Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, Book III · 18 of 55 · tr. Charles Johnston
Sutra 18
When the mind-impressions become visible, there comes an understanding of previous births. This is simple enough if we grasp the truth of rebirth. The fine harvest of past experi ences is drawn into the spiritual nature, forming, indeed, the basis of its development. When the consciousness has been raised to a point above these fine subjective impressions, and can look down upon them from above, this will in itself be a remembering of past births.
§ Ask Guru about this passage →Themes
Anamnesissoteriology
Platonic recollection: knowledge as the soul's recovery of what it knew before birth, with learning as remembering rather than acquisition.
The passage explicitly links remembering past births to the soul's recovery of what it knew before birth.
All passages →Soul Migrationcosmology
The transmigration of the soul across lives.
The passage explicitly discusses understanding previous births and the transmigration of experiences into the spiritual nature.
All passages →Related passages · 8 parallels
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Cic .
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