Nice text on the Q&A with Nagasena the Arahat,
excerpt:
http://www.aimwell.org/rebirth.html#
Is the Same Person Reborn?
“He who is reborn, Nāgasena, is he the same per¬son or
another?”
“Neither the same nor another.”
“Give me an illustration.”
“In the case of a pot of milk that turns first to
curds, then to butter, then to ghee; it would not be right to say
that the ghee, butter and curds were the same as the milk, but they
have come from that so neither would it be right to say that they
are some¬thing else.”
What is Reborn?
“What is it, Nāgasena, that is reborn?”
“Mind and matter.”
“Is it this very mind and matter that is reborn?”
“No, it is not, but by this mind and matter deeds are
done and because of those deeds another mind and matter is reborn;
but that mind and matter is not thereby released from the results
of its previous deeds.”
“Give me an illustration.”
“It is like a fire that a man might kindle and, having
warmed himself, he might leave it burning and go away. Then if that
fire were to set light to another man’s field and the owner were to
seize him and accuse him before the king, and he were to say, ‘Your
maj¬esty, I did not set this man’s field on fire. The fire that I
left burning was different to that which burnt his field. I am not
guilty.’ Would he deserve punishment?”
“Indeed, yes, because whatever he might say the latter
fire resulted from the former one.”
“Just so, O king, by this mind and matter deeds are
done and because of those deeds another mind and matter is reborn;
but that mind and matter is not thereby released from the results
of its previous deeds.”
The One Who Knows
“Is there, Nāgasena, such a thing as ‘The one who
knows’ (vedagū)?”
“What is this thing?”
“The living principle within that sees, hears, tastes,
smells, feels and discerns things; just as we, sitting here, can
look out of any window we wish to.”
“If, O king, the living principle within can see, hear,
taste, smell and feel things like you say, can it not also see
forms through the ear and so on?”
“No, venerable sir.”
“Then, O king, the living principle within cannot make
use of which¬ever sense it pleases as you sug¬gested. It is, O
king, by reason of the eye and forms that sight and those other
conditions arise, namely; contact, feeling, perception, inten¬tion,
one-pointedness, vitality and attention. Each arises
simultane¬ously with its cause and herein ‘The one who knows’
cannot be found.”
Transmigration or Rebirth?
“Is there any being who transmigrates from this body to
another?”
“No there is not.”
“If that is so, would there not be an escape from the
result of evil deeds?”
“Yes there would be an escape if they were not to be
reborn, but there would not be if they were to be reborn. This mind
and body process commits deeds either pure or impure, and because
of that kamma another mind and body process is reborn. Therefore
this mind and body is not free from its evil deeds.”
“Give me an illustration.”
“If a thief were to steal another man’s mangoes, would
he deserve punishment?”
“Indeed he would.”
“But the mangoes he stole were not those that the owner
had planted; why should he deserve punish¬ment?”
“Because those that he stole resulted from the
others.”
“Just so, O king, this mind and body process commits
deeds either pure or impure, and because of that kamma another mind
and body process is reborn. Therefore this mind and body is not
free from its evil deeds.”
Where is Kamma Stored Up?
“When deeds are committed by one mind and body process,
where do they remain?”
“The deeds follow them, O king, like a shadow that
never leaves. But one cannot point them out saying, ‘Those deeds
are here or there’, just as the fruits of a tree cannot be pointed
out before they are produced.”