The concept of multiple lives proposes to view suffering not as random cruelty or divine punishment, but as a fair retribution for actions in previous incarnations.

Reincarnation and Spiritual Renewal

The concept of multiple lives proposes to view suffering not as random cruelty or divine punishment, but as a fair retribution for actions in previous incarnations. According to this idea, every pain—whether experienced by a human or an animal—is an opportunity to cleanse the soul, a kind of atonement for mistakes or evil deeds committed in past lives. This perspective explains pain and suffering as an important stage in spiritual development, where accumulated "sins" or negative karma are neutralized and processed, thereby offering the chance for spiritual rebirth.

Supporting citation(s):
"All suffering can be explained as fair retribution for evil deeds in past incarnations. Although many psychologists and hypnotists working with past-life memories do not themselves believe that the events recalled by their patients actually occurred, they use this method because it works. ...

If it works, then what difference?