Children’s Enduring Link to the Divine, Part 1 of 2

The criteria we use to decide whether to register a case would include two of the following characteristics: a prediction of rebirth, an announcing dream, a birthmark or birth defect that seems related to the previous life, statements of memories about the previous life, behaviors that seem related, and then also recognitions of people or places from that life.

One remarkable case that meets many of these criteria is the story of K.H., a young boy from Myanmar. From an early age, K.H. drew his family’s attention due to a birthmark on his left arm that closely matched a charcoal mark made by a neighbor on his late grandfather’s body just before burial. Notably, K.H.’s grandfather had passed away 11 months before he was born. When K.H. was just over two years old, he called his grandmother “Ma Tin Shwe,” a special name used only by his late grandfather. Furthermore, he referred to his mother as “War War Khine,” the same way his grandfather had addressed her, instead of the more common “Ma War.” Before K.H.’s birth, his mother dreamed of her late father saying, “I want to live with you.” These extraordinary details – from the birthmark to the unique names used and the dream – led the whole family to believe that their beloved grandfather had truly returned in the form of his grandson.

A soul does not necessarily have to reincarnate as a human. Depending on the karma accumulated, one may be reborn as a human, an animal-person, or even a plant. Conversely, when the right conditions and enough virtuous deeds are present, other species can also be reborn as humans. A remarkable example of this is the story of Dalawong, a young boy from Thailand.

At just three years old, Dalawong began recalling memories of his previous lives. He said he had once been a deer-person, and after being killed by a hunter, he was reborn as a large snake-person. One day, a relative named Hiew came to attend a party near Dalawong’s home. It was the first time Dalawong and his mother had met him. Upon seeing Hiew, the three-year-old boy suddenly became furious and started grabbing anything he could to attack the man. Dalawong explained that in his past life as a snake-person, it was Mr. Hiew who had killed him while trying to protect his two dog-companions. All the details in Dalawong’s account – including the time, location, and events – were later confirmed by Mr. Hiew to be entirely accurate.

This story offers a profound and eye-opening glimpse into how the cycle of reincarnation may work. Rebirth doesn’t occur only from one human life to another – it can also take place across different species. A soul may transition between human and animal-person forms depending on the karmic energy carried over from previous lifetimes. Many children who recall their past lives have shared that they were not only once human, animal-people, or even plants, but also deities, saints, Buddhas, or celestial beings from higher realms. According to their accounts, they came to Earth with a mission: to assist humanity and guide sentient beings back to the path of goodness. These unusual yet deeply inspiring memories gently remind us that each of us carries a noble soul. Yet, immersed in the material world, we often forget the sacred purpose and ideals we once brought with us into this life.