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Reincarnation And The Religious And Philosophic Consensus Of The Ages


In the rapid review we are now about to make of the religion and

philosophy of the past, we shall find that, under many and divers

names and veils, the doctrine of Rebirths has been taught from the

farthest antiquity right up to the present time. There is not a nation

that has not preserved clear traces of this doctrine; not a religion

that has not taught it, either openly or in secret, or, at all events,

retained the
erm of the teaching; and if we count only those peoples

of whose national religion it forms part, i.e., Hindus and

Buddhists, the number of believers in Reincarnation may be summed up

in round figures at 540 millions of the present population of 1400

millions throughout the world. The greatest of philosophers, both

ancient and modern, have regarded palingenesis as the basis of life,

but whereas in the past the pledge of initiation prevented its

details from being promulgated, in our days, along with the flood of

light which this cycle has brought us, the veil of secrecy has been

partially lifted, and theosophy has been privileged to set forth this

glorious teaching in its main outlines and its most important details.



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