Editing Pre-existence (section)

==Buddhism==
{{update|section|date=January 2022}}
In [[Buddhist cosmology]], [[Saṃsāra (Buddhism)|saṃsāra]] is the cycle of life and death.<ref>{{cite book | last =Trainor | first =Kevin | year =2004 | title =Buddhism: The Illustrated Guide | publisher =Oxford University Press | isbn =978-0-19-517398-7 | url =https://books.google.com/books?id=_PrloTKuAjwC | access-date =2016-09-25 | archive-date =2020-05-18 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20200518042910/https://books.google.com/books?id=_PrloTKuAjwC | url-status =live | page = 58 | quote = Buddhism shares with Hinduism the doctrine of Samsara, whereby all beings pass through an unceasing cycle of birth, death and rebirth until they find a means of liberation from the cycle. However, Buddhism differs from Hinduism in rejecting the assertion that every human being possesses a changeless [[soul]] which constitutes his or her ultimate identity, and which transmigrates from one incarnation to the next.}}</ref> When a person dies in earth its human soul is born into the [[Naraka (Buddhism)|Naraka]] (underworld or the "purgatories" of the souls) and afterwards it is reborn on earth.<ref>Braarvig, Jens (2009). "The Buddhist Hell: An Early Instance of the Idea?". ''Numen''. '''56''' (2–3): 254–281.</ref> [[Yama (Buddhism)|Yama]], a [[dharmapala]] (wrathful god), is said to judge the dead and preside over the Narakas and the cycle.<ref>Soka Gakkai, Nichiren Buddhism Library</ref>

A being is born into a Naraka as a direct result of its accumulated actions ([[karma (Buddhism)|karma]]) and resides there for a finite period of time (it varies from hundreds of millions to sextillions of years, but these periods are equivalent to hours or even years in earth time) until that karma has achieved its full result. After its karma is used up, it will be reborn in one of the higher worlds as the result of karma that had not yet ripened. The cycle is completed or finished when the soul reach the [[Nirvana]].<ref>Chad Meister (2009). ''Introducing Philosophy of Religion''. Routledge. p. 25. {{isbn|978-1-134-14179-1}} <q>Buddhism: the soteriological goal is nirvana, liberation from the wheel of samsara and extinction of all desires, cravings and suffering.</q></ref>