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Summary of Question:	Do We Have To Suffer Now For Things Done In Our Previous Life?
Category:	General Sikhism
Date Posted:	Friday, 9/13/2002 11:37 AM MDT

Sat-shri-akal.

As all know, if we do good deeds, we will emerge with God and if we do otherwise, we will have to live 8.4 million times in different forms, before we can be born as human beings again.
Also some say that if we have done bad deeds in our previous life as a human, we will have to suffer for it in this life- my question is: if one lives 8.4 million times before one can be born as a human being again, then isn't that the punishment in itself? So does one actually have to suffer from things that one has done in previous lives in thsi life?
I have asked this question before, but I didn't really get the answer I needed. Maybe I didn't make it clear enough- well, scientists have said that the world will come to an end in some hundreds years...I know that God is the one to do it...but if it is to happen, where does the spirits of the people who are destined to be reincarnated go? Because since they haven't remembered God they won't be able to emerge with God...what happens?
Hope that my questions aren't too confusing. Thanks alot.
Sat-shri-akal.

(REPLY) Sat Nam. I'm sure my answer won't satisfy you either, but I have to express it anyway! We are divine beings, born here on Earth to have a human experience, to pay off karma so that we don't have to be reborn as anything. Only those who really mess up in this lifetime go back through all the 8.4 milllion incarnations. But the point is, that we should be enjoying life while we're here! Yes, and the only way to really be happy is to get in touch with that divinity within us. We do that by chanting God's Name, reciting Gurbani, and doing seva, and living righteously. do a regular sadhana -- thatis, every single day remember God's Name by meditating, and read your banis, and try to make this a better world for your having lived and breathed on it. Quit worrying about future lifetimes, but make the best of this one! Blessings, SP