<p><strong><code>Buddhist more frequently refers Edgar Cayce:</code></strong></p>

<p>Edgar Cayce (1877–1945) founded the non-profit Association for Research and Enlightenment (A.R.E.) in 1931, to explore spirituality, holistic health, intuition, dream interpretation, psychic development, reincarnation, and ancient mysteries—all subjects that frequently came up in the <strong>more than 14,000 documented psychic readings given by Cayce.</strong> </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>The concept of reincarnation shocked and challenged Edgar Cayce and
  his family. They were deeply religious people, doing this work to help
  others because that's what their Christian faith taught. Reincarnation
  was not part of their reality.Yet, the healings and help continued to
  come. So, the Cayce family continued with the physical material, but
  cautiously reflected on the strange philosophical material.
  Ultimately, the Cayce's began to accept the ideas, though not as
  "reincarnation." Edgar Cayce preferred to call it, "The Continuity of
  Life." As a child, he began to read the Bible from front to back, and
  did so for every year of his life. He felt that it did contain much
  evidence that life, the true life in the Spirit, is continual.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>With an international headquarters in Virginia Beach, Va., a regional headquarters in Houston, regional representatives throughout the U.S., Edgar Cayce Centers in 37 countries, and individual members in more than 70 countries, the A.R.E. community is a global network of individuals. <a href="http://www.edgarcayce.org" rel="nofollow">http://www.edgarcayce.org</a></p>

<pre><code>**Body/mind or matter/spirit dualism**
</code></pre>

<p>Buddhist equivalent is nāma-rūpa/viññāna.<br>
Explained using Dependent arising (paṭiccasamuppāda).</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-09-09T00:58:53.940Z
2015-09-09T07:53:10.157Z
2015-09-09T07:53:10.157Z
Shrawaka
<blockquote>
  <p>Doesn't this approach contradict Buddhist doctrines on rebirth and dependent arising? </p>
</blockquote>

<p>I think that some forms of Buddhism have a doctrine of reincarnation. I'm unqualified to explain it but for example, there's a page about <a href="http://www.dalailama.com/messages/statement-of-his-holiness-the-fourteenth-dalai-lama-tenzin-gyatso-on-the-issue-of-his-reincarnation" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Reincarnation</a> on the Dalai Lama's web site.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Given that it conflicts with our fundamental doctrines, how do we explain the popularity of such reincarnation research amongst Buddhists?</p>
</blockquote>

<p>I don't know that they are especially popular but you can <a href="https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/search?q=stevenson">use this search</a> to see the contexts in which Stevenson is cited on this site.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-09-07T16:21:43.630Z
Thanks for the other answers. The range of approaches is broader than I might have expected.
Jayarava
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-09-07T14:28:47.327Z
2015-09-07T14:28:47.327Z
2017-04-13T12:51:06.270Z
ChrisW
<p>As far as I'm aware, experiments of Dr.Ian Stevenson are referred to by Buddhists to convince materialists &amp; the followers of monotheistic religions that there's a Samsara. There's no intention of getting them to believe in a soul. The approach isn't perfect as you have pointed out. But it could be effective for monotheists and those who refuse to accept anything other than what scientists say. Putting Anatta into the mix can make it too confusing for newbies. So as long as the emphasis is put on Samsaric existences, it should be ok.
A question related to memory and persistance is answered <a href="https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/7949/111">here</a>.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-09-07T16:36:13.783Z
Ha. Yes I coincidentally answered this question at length this morning.
Jayarava
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-09-07T12:41:25.937Z
2015-09-07T15:12:32.927Z
2017-04-13T12:51:06.400Z
Sankha Kulathantille
<p>Buddhists often cite the research of people like Ian Stevenson or Jim Tucker in support of their views on rebirth. My understanding however is that these researchers consider their evidence supports the idea of reincarnation - i.e. that they believe in a strong form of body/mind or matter/spirit dualism which allows for the same spirit to inhabit a series of new bodies and thus retain their memories (which are perforce not stored physically in the brain, but psychically in some as yet unknown medium that is available to beings whatever body they happen to be in).</p>

