<p>There is no independent soul, there is no independent self. Everything depends on something.</p>

<p>Buddha's past life depends on his past deeds.</p>

<p>Thus there are souls and self but they are dependent on past causes</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-10-11T07:11:39.793Z
2015-10-11T07:11:39.793Z
tutu
<p>In <a href="http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.012.ntbb.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Maha-sihanada Sutta</a>: The Great Discourse on the Lion's Roar</p>
<p>section of Ten Powers of a Tathagata.</p>
<blockquote>
<ol start="9">
<li>&quot;Sariputta, the Tathagata has these ten Tathagata's powers, possessing which he claims the herd-leader's place, roars his lion's
roar in the assemblies, and sets rolling the Wheel of Brahma.[5] What
are the ten?</li>
</ol>
<p>....</p>
<ol start="17">
<li><p>(8) &quot;Again, the Tathagata recollects his manifold past lives, that is, one birth, two births, three births, four births, five births, ten
births, twenty births, thirty births, forty births, fifty births, a
hundred births, a thousand births, a hundred thousand births, many
aeons of world-contraction, many aeons of world-expansion, many aeons
of world-contraction and expansion: 'There I was so named, of such a
clan, with such an appearance, such was my nutriment, such my
experience of pleasure and pain, such my life-term; and passing away
from there, I reappeared elsewhere; and there too I was so named, of
such a clan, with such an appearance, such was my nutriment, such my
experience of pleasure and pain, such my life-term; and passing away
from there, I reappeared here.' Thus with their aspects and
particulars he recollects his manifold past lives. That too is a
Tathagata's power...</p>
</li>
<li><p>(9) &quot;Again, with the divine eye, which is purified and surpasses the human, the Tathagata sees beings passing away and reappearing,
inferior and superior, fair and ugly, fortunate and unfortunate, and
he understands how beings pass on according to their actions thus:
'These worthy beings who were ill-conducted in body, speech and mind,
revilers of noble ones, wrong in their views, giving effect to wrong
view in their actions, on the dissolution of the body, [71] after
death, have reappeared in a state of deprivation, in a bad
destination, in perdition, even in hell; but these worthy beings who
were well-conducted in body, speech and mind, not revilers of noble
ones, right in their views, giving effect to right view in their
actions, on the dissolution of the body, after death, have reappeared
in a good destination, even in the heavenly world.' Thus with the
divine eye, which is purified and surpasses the human, he sees beings
passing away and reappearing, inferior and superior, fair and ugly,
fortunate and unfortunate, and he understands how beings pass on
according to their actions. That too is a Tathagata's power...</p>
</li>
</ol>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-11-24T23:13:59.530Z
very good point of view
Theravada
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-10-11T04:07:10.543Z
2015-10-11T12:27:19.303Z
2020-06-17T09:56:10.877Z
Shrawaka
<p>the original question is about "jathaka Katha".My dear friends,there is huge discrepancy with doctrine of no soul(what the Buddha thought by Walpola Rahula thero) with Jathaka katha is mislead people towards continuous conciseness.so i think jathaka katha belongs to Buddhist literature. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-03-12T09:35:10.907Z
2017-03-12T09:35:10.907Z
danuka shewantha
<blockquote>
  <p>How is it possible that he had past lives?</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Because until he became the Buddha he hadn't eliminated craving.
Craving leads to clinging, clinging leads to becoming, becoming leads to birth.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>how did he know they were his? What defines them as his?</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Do you remember your childhood? If so, why do you call it your childhood? Because your current existence(assuming you are an adult now) is conditioned by how the child behaved. In the same manner, if your mind had the power to go further back in time, even before your birth, you would see what actions you performed in your last life to condition your present birth. In that sense, it makes it your past life.</p>

<p>But here we are merely talking about a causes and effect relationship. Such a relationship does not require an existence of a soul. A mango seed does not require a soul to result into a mango tree. It rather requires sunlight, water, fertilizer, air etc. Water does not require a soul to turn into steam. It requires heat. </p>

<p>In order for something to qualify as a soul, it has to be under your total control. Which means, it shouldn't be existing without your consent, it shouldn't be changing without your consent, it shouldn't be dying without your consent. Can you find anything in your mind or body that meets those conditions? Could the child have stayed as a child if he/she didn't like to become an adult?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-10-15T08:14:54.047Z
Thanks for the insightful response. I have one more question, if you don't mind. You wrote: "you would see what actions you performed in your last life to condition your present birth." What kind of actions might those be? Did the Buddha ever explain this or go into detail?
Jasmine
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-10-15T08:27:59.290Z
Yes, that is what Karma is all about. Action means either good or bad Karma. Study the [Paticca Samuppada](http://www.palikanon.com/english/wtb/n_r/paticca_samuppaada.htm)
Sakhara Paccaya Vinnana : The first thought moment of your present life is a result of a past Karma.
ex: if you kill someone in this life, your next birth can be in a hell as a result
Sankha Kulathantille
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-11-24T17:13:43.420Z
I very much appreciate your answer! This is one of the first times I've felt comfortable with an answer to this common question. You mention, "In order for something to qualify as a soul, it has to be under your total control." This is not something I've ever heard or considered. Why must a "soul" be in a person's total control?
Zefareu
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-11-24T18:55:14.490Z
@Zefareu By definition, it's a requirement for something to be considered as a soul. Otherwise what is the difference between a soul and your dog? The dog  is under some control. Another requirement is being permanent. I would recommend [Anattalakkhana sutta](http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.059.nymo.html)
Sankha Kulathantille
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-11-24T23:13:08.603Z
Very good answer @SankhaKulathantille
Theravada
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-10-11T12:25:48.787Z
2015-11-24T15:21:19.343Z
2015-11-24T15:21:19.343Z
Sankha Kulathantille
<p>How is it possible that he had past lives and how did he know they were his? What defines them as his?</p>

<the-buddha><anatman><self><soul><reincarnation>
If there is no soul or self, why did the Buddha speak of his past lives?
# If there is no soul or self, why did the Buddha speak of his past lives?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-10-11)

How is it possible that he had past lives and how did he know they were his? What defines them as his?

