Life After Death
by Eleia Lam ^v^
Where do you go
after death? Where do you live in the afterlife? What is Heaven and
Hell? Do you live a life after death at all? There are may religions
with beliefs in an afterlife and there are many
similarities as well. People have believed that there was an
afterlife for centuries. The idea goes back to the Ancient Egyptians
and maybe even further than that.
The afterlife can be understood as the life of a person's soul after death in an alternative world. There can be different places to go after death like heaven, a place of paradise, or hell, a place of eternal suffering. You could also just be floating in nothingness, The results may vary depending what religion you believe in.
The Egyptians took life after death very seriously. There was a code of standards a person would have to follow to not be considered one of the damned (Watson). The standards varied depending if you were a priest or not (Judgment). The Egyptians believed mummification was necessary for the soul to live in the afterlife. Pharaohs were kept in Pyramids, the steep sides would represent the sun's ray, which symbolized the spirit's accent to join the Sun god Horus (Ra)(Ganeri 9). In the after life the dead would go though a court of judgment where they would confess that they did no wrong or commit no sin (Watson). Specificity, “I have not shut my ears to the words of truth” or “I have not acted with undue haste” (Budge). After they have made their confessions, the dead's heart would be weighed against the feather of the goddess Ma'at for Order, Truth, what is right
(Watson). This determines if the soul was worthy of paradise or not.
Very much like the weighing of the heart against the feather of the goddess Ma'at of the Egyptians, Islam believe something similar. Through out a person's life time, two angels would write down all the good deeds and bad deeds that person committed. When the day of judgment comes Allah, god, will open their book and compare the good deeds with the bad (Ganeri 48). If the good deeds rule over the bad, an angel will lead them to paradise, a garden of physical and spiritual pleasure, with lofty mansions, delicious food and drink and pleasant company. If the bad deeds outweigh the good the soul will fall into the pits of hell, a fiery crater of various levels of physical and spiritual suffering (“Islamic”).
The Hindu religion works out judgment in this life through reincarnation. Hinduism is one of the oldest religions; no one knows an exact date when it started. The roots of this religion go back 4,500 years. The Hindus believe that by leading a good life, a person could be released from the cycle of reincarnation, which causes person after death to be reborn in another body or form. The ultimate goal is to achieve union with god (Ganeri 14-16). This is a super-conscious experience which is considered divine. The intellect is transmuted into a higher level of reality, in which there is bliss, complete knowledge, perfect silence and no need for a physical body. The soul is then freed from the cycle of birth, death & rebirth on this planet (“Karma”). When a Hindu dies he or she is cremated on a funeral pyre. When it is possible the person's ashes will be collected, then scattered in the sacred River Ganges (Ganeri 17).
Buddhism includes reincarnation but sees that as a setback. Buddha's teachings lead the people down a path between great luxury and great hardship (Ganeri 20). Suffering was believed to be caused by greed, wanting more and more. By walking down the middle path it would lead the person to enlightenment or the attainment of superior knowledge and the perfect peace of Nirvana, the end of suffering, no desires, and a state of ecstasy. Like the Hindus, the goal of this religion is to escape the cycle of death and rebirth and end the suffering (Dowell). The difference is that Buddhists want to leave the cycle as soon as possible. Reincarnation is not as necessary.
The Greeks were more focused on the world of the living then eventually dieing and going to the underworld. They believed a person's true immortality was the remembrance of their gifts to the world and a person's worth was determined by their actions in their lifetime. There are many myths where a person or a god goes down to the underworld to get something back. These myths illustrate their belief that the afterlife isn't as important as the physical world (Noriega).
There are some striking differences among these religions when it come to life after death. Some believe that deeds done on earth will be rewarded or punished. Others are obsessed with the spiritual results of a person's life without any regard to their purpose on earth. The Egyptians believed the physical body needed to remain as a vessel. Buddhists, on the other hand, can't wait to be rid of their physical form. The one thing that stands out is that none of these religions say there isn't an afterlife.
The afterlife can be understood as the life of a person's soul after death in an alternative world. There can be different places to go after death like heaven, a place of paradise, or hell, a place of eternal suffering. You could also just be floating in nothingness, The results may vary depending what religion you believe in.
The Egyptians took life after death very seriously. There was a code of standards a person would have to follow to not be considered one of the damned (Watson). The standards varied depending if you were a priest or not (Judgment). The Egyptians believed mummification was necessary for the soul to live in the afterlife. Pharaohs were kept in Pyramids, the steep sides would represent the sun's ray, which symbolized the spirit's accent to join the Sun god Horus (Ra)(Ganeri 9). In the after life the dead would go though a court of judgment where they would confess that they did no wrong or commit no sin (Watson). Specificity, “I have not shut my ears to the words of truth” or “I have not acted with undue haste” (Budge). After they have made their confessions, the dead's heart would be weighed against the feather of the goddess Ma'at for Order, Truth, what is right
(Watson). This determines if the soul was worthy of paradise or not.
