[Buddha-l] RE: Article of possible interest--correction

[Joy Vriens]

Hi Lance,

>It is quite common for Theravada teachers to claim that past lives  
>can be remembered in meditation. 

Do you (or those Theravada teachers) know Henri Delacroix's Les grands mystiques chrétiens? Old stuff no doubt, but sometimes it's good to be reminded of it. Henri Delacroix, was a student of Henri Bergson and a disciple of William James. In Les grands mystiques chrétiens, Delacroix studies "primary sources", i.e. autobiographic material written by the great Christian mystics themselves. Generally speaking, his explanation for the mystical experiences is that the mystics in questions work in a general framework, which is the belief system of their religion. Their mind, subconscious, is continuously impregnated through meditation, prayer, ascetism and other imagery. At one point, when their mind is passive, not active, it all bubbles (back) up spontaneously mixed in with other subconscious material. I am not saying that there is no kamma, and past lives etc. (but don't tempt me ;-)), but have you considered the possibility of something along the lines of Delacroix's theory? 

Joy