himself displays is a welcome change from the brusque dismissal of these notions by critics still in the grip of the distorting 'pictures' he exposes. * David E. Cooper, Emeritus Professor of Philosophy, Durham University, UK * Burley's book is an original and incisive contribution to the philosophy of religion. In an exemplary manner, it pays careful attention to possibilities of meaning in order to bring out the sense of rebirth beliefs within the 'stream of life' of a believing community. It is a first-rate piece of work and deserves to have a very large readership. * Brian R. Clack, Associate Professor of Philosophy, University of San Diego, USA *