<p>It appears original Buddhism did not teach about "reincarnation". It appears "reincarnation" was introduced into Buddhism at a later time. </p>

<p>The Pali suttas show original Buddhism taught about <strong>"upapajjati" ("re-arising")</strong>, which means a certain result arising following from certain actions. "Upapajjati" is concerned with the results of kamma or morality. </p>

<p>The original Pali suttas most often say what is "re-arises" is the former sense of "being" or "self".  </p>

<p>For example, you have the idea: "<em>I will rob this bank because I want to have money</em>". Then when you are imprisoned for robbing the bank, you have the painful regret: "<em>Why was I so stupid to get get caught?</em>". What "re-arises" is the same sense of "being", "self" or "I"; that is caught up or strongly attached to the idea of robbing a bank for money. </p>

<p>The scriptures say: </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>'These <strong>beings</strong> — who were endowed with bad conduct of body, speech &amp;
  mind, who reviled noble ones, held wrong views and undertook actions
  under the influence of wrong views — with the break-up of the body,
  after death, have re-appeared in the plane of deprivation, the bad
  destination, the lower realms, in hell. But these <strong>beings</strong> — who were
  endowed with good conduct of body, speech &amp; mind, who did not revile
  noble ones, who held right views and undertook actions under the
  influence of right views — with the break-up of the body, after death,
  have re-appeared in the good destinations, in the heavenly world.'</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Therefore what "re-arises" is "a being". The scriptures also say "a being" is a mental state of strong attachment, as follows:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>'A being,' lord. 'A being,' it's said. To what extent is one said to
  be 'a being'?"</p>
  
  <p>"Any desire, passion, delight, or craving for form, Radha: when one is
  caught up there, tied up there, one is said to be 'a being.'</p>
  
  <p>"Any desire, passion, delight, or craving for feeling... perception...
  fabrications...</p>
  
  <p>"Any desire, passion, delight, or craving for consciousness, Radha:
  when one is caught up there, tied up there, one is said to be 'a
  being.'</p>
  
  <p><a href="https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn23/sn23.002.than.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">SN 23.2</a></p>
</blockquote>

<p>While "a being" is a mental state of delusion; it is this delusion that "re-arises" or "upapajjati". </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-14T20:24:40.813Z
There are further details about *upapajjati* in e.g. [this topic](https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/29355/254), if you'd like to reference that.
ChrisW
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-14T20:18:56.217Z
2019-10-14T20:35:24.600Z
2019-10-14T20:35:24.600Z
Dhamma Dhatu
<p>What is reincarnated? Does reincarnation occur in the realm of conventional reality?</p>

<p>Well I had to put in some superfluous words because the website wouldn't accept just a simple question.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-14T14:22:57.910Z
Hi. I'm pretty sure this question has been asked and answered -- please review some of the [topics tagged '**rebirth**'](https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/rebirth) as well as [topics tagged '**reincarnation**'](https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/reincarnation). There are so many in the past that it's hard to choose which one this question is a duplicate of!!
ChrisW
<reincarnation>
What is reincarnated?
# What is reincarnated?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-10-14)

What is reincarnated? Does reincarnation occur in the realm of conventional reality?

Well I had to put in some superfluous words because the website wouldn't accept just a simple question.

**Tags:** reincarnation

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Hi. I'm pretty sure this question has been asked and answered -- please review some of the [topics tagged '**rebirth**'](https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/rebirth) as well as [topics tagged '**reincarnation**'](https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/reincarnation). There are so many in the past that it's hard to choose which one this question is a duplicate of!!  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2019-10-14. Score: 1

It appears original Buddhism did not teach about "reincarnation". It appears "reincarnation" was introduced into Buddhism at a later time.

The Pali suttas show original Buddhism taught about **"upapajjati" ("re-arising")**, which means a certain result arising following from certain actions. "Upapajjati" is concerned with the results of kamma or morality.

The original Pali suttas most often say what is "re-arises" is the former sense of "being" or "self".

For example, you have the idea: "*I will rob this bank because I want to have money*". Then when you are imprisoned for robbing the bank, you have the painful regret: "*Why was I so stupid to get get caught?*". What "re-arises" is the same sense of "being", "self" or "I"; that is caught up or strongly attached to the idea of robbing a bank for money.

The scriptures say:

> 'These **beings** — who were endowed with bad conduct of body, speech &
> mind, who reviled noble ones, held wrong views and undertook actions
> under the influence of wrong views — with the break-up of the body,
> after death, have re-appeared in the plane of deprivation, the bad
> destination, the lower realms, in hell. But these **beings** — who were
> endowed with good conduct of body, speech & mind, who did not revile
> noble ones, who held right views and undertook actions under the
> influence of right views — with the break-up of the body, after death,
> have re-appeared in the good destinations, in the heavenly world.'

Therefore what "re-arises" is "a being". The scriptures also say "a being" is a mental state of strong attachment, as follows:

> 'A being,' lord. 'A being,' it's said. To what extent is one said to
> be 'a being'?"
>
> "Any desire, passion, delight, or craving for form, Radha: when one is
> caught up there, tied up there, one is said to be 'a being.'
>
> "Any desire, passion, delight, or craving for feeling... perception...
> fabrications...
>
> "Any desire, passion, delight, or craving for consciousness, Radha:
> when one is caught up there, tied up there, one is said to be 'a
> being.'
>
> [SN 23.2](https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn23/sn23.002.than.html)

While "a being" is a mental state of delusion; it is this delusion that "re-arises" or "upapajjati".

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: There are further details about *upapajjati* in e.g. [this topic](https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/29355/254), if you'd like to reference that.  

---

