Past Life Memories and the Deeper Mind

Recently, while in Ladakh, the Dalai Lama recounted a profound encounter with a very young boy. Even before their scheduled meeting, the boy insisted to his parents, "This is not my place. My place is in South India." When the boy eventually traveled to his previous life's home in South India, he immediately recognized it. Upon entering, he pointed to a specific glass and said, "This is my glass."

These strange phenomena raise fascinating questions about the nature of consciousness and life after life. According to the Dalai Lama, theistic traditions view this single life as created by God, whereas non-theistic traditions, like Buddhism, recognize no beginning to life—only life after life.

The Levels of Consciousness

Modern psychology and science, he explains, primarily investigate the "sensorial level" of the mind. However, memories of past lives do not reside in this surface layer; they originate from a much deeper mental level.

The Dalai Lama outlines the different levels of consciousness we experience naturally. During our waking hours, we operate on a gross, sensorial level. When we dream, sensory consciousness ceases, but a deeper mental level remains active. In deep sleep, the mind enters an even subtler state. Finally, at the time of death, the heart stops beating, blood circulation ceases, and the brain dies.

Unexplained Connections and Fading Memories

The Dalai Lama suggests that the impacts of one life carry over into the next. Often, when we are in a crowd, we might inexplicably feel a close connection to a complete stranger. Scientifically, there is little explanation for this, but on a deeper level, it reflects an unconscious feeling developed from a past life relationship.

He recalls a close friend who occasionally experienced very clear memories of his past relationships with the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Dalai Lamas. The Dalai Lama also reflects on his own vivid childhood experiences. Before the official search party arrived at his small village in Amdo, nobody knew they were coming. Yet, from the early morning, the young Dalai Lama was incredibly excited. When the monks arrived, he ran to them, recognized several individuals by name, and approached a specific Lama who carried a rosary belonging to the 13th Dalai Lama. The young boy grabbed it and exclaimed, "This is mine! This is mine!"

However, as children grow older, these memories naturally fade. The Dalai Lama jokes that today, it is difficult for him to even remember what happened yesterday. The young boy in Ladakh who remembered his glass has also lost those memories as he aged. Unless one engages in deep meditation—which reduces the sensorial mind and allows the subtle mind to become active again—past life memories generally slip away.

A Private Business of Religion

Reflecting on these mysteries, the Dalai Lama's ultimate message is one of shared responsibility. Regardless of religious beliefs, humanity must work together to build a peaceful, happy world, starting in our own communities. When we focus on our shared potential, political boundaries fade away.

He emphasizes that if we cling too tightly to labels, religion itself can create harmful divisions—a sense of "Us" versus "Them." Therefore, building a happy world is a practical, moral responsibility that goes beyond religious affiliation.

He concludes by recounting a meeting with an Indian spiritual practitioner. They acknowledged their profound differences—Hinduism emphasizes an independent self (Atman), while Buddhism focuses on selflessness. Yet, the Dalai Lama notes that whether one finds benefit in believing in a creator, an independent self, or selflessness, that is a "private business." The essential goal remains the immense benefit and peace those practices bring to the world.

Further Reading

Also See: The Children Who Should Not Know