<p>Doesn't this approach contradict Buddhist doctrines on rebirth and dependent arising?
Given that it conflicts with our fundamental doctrines, how do we explain the popularity of such reincarnation research amongst Buddhists?</p>

<rebirth><science><reincarnation><sceptic>
Scientific Reincarnation Research
# Scientific Reincarnation Research

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-09-07)

Buddhists often cite the research of people like Ian Stevenson or Jim Tucker in support of their views on rebirth. My understanding however is that these researchers consider their evidence supports the idea of reincarnation - i.e. that they believe in a strong form of body/mind or matter/spirit dualism which allows for the same spirit to inhabit a series of new bodies and thus retain their memories (which are perforce not stored physically in the brain, but psychically in some as yet unknown medium that is available to beings whatever body they happen to be in).

Doesn't this approach contradict Buddhist doctrines on rebirth and dependent arising?
Given that it conflicts with our fundamental doctrines, how do we explain the popularity of such reincarnation research amongst Buddhists?

**Tags:** rebirth, science, reincarnation, sceptic


---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2015-09-07. Score: 3

As far as I'm aware, experiments of Dr.Ian Stevenson are referred to by Buddhists to convince materialists & the followers of monotheistic religions that there's a Samsara. There's no intention of getting them to believe in a soul. The approach isn't perfect as you have pointed out. But it could be effective for monotheists and those who refuse to accept anything other than what scientists say. Putting Anatta into the mix can make it too confusing for newbies. So as long as the emphasis is put on Samsaric existences, it should be ok.
A question related to memory and persistance is answered [here](https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/7949/111).

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Ha. Yes I coincidentally answered this question at length this morning.  

---

### Answer by username_1 on 2015-09-09. Score: 2

Buddhist more frequently refers Edgar Cayce:
Edgar Cayce (1877–1945) founded the non-profit Association for Research and Enlightenment (A.R.E.) in 1931, to explore spirituality, holistic health, intuition, dream interpretation, psychic development, reincarnation, and ancient mysteries—all subjects that frequently came up in the more than 14,000 documented psychic readings given by Cayce. 

The concept of reincarnation shocked and challenged Edgar Cayce and
  his family. They were deeply religious people, doing this work to help
  others because that's what their Christian faith taught. Reincarnation
  was not part of their reality.Yet, the healings and help continued to
  come. So, the Cayce family continued with the physical material, but
  cautiously reflected on the strange philosophical material.
  Ultimately, the Cayce's began to accept the ideas, though not as
  "reincarnation." Edgar Cayce preferred to call it, "The Continuity of
  Life." As a child, he began to read the Bible from front to back, and
  did so for every year of his life. He felt that it did contain much
  evidence that life, the true life in the Spirit, is continual.

With an international headquarters in Virginia Beach, Va., a regional headquarters in Houston, regional representatives throughout the U.S., Edgar Cayce Centers in 37 countries, and individual members in more than 70 countries, the A.R.E. community is a global network of individuals. http://www.edgarcayce.org
**Body/mind or matter/spirit dualism**

Buddhist equivalent is nāma-rūpa/viññāna.
Explained using Dependent arising (paṭiccasamuppāda).


---

### Answer by username_2 on 2015-09-07. Score: 1

> Doesn't this approach contradict Buddhist doctrines on rebirth and dependent arising?

I think that some forms of Buddhism have a doctrine of reincarnation. I'm unqualified to explain it but for example, there's a page about [Reincarnation](http://www.dalailama.com/messages/statement-of-his-holiness-the-fourteenth-dalai-lama-tenzin-gyatso-on-the-issue-of-his-reincarnation) on the Dalai Lama's web site.

> Given that it conflicts with our fundamental doctrines, how do we explain the popularity of such reincarnation research amongst Buddhists?

I don't know that they are especially popular but you can [use this search](https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/search?q=stevenson) to see the contexts in which Stevenson is cited on this site.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thanks for the other answers. The range of approaches is broader than I might have expected.  

---

