manas wrote:Of course none of us here as far as I know has conclusive evidence that literal rebirth happens, but it is still a good idea to conduct one's life as though it does.
I do personally have irrevocable and certain evidence of rebirth. Since infancy I have remembered my most recent human life, or rather, how I died in that life; as a young boy of three or four, crushed beneath the right front wheel of a pea-soup green car. I also clearly remember the process of dying, the shocking, unspeakable pain of it.
My immediately previous life in the catumaharajika deva loka; I remember this very well. I have enough bright points of enduring memory such that I can gaze at the constellation, so to speak. I remember this all quite clearly. My time there was cut short. I left there willingly with another who promised to help me.
I remember being presented to (presumably) Yama. Being in chains. I remember floating alone for such a long time in a very large, dark iron vat in some caustic or very hot fluid. From time to time I would call out and sometimes a voice would answer. Eventually I would sink to the bottom of this giant vat and be sucked through a "drain" only to reappear secured - perhaps in chains - with two or three beings around me. They would proceed to pour some molten metal down my throat until I passed away from this place, only to return to the vat. This process cycled many times it seems.
I remember a previous life where I was a painter of religious art from Bhutan, attached to a monastery in Tibet. I was sent to the city of Lhasa and, to allay my fears of the supernatural, I was given an amulet which I ended up clutching so tightly on my journey that I wounded my hand. I met a woman, a singer, in a public square. We fell in love. We died together soon afterwards. (I have many details to share with a Tibetologist. Very likely chance for independent verification.)
I remember a life - I believe it was in Burma. I was happily married into my later years, until my wife passed away. I ordained afterwards, and I died as a monk while in meditation on a small hill beneath a crescent moon.
I've intentionally left out the most interesting previous life that I can remember. It is from the time of the Buddha. If any bhikkhu would like to know more about this I am happy to be contacted via PM. (I have a number of details which perhaps can be independently confirmed.)
I've been economical with this information today. It's because I have to go out soon for a four or five hour bicycle ride, and I am in a bit of a rush. (I skipped riding the previous two days because My Poor Legs.) I may add more when I return home.