No personality takes rebirth...it is all illusion.

>
> My question is on re-birth. I am convinced of all principles of Advaita. I
understand well that there is one substratum, one consciousness and one Brahman.
I also understand Tat Tvam Asi.
>
> The only issue I have is about Punar Janma. Punar Janma is not included in any
advaitic principle, to my little understanding.

Namaste S---lji,

No personality takes rebirth...it is all illusion. Having said that and
attributing some validity to illusion whilst one is in it so to speak; Some form
of rebirth of memories/samskaras/vasanas provide the energy for a new
body.....Nisargadatta Maharaj says they are like memories in a cloud...The new
personality forms from the time the child becomes aware of itself and the
ahamkara or ego develops so to speak...So all is based on this
phantom..........There is no reincarnation in my opinion and from what I have
learned from NIZ...Cheers Tony.

Namaste Tonyji,

When a baby is born to a particular parents he gets identified with the parents. The child will have his siblings and when he grows up will have his friends and then marry and have his separate family. He will grow old and his hair will grey. Then he will die. Now let us say that this person will take another birth but he may not have his same parents in his next birth nor have the same siblings nor have the same wife and family with children. Even his name may change. So even if he is reborn he will be born with a different identity. Thus the same personality is not reborn as there is a change which continues even on rebirth. That is why the rebirth is not the reappearance of the person with the same physical or mental make up. Once you accept this then only you will be able to accept the next step of how the rebirth takes place. There are several good books on the theory of rebirth. One particularly I liked was "Theory of Rebirth: Being a treatise on Indian Philosophy." Written, edited, and translated by Radhanath Phukan, M.A., B.L.

Regads,

S