"Death & Beyond".

06 Oct 19 - 0600 hrs - Musings from a Recliner ~ Lally Virk

'Death & Beyond"

With age catching up and seeing some people close to me, either suffering or ‘moving on’, my thoughts drifted towards ‘Death & beyond’ or ‘Afterlife’, if there is any such thing, or the concept of ‘immortality’, if at all there is any such thing !!?

A few days back my course-mate and good friend, Gen Sachdeva lost his mother. Condolences starting pouring in from every quarter. I kept wondering at the kind, nature and the variety of the condolences. Some said, ‘sorrow fills my heart’, some ‘we pray for the departed’ some ‘God bless’ and some just plain ‘Condolences’, but most ended with ‘R.I.P’ and some with ‘Om Shanti’ or ‘Om Shanti Om Shanti’.

Pondering over it, what came to my mind was, “Is there a correct form of a ‘parting salutation’ for a soul ‘moving on’ or is it that whatever comes from the heart is fine ?”

These musings take off from there……

Curiosity and possibly, inquisitiveness got the better of me and I started digging into this, ah well, forbidden zone, because who wants to think of ‘death and beyond’ ----- did I also mention Immortality !!?

Well, this is what I came up with………….

I realised that major religious traditions of the world, past and present, contain perspectives of perennial importance on the topic of ‘death and beyond’. This is especially evident in their mythical patterns and doctrinal teachings. Such concepts are not only reflected directly in mortuary and funerary practices, but also inform patterns of beliefs and rituals that shape human lifestyles.

If one explores the understandings of death and afterlife in various cultures by simply isolating and discussing relevant teachings and narratives from their religious traditions, one realises that they affect the innermost core of the human psyche and constitute the very fabric of human existence. They can only be understood by a comprehensive understanding of a given religious system rooted in its overall culture.

For example, the Christian concept of death and resurrection is certainly misunderstood when it is uprooted from the context of a particular biblical framework and the subsequent evolution of Christian theology. The same can be said of Hindu concepts of reincarnation and the Taoist cult of immortality. Only those who have a comprehensive historic-cultural familiarity with such traditions can provide a proper focus for these issues and help us come to a true understanding of them.

This gets me to the thought ‘burning’ in my mind. What is correct ? Should one say ‘R.I.P’ or should one say ‘Om Shanti’ or ‘Om Shanti Shanti’ ? Or are both of them the same ? What is the correct ‘parting salutation’ ?

R.I.P means ‘Rest in Peace’ — this is a Judeo-Christian blessing. R.I.P is also engraved on the gravestones of Christians. In Christian religious beliefs, as also most of the Abrahamic religions, the deceased person is put in an enclosed box, termed a ‘coffin’, where it is supposed to rest till ‘Judgment Day’. Judgment Day may come after days, months, years or even ages, depending on the deeds or sins committed through his/her sojourn on Earth. To offset this period to a certain extent, all well-wishers offer blessings and prayers and wish the deceased ‘soul’ to ‘Rest In Peace’ or ‘R.I.P’, till Judgement day. On the Judgment day, the Lord appears to decide who goes where - Heaven or Hell. They believe that on the Judgment day the dead will rise again. Until that time, the soul has to suffer and suffocate inside that coffin.

One could conclude that the Abrahamic Religions or those who believe you only live once, have broadly three schools – those who believe death is the ultimate end and there is nothing else after that; those who believe after death you go to the land of the dead and stay in this ‘afterlife’ forever; and those who believe after death you go to either heaven, where you enjoy the rest of eternity, or to hell, where you suffer for all eternity (or maybe until you have been adequately punished and are ready to join the rest in heaven). ‘R.I.P’.

The Hindu concept of life and death is very different from that of Abrahamic religions, which mainly have the concept of only one life. All major Hindu sacred texts, including Bhagvad Gita, Kathopanishad, Shiva Aagamas, Puranas reiterate that as per the cosmic laws, the jiva atma or individual consciousness, cannot be destroyed. It is a reflection of the cosmic consciousness or paramatma. It is bound by karma and maya, and continues its journey from one janma to another towards final liberation – Jivan Mukti, living a liberated life, or Moksha, emancipation from the cycle of birth and death (Samsara), when it merges back into the cosmic consciousness. The cosmic consciousness manifests as many jivas to celebrate itself – “Ekoham Bahushyam,” as said in the Vedas and Upanishads.

