Have you ever thought...?

Have you ever read a book that made you think of how the Heavens and the Universe worked? Or just thought about it one night staring up into the sky? Is it plausible that this life was not our one and only? All these questions I ponder every once in a while. For example, do the Hindus and the Buddhists have is right? Does our karma really effect our dharma in such a way we reincarnate every so many years trying to find the right path? Do we really have a purpose to be on this planet? Are we reincarnated to finish our unfinished business in our past life? Do we have only one soul mate?

If we do reincarnate, why? If we are finding the path to righteousness what is the true definition of being good? The Buddhists believe that life is suffering and in order to decrease the amount of suffering you must rid yourself of all desires. Is it not what all humans desire most to be loved? To feel affection? How can one give those emotions up? What must be done in our life time to affect our karma and overall our dharma? Say we really do reincarnate, is it because we are given one specific task to complete in all of our lifetimes so that in the end we achieve the ultimate afterlife? Is there an afterlife? Or is it an abyss of endless darkness where a soul wanders aimlessly? Does the soul parish with the body as one unit or continue on? These people we encounter as friends, do they too reincarnate along with us? Do we have one true love? Do we try to be in love all these people looking for affection until we [hopefully] discover our long lost soul mate? In each lifetime does the person who is your soul mate find you over and over again (if permitted) so that your love can continue even after this body has faded into the depths of history? Scientists say we only use about 10% of our brain (let's pretend that is not controversial) could that other 90% be a storage of memories our soul carries from body to body?

Thousands of questions race through my mind. Sadly, none can be answered but it is entertaining to think about. Love, what is your opinion? Two more questions:
If everything is contained in something.... what contains the universe? As in what is beyond the universe?

and...

What is the reason for the beginning of the universe if everything happens for a reason?