metempsychosis
n. transmigration of the soul, whereby upon death a soul takes up residence in another body, human or animal. The belief is inherent in the doctrine of samsara, the cycle of birth, life, death, and rebirth, that is central to Hinduism and Buddhism. An important and unanswerable issue attends the doctrine: the extent to which the reincarnated soul retains its memories and personality. In the ancient Western world, a similar belief in multiple lives was taught by Greek philosophers Pythagoras (c. 569–c. 475 bce) and Empedocles (c. 493–c. 453 bce). See also reincarnation.