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a human body, sometimes in an animal body, and some- times in a plant body, such as a tree. Only human life, how- ever, offers the chance for the atma to learn the eternal spiritual truth. Therefore, Hindus believe that it is impor- tant to use the opportunity of a human birth to understand who we are, and who God is. In this way, we can end the cycle of reincarnation and be reunited with the eternal spir- itual reality, or God.

A funeral ceremony on the banks of the Ganges River near Varanasi. Hindus believe that each soul (atma) is reincarnated in another form after death, until the soul achieves the eternal spiritual truth.

What Do Hindus Believe

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