On the path, it gets deluded and forgets this, and starts suffering. This is the bondage it needs to free itself from. So, death is like a change of clothes for the Jiva Atma. It travels from one body and mind to another, and continues its journey. In the next life, it has the same circumstances and resources it had in its previous life. The Jiva does not lose anything by leaving one body and going to the next. Its karma is also transferred from the previous body and mind to the next. The suffering while leaving the body depends on how evolved the Jiva was, and how Dharmic a life she/he spent. But this cannot be assessed by medical science as it is not equivalent to “pain” in medical terms.

Hinduism does not have any concept such as that of rising from the dead. Hinduism believes in reincarnation. As already explained, it says that the cycle of birth and death are governed by the Karma of individuals. The deceased individual would take another birth based upon the Karma of his previous life. His/her soul starts searching for another body. So there is no rest and hence, the concept of R.I.P is not valid in Hinduism.

Now as per most schools of thought, saying ‘Om Shanti’ or ‘Om Shanti Shanti’ is akin to wishing the soul ‘rest in peace’, which if it does would make it into a ‘Preta’.  In fact, the concept of R.I.P or ‘Om Shanti’ in Hinduism would remotely come close to the concept of Preta (Evil, hungry ghosts) which is basically a curse in the Hindu way of life. An individual after leaving his/her body becomes a ‘Preta’ and if the soul gets locked in Earth’s atmosphere it becomes a Preta for eternity. It turns evil. Preta Aatma (soul) tries to pursue its near and dear ones to leave their living bodies and join him/her as Preta Aatma. Its sole focus is always on to increase the community of Preta Aatma. These are Atript Aatmas, who don't get food from their children through the various rituals and get trapped. They get trapped for an eternity, and will suffer for an eternity. Suffering in Hell is considered better as its temporary, rather than getting trapped here.

That’s why in the Hindu way of life there is a concept of Terahvin (13 days). For 13 days family members of the deceased persuade the ‘Pretas’ every day with various invocations and offerings requesting them to leave this earth and move on to their next destination which could be either incarnation or salvation (Moksha). We don’t allow them to remain as ‘Preta’, because it is a curse. Hence, when you wish someone “R.I.P,” or ‘Om Shanti’, you are basically implying that they remain stuck in this state.

R.I.P is not in accordance with the Hindu tradition. The concept of R.I.P doesn’t exist in Hinduism.

So if ‘R.I.P’ and according to most schools of thought ‘Om Shanti’ is incorrect in Hinduism, then what is the right ‘parting salutation’ in Hinduism.

Hinduism believes in Moksha, that is liberation. Liberation from the endless cycles of birth and death. So when you say “OM SADGATI” you are praying to the divine to guide the jiva atma towards a higher consciousness in its next birth. Whatever karma can be destroyed for the jiva by performing the last rites and praying for poornatva for the jiva, it should be liberated from that. This is what “Om Sadgati” imples. This is also why Bhagavad Gita chapter 14 and Kathopanishad are chanted after someone leaves the body, so as to remind the jiva of its true nature, which is that it is divine. These texts reveal the most important truths about life and death, and the true nature of the jiva atma and paramatma. The more the jiva remembers that it is divine, the better next janma she/he can get.

Hence, I would surmise that the right ‘parting salutation’ in Hinduism should be ‘Om Sadgati’ and in most Abrahamic Religions it would be ‘R.I.P’.

Having thrown some clarity on R.I.P, now lets see what ‘Om Shanti’ or ‘Om Shanti Shanti’ mean and where is it appropriate to say ‘Om Shanti’ ?

Om Shanti is a meditation mantra, greeting or salutation used in meditation, yoga practice. ‘Om’ has no translatable meaning, but is believed to be the sound of the universe, referred to as the cosmic vibration. ‘Om’ is said to be the primordial sound of the universe. It represents the cycle of death and rebirth. It connects us to all that is, was, and will be. In a way, ‘Om’ represents our reality. Shanti is a Sanskrit word that means “peace”.

As a greeting or salutation in Yoga, ‘Om Shanti’ is repeated at the beginning and/or end of a yoga class as a way of wishing others divine peace. It is also repeated as a mantra at the end of Hindu and Buddhist devotional ceremonies.

