Spiritual Transmigration in Mulla Sadra's Philosophy
Abstract
The common meaning of transmigration is the after-death transfer of man's soul to another body which might belong to another man, animal, vegetable, or inanimate being. This meaning necessitates the negation of resurrection and otherworldly reivification, is rationally impossible and false, and is absolutely against the Religious Law. Such a transfer, if referred to as transmigration, is in fact due to terminological similarity. The writer has called the transmigration referred to in the above paragraph Spiritual Transmigration to distinguish it from false transmigration. Spiritual Transmigration is in fact the embodiment of deeds referred to in verses and hadiths, which are naturally acceptable to Mulla Sadra. He maintains that the truth of this concept of transmigration can be proved on the basis of corporeal resurrection.This paper is intended to explain the concept and types of transmigration, to present the reasons for its falsity and impossibility, and finally to prove Spiritual Transmigration, or the embodiment of deeds, through reference to Mulla Sadra's arguments and views in this regard.