Afterlife

Many people believe that some aspect of the self continues to exist after death. Throughout history most religions and philosophies have offered a rationale for, and description of, life after death to encourage adherence to their codes of belief and conduct.

Theorists view the relationship between the afterlife and time in various ways. Some view the afterlife as a timeless state of existence after death or after the end of the world. Others view it as a state of never-ending time. Still others view it as the cyclical repetition of incarnation in various forms.

Early Egyptian writings describe the king's ascent to the sky where he becomes a star and is admitted into the company of the gods. Later the promise of [Page 4]immortality was extended beyond the Pharaoh and his family to the general population. Some Egyptian writings describe the journey of the dead in the underworld. Those who pass the tests on the journey would arrive at the realms of the blessed, which are located either on earth or in heaven.

In contrast to the Egyptians, most people in the ancient Near East (including Sumerians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Canaanites, and Israelites) believed that the dead continued to exist in an underworld, which was only a gloomy reflection of their former life. The Hebrew scriptures describe the dead as “shades” (repbaim) who descend to Sheol, a dark and dusty pit located under the earth. Some passages speak of a hope in Yahweh's help and presence beyond death, but scholars debate whether such passages indicate a belief in either immortality or resurrection. The clearest references to the resurrection of the dead are Isaiah 26:19 and Daniel 12:2. Ecclesiastes 3:19–21 suggests the ascent of the righteous dead to heaven.

The Zoroastrian texts of Persia describe a bridge that leads over hell to paradise. The righteous pass over successfully, but the wicked fall off the bridge into hell where they suffer eternal darkness and sorrow. The good person passes through three levels of heavens to arrive at paradise (“garden” or “park”), a blissful place free of pain and suffering.

Hinduism believes in an endless cycle of death and rebirth (called samsara). Karma, the law of moral cause and effect, determines the future existence of the person. Through the practice of yoga, one can acquire true knowledge that the physical world, including death, is an illusion and thereby obtain Samadbi, the highest level of spiritual perfection. The union of Atman (the essential self) with Brahman (that which is truly real) will result in liberation (moksa) from samsara. Between death and rebirth, people are rewarded in heaven or punished in hell based on the nature of their deeds.

In contrast to Hinduism, Buddhism insists that death is an unavoidable fact of human existence that must be accepted. To overcome the desire for exemption from death, one should follow the Eightfold Path in order to achieve anatman (or Anatta), a state of nirvana or “non-self.” Karma determines in which of six realms a person is reborn. Some Buddhists, however, reject the idea of reincarnation. Buddha's contemporary, Confucius, accepted the reality of death also but was agnostic regarding life after death. However, many Confucianists today believe in the reincarnation of the soul.

...