Two typical mantras are “Om Shanti Om” and “Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti.” The latter symbolizes three forms of peace: peace of the mind, peace in speech and peace in the physical body. It is also thought to represent hope for individual peace, collective peace and universal peace. Using mantras like ‘Om Shanti’ during meditation helps to centre your mind and body. Repeating the phrase ‘Om Shanti’ not only grounds you to your practice, your body, and your breath but also serves as a focal point. Mantras concentrate our energy and keep us focused. They remind us of why we’re here and what we should orient ourselves toward.

In a nutshell around the world, what happens after death can basically be divided into two schools of thought. Those who believe you live only once and those who believe you live multiple lives.

Now what do some of the major religions believe in what is and what lies in ‘Death & Beyond’ ?

Perspective as an Atheist – To the atheist or the materialist, the whole idea of life after death is an absurdity. To them it might seem like some invention designed to deal with the fear of death, or some fantasy that allows religious people to better cope with the passing away of loved ones. The debate between those who believe in eternal life and those who dismiss the idea of it, has been going on throughout history.

Ancient Egyptians built pyramids because they believed in an eternal afterlife. 

The Ancient Chinese, before Buddhism introduced the idea of rebirth, have always believed in the land of ancestors that one has to go to after death. Even today, there are rituals where you offer paper money to ancestors to spend in the land of the dead, from whence there is no return.

The Islamic belief in the afterlife as stated in the Quran is descriptive. The Arabic word for Paradise is 'Jannat' and Hell is 'Jahannam'. Their level of comfort while in the grave (according to some commentators) depends wholly on their level of iman or faith in the one almighty creator or supreme being (God or Allah). In order for one to achieve proper, firm and healthy iman one must practice righteous deeds or else his level of iman chokes and shrinks and eventually can wither away if one does not practice Islam long enough, hence the depth of practicing Islam is in good deeds. One may also acquire tasbih and recite the names of Allah in such a manner as 'Subahann Allah' or "Glory be to Allah" over and over again to acquire good deeds, all for the cause to reach absolute belief to elevate the spiritual entity that will find its creator (source). This ultimate goal is recited in one of the most prominent verses in the holy Quran, the first Sura in the Quran, named Alfateha in the 5th verse "Ehdina al serata al mostaqeem" meaning "guide us to the straight path", and the following verses follow describing this path as "The way of those on whom you have bestowed your grace, not the way of those who earned your anger, nor of those who went astray".

Sikhism teaches that the soul reincarnates when the body dies. Sikhs do not believe in an afterlife that is either heaven or hell; they believe that good or bad actions in this life determine the life form into which a soul takes rebirth. A soul fortunate enough to achieve His grace, overcomes ego by meditating on God. In Sikhism, the focus of meditation is to remember the divine Enlightener by calling out the name "Waheguru" either silently or aloud. Such a soul may attain liberation from the cycle of reincarnation. The emancipated soul experiences salvation in Sachkhand, the realm of truth. It exists eternally as an entity of radiant light.

But if one analyses the Sikh Scriptures carefully, one may find that on many occasions the afterlife and the existence of heaven and hell are mentioned in Guru Granth Sahib and in Dasam granth, so from that it can be concluded that Sikhism does believe in the existence of heaven and hell; however, heaven and hell are created to temporarily reward and punish, and one will then take birth again until one merges in God. According to the Sikh scriptures, the human form is the closest form to God and the best opportunity for a human being to attain salvation and merge back with God.

As per the Sikh scriptures one attains the human form only after Chaurasi Lakh Joon…..meaning there are 8.4 million species on earth and the human form, which is the highest state of being, is only granted after one has gone through this cycle. If one does not redeem oneself in the human form with good deeds one can fall back to the lower species. That is why for a Sikh every day is considered Judgement day. When the physical body stops functioning the soul either goes back to the transmigration cycle or the soul will be granted access to the Court of the Lord, "Waheguru".

I remember as a child, whenever we sat as a family on the dining table to eat and any kid yawned or ‘stretched himself or herself’ (Aakarr laina) while eating, my mother would always admonish the child by saying, ‘Roti khande kaddi vi aakarr nahi laidi, nahi teh gadhe di joon vich paiyida haiga’.  (If you stretch yourself while eating you will be born a donkey in your next life). Now it falls into place.

The aim of the Sikh way of life is to cut the cord of transmigration and release the soul back to its essence. The Sikh scripture states, “Meeting with the True Guru, you shall not have to go through the cycle of reincarnation again; the pains of birth and death will be taken away.”

