"The Principles of Yan's Family" - Previous and Present Lives

(Clearwisdom.net) The following quotes come from The Principles of Yan's Family. It tells us that a person's life is not extinguished after death, but that it reincarnates into the next life. While we live our present lives, we should always consider the long-term and lay a good foundation for happiness in the next life.

"Although the body dies, the spirit does not. When thinking about life after death, it may seem as if our present life has no impact on life after death. Actually, when a man dies, the relationship between his soul and his previous life is just like the close relationship between an old man and a young boy, or between morning and night.

"Some people talk about how the soul of a dead person has appeared to them in a dream. The dead person may show up in a servant's dream, a wife's dream, or a child's dream. The soul often begs for food, water, or good fortune, and many of these stories are true.

"Today, many people who are poor and suffering often regret that they did not accumulate enough virtue in their previous lives. From this point of view, shouldn't a person build a foundation for happiness for his soul in the next life? Your children and grandchildren are only transient lives in this world and not related to you [at all levels]. However, you are very attached to them and leave your property to them. We should similarly be responsible for our own souls and not leave them behind.

"Average people are ignorant and unable to plan for the the future. They find it hard to believe that this life and the next life run into each other."

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