Nabokov

I was reading a few short stories by Vladimir Nabokov the other day, and I stumbled across a striking passage that reminded me vaguely of our discussion of reincarnation and karma. In the story Sounds, the main character makes an observation that reminded me of my own interpretation of the Buddhist outlook on karma.

"And suddenly it was supremely clear to me that, for centuries, the world had been blooming, withering, spinning, changing solely in order that now, at this instant, it might combine and fuse into a vertical chord the voice the had resounded downstairs, the motion of your silken shoulder blades, and the scent of pine boards."

This passage implies that previous events happened in order to bring a specific moment into existence, instead of simply making the observation that things happened in a very particular way in the past, producing this particular result. That is the way that I understand reincarnation- the things that you did as a child, and the things that you will do in the years to come will forever change the future. Although you will never be able to predict or measure your impact on the world, what you do will influence events long after your death.