“The Gurus beloved focus their consciousness on the True Bani, and their comings and goings in reincarnation are over.”

This Shabad is by Guru Amar Daas Ji in Raag Maajh on Pannaa 110, which further elaborates…

Maajh mehalaa 3 ||

Maajh, Third Mehl:

maeraa prabh niramal agam apaaraa ||

My God is Immaculate, Inaccessible and Infinite.

bin thakarree tholai sa(n)saaraa ||

Without a scale, He weighs the universe.

lakh chouraaseeh jeea oupaaeae ||

He created the 8.4 million species of beings.

jis no nadhar karae this guroo milaaeae ||

Those, upon whom He casts His Glance of Grace, come to meet the Guru.

kilabikh kaatt sadhaa jan niramal dhar sachai naam suhaavaniaa ||6||

Shedding their sins, His servants are forever pure; at the True Court, they are beautified by the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||6||

laekhaa maagai thaa kin dheeai ||

When they are called to settle their accounts, who will answer then?

sukh naahee fun dhooai theeai ||

There shall be no peace then, from counting out by twos and threes.

aapae bakhas leae prabh saachaa aapae bakhas milaavaniaa ||7||

The True Lord God Himself forgives, and having forgiven, He unites them with Himself. ||7||

aap karae thai aap karaaeae ||

He Himself does, and He Himself causes all to be done.

poorae gur kai sabadh milaaeae ||

Through the Shabad, the Word of the Perfect Guru, He is met.

naanak naam milai vaddiaaee aapae mael milaavaniaa ||8||2||3||

O Nanak, through the Naam, greatness is obtained. He Himself unites in His Union. ||8||2||3||

The teachings of the Bahá'í Faith state that the nature of the afterlife is beyond the understanding of those living, just as an unborn foetus cannot understand the nature of the world outside of the womb. The Bahá'í writings state that the soul is immortal and after death it will continue to progress until it attains God's presence. In Bahá'í belief, souls in the afterlife will continue to retain their individuality and consciousness and will be able to recognize and communicate spiritually with other souls whom they have made deep profound friendships with, such as their spouses.

Scientific Evidence for Reincarnation - There is a great deal of scientific research which has been done into the reality of reincarnation. And the evidence to support for reincarnation is overwhelming.

Dr Gerald Netherton, who was raised as a fundamentalist Methodist, has successfully used past life regression on 8,000 patients. He was initially sceptical but as a result of his experience is now convinced of the effectiveness of past life regression. He says, “Many people go away believing in reincarnation as a result of their experience…What is the logical answer? That it actually happened!”. 

One may also read the experiences of Dr Brian L Weiss, ground breaking psychiatrist and best-selling author of “Many Lives, Many Masters”.

Summary: There is a case to be made for proof of life after death with reincarnation being a common unifying thread throughout all world religions. Far from being exclusively an exotic ‘Eastern’ doctrine, reincarnation can be said to be part of the Western tradition as well. Furthermore, when we consider that many of the great luminaries of ancient Greek civilization such as Socrates, Plato and Pythagoras, and also others who were involved in the various mysteries, were firm believers in reincarnation, then the idea of reincarnation really lies at the foundations of Western civilization.

It is a healthy trend that today and in recent times, belief in reincarnation is on the increase. This trend has been particularly pronounced in industrialized Western countries. This trend encourages the hope that perhaps in the future, the idea of reincarnation will become the dominant doctrine concerning the nature of eternal life.

I hope I have been able to throw some light on these ‘parting salutations’, which we all so mindlessly use most of the time.

To a certain extent I have also been able to establish what lies…..‘beyond’.

Please keep in mind that in these kind of subjects which travel into unknown virtual realms of existence, there are various schools of thought. Hence, there is no ‘one size fits all’ answers. In case, some of the scholars tend to disagree or agree to disagree with what I have tried to elucidate, please keep in mind that I am at a stage in life where if you say 2+2 is 5, I would say ‘You are right’, and if you said, 2+2 is 9, I would still say, ‘You are right’.

Let me end these musings with these beautiful lines by Kahlil Gibran.....

‘For what is it to die but to stand naked in the wind and to melt into the sun?

And what is it to cease breathing, but to free the breath from its restless tides,

that it may rise and expand and seek God unencumbered?

Only when you drink from the river of silence shall you indeed sing.

And when you have reached the mountain top, then you shall begin to climb.

And when the earth shall claim your limbs, then shall you truly dance.’

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