**Tags:** the-buddha, anatman, self, soul, reincarnation


---

## 4 answers

### Answer by username_5 on 2015-10-11. Score: 15

> How is it possible that he had past lives?

Because until he became the Buddha he hadn't eliminated craving.
Craving leads to clinging, clinging leads to becoming, becoming leads to birth.

> how did he know they were his? What defines them as his?

Do you remember your childhood? If so, why do you call it your childhood? Because your current existence(assuming you are an adult now) is conditioned by how the child behaved. In the same manner, if your mind had the power to go further back in time, even before your birth, you would see what actions you performed in your last life to condition your present birth. In that sense, it makes it your past life.

But here we are merely talking about a causes and effect relationship. Such a relationship does not require an existence of a soul. A mango seed does not require a soul to result into a mango tree. It rather requires sunlight, water, fertilizer, air etc. Water does not require a soul to turn into steam. It requires heat.

In order for something to qualify as a soul, it has to be under your total control. Which means, it shouldn't be existing without your consent, it shouldn't be changing without your consent, it shouldn't be dying without your consent. Can you find anything in your mind or body that meets those conditions? Could the child have stayed as a child if he/she didn't like to become an adult?

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thanks for the insightful response. I have one more question, if you don't mind. You wrote: "you would see what actions you performed in your last life to condition your present birth." What kind of actions might those be? Did the Buddha ever explain this or go into detail?  
> **username_5**: Yes, that is what Karma is all about. Action means either good or bad Karma. Study the [Paticca Samuppada](http://www.palikanon.com/english/wtb/n_r/paticca_samuppaada.htm) Sakhara Paccaya Vinnana : The first thought moment of your present life is a result of a past Karma. ex: if you kill someone in this life, your next birth can be in a hell as a result  
> **username_6**: I very much appreciate your answer! This is one of the first times I've felt comfortable with an answer to this common question. You mention, "In order for something to qualify as a soul, it has to be under your total control." This is not something I've ever heard or considered. Why must a "soul" be in a person's total control?  
> **username_5**: @username_6 By definition, it's a requirement for something to be considered as a soul. Otherwise what is the difference between a soul and your dog? The dog  is under some control. Another requirement is being permanent. I would recommend [Anattalakkhana sutta](http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.059.nymo.html)  
> **username_3**: Very good answer @SankhaKulathantille  

---

### Answer by username_1 on 2015-10-11. Score: 2

There is no independent soul, there is no independent self. Everything depends on something.

Buddha's past life depends on his past deeds.

Thus there are souls and self but they are dependent on past causes


---

### Answer by username_2 on 2015-10-11. Score: 2

In [Maha-sihanada Sutta](http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.012.ntbb.html): The Great Discourse on the Lion's Roar

section of Ten Powers of a Tathagata.

> 9. "Sariputta, the Tathagata has these ten Tathagata's powers, possessing which he claims the herd-leader's place, roars his lion's
>    roar in the assemblies, and sets rolling the Wheel of Brahma.[5] What
>    are the ten?
>
> ....
>
> 17. (8) "Again, the Tathagata recollects his manifold past lives, that is, one birth, two births, three births, four births, five births, ten
>     births, twenty births, thirty births, forty births, fifty births, a
>     hundred births, a thousand births, a hundred thousand births, many
>     aeons of world-contraction, many aeons of world-expansion, many aeons
>     of world-contraction and expansion: 'There I was so named, of such a
>     clan, with such an appearance, such was my nutriment, such my
>     experience of pleasure and pain, such my life-term; and passing away
>     from there, I reappeared elsewhere; and there too I was so named, of
>     such a clan, with such an appearance, such was my nutriment, such my
>     experience of pleasure and pain, such my life-term; and passing away
>     from there, I reappeared here.' Thus with their aspects and
>     particulars he recollects his manifold past lives. That too is a
>     Tathagata's power...
> 18. (9) "Again, with the divine eye, which is purified and surpasses the human, the Tathagata sees beings passing away and reappearing,
>     inferior and superior, fair and ugly, fortunate and unfortunate, and
>     he understands how beings pass on according to their actions thus:
>     'These worthy beings who were ill-conducted in body, speech and mind,
>     revilers of noble ones, wrong in their views, giving effect to wrong
>     view in their actions, on the dissolution of the body, [71] after
>     death, have reappeared in a state of deprivation, in a bad
>     destination, in perdition, even in hell; but these worthy beings who
>     were well-conducted in body, speech and mind, not revilers of noble
>     ones, right in their views, giving effect to right view in their
>     actions, on the dissolution of the body, after death, have reappeared
>     in a good destination, even in the heavenly world.' Thus with the
>     divine eye, which is purified and surpasses the human, he sees beings
>     passing away and reappearing, inferior and superior, fair and ugly,
>     fortunate and unfortunate, and he understands how beings pass on
>     according to their actions. That too is a Tathagata's power...

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: very good point of view  

---

### Answer by username_4 on 2017-03-12. Score: 1

the original question is about "jathaka Katha".My dear friends,there is huge discrepancy with doctrine of no soul(what the Buddha thought by Walpola Rahula thero) with Jathaka katha is mislead people towards continuous conciseness.so i think jathaka katha belongs to Buddhist literature.


---