Very much like the weighing of the heart against the feather of the goddess Ma'at of the Egyptians, Islam believe something similar. Through out a person's life time, two angels would write down all the good deeds and bad deeds that person committed. When the day of judgment comes Allah, god, will open their book and compare the good deeds with the bad (Ganeri 48). If the good deeds rule over the bad, an angel will lead them to paradise, a garden of physical and spiritual pleasure, with lofty mansions, delicious food and drink and pleasant company. If the bad deeds outweigh the good the soul will fall into the pits of hell, a fiery crater of various levels of physical and spiritual suffering (“Islamic”).
The Hindu religion works out judgment in this life through reincarnation. Hinduism is one of the oldest religions; no one knows an exact date when it started. The roots of this religion go back 4,500 years. The Hindus believe that by leading a good life, a person could be released from the cycle of reincarnation, which causes person after death to be reborn in another body or form. The ultimate goal is to achieve union with god (Ganeri 14-16). This is a super-conscious experience which is considered divine. The intellect is transmuted into a higher level of reality, in which there is bliss, complete knowledge, perfect silence and no need for a physical body. The soul is then freed from the cycle of birth, death & rebirth on this planet (“Karma”). When a Hindu dies he or she is cremated on a funeral pyre. When it is possible the person's ashes will be collected, then scattered in the sacred River Ganges (Ganeri 17).
Buddhism includes reincarnation but sees that as a setback. Buddha's teachings lead the people down a path between great luxury and great hardship (Ganeri 20). Suffering was believed to be caused by greed, wanting more and more. By walking down the middle path it would lead the person to enlightenment or the attainment of superior knowledge and the perfect peace of Nirvana, the end of suffering, no desires, and a state of ecstasy. Like the Hindus, the goal of this religion is to escape the cycle of death and rebirth and end the suffering (Dowell). The difference is that Buddhists want to leave the cycle as soon as possible. Reincarnation is not as necessary.
The Greeks were more focused on the world of the living then eventually dieing and going to the underworld. They believed a person's true immortality was the remembrance of their gifts to the world and a person's worth was determined by their actions in their lifetime. There are many myths where a person or a god goes down to the underworld to get something back. These myths illustrate their belief that the afterlife isn't as important as the physical world (Noriega).
There are some striking differences among these religions when it come to life after death. Some believe that deeds done on earth will be rewarded or punished. Others are obsessed with the spiritual results of a person's life without any regard to their purpose on earth. The Egyptians believed the physical body needed to remain as a vessel. Buddhists, on the other hand, can't wait to be rid of their physical form. The one thing that stands out is that none of these religions say there isn't an afterlife.
Work Cited
Bundge,
E.A. Wallis. Trans. “negative confessions form the Papyrus of Ani.”
an introduction to the History and culture of Pharanic Egypt. n.p.
Web. 10 Nov. 2010.
<http://www.reshafin.org.il/ad/egypt/negative_confessions/index.html>
Ganeri, Anita. The Atlas of World Religion. United States: Peter Bedrick Books, 2002.
“Islamic Beliefs about the Afterlife.” Religion facts. Religionfacts, 2010. Web. 10 Nov. 2010. <http://www.religionfacts.com/islam/beliefs/afterlife.htm>
“Judgment of the Dead.” Tour Egypt. n.p. 2010. Web. 23 Sept. 2010. <http://www.turegypt.net/featurestories/dead.htm>
“Karma and Reincarnation.” Kauai's Hindu Monatary. Himalayan Academy, 2010. Web. 10 Nov. 2010. <http://www.himalayanacademy.com/resources/pamphlets/KarmaReincarnation.html>
Noriega, Brandi.“Greek vs. Roman Mythology: The Differences and Similarities of two Fascinating Cultures.” Feb. 24, 2006. Associated Content. Web. 23 Sept. 2010. <http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/19648/greek_vs_roman_mythology.html?cat=9>
Philip, Neil. The Illustrated book of Myths: tales & legends of the word. United States: Dorling Kindersley Publishing, 1995.
Dowell, Dr.James Kenneth. “Buddhism and Islam: Death and the Afterlife pt.1.” opensourcebuddhism.org. n.p. July 4, 2009. Web. 29 Sept. 2010. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8fdx9cFbbE>
Watson,john. “an overveiw of the ancient egyptian Religion.” Tour egypt. n.p.,2010. Web. 23 Sept. 2010. <http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/religion.htm>
Ganeri, Anita. The Atlas of World Religion. United States: Peter Bedrick Books, 2002.
“Islamic Beliefs about the Afterlife.” Religion facts. Religionfacts, 2010. Web. 10 Nov. 2010. <http://www.religionfacts.com/islam/beliefs/afterlife.htm>
“Judgment of the Dead.” Tour Egypt. n.p. 2010. Web. 23 Sept. 2010. <http://www.turegypt.net/featurestories/dead.htm>
“Karma and Reincarnation.” Kauai's Hindu Monatary. Himalayan Academy, 2010. Web. 10 Nov. 2010. <http://www.himalayanacademy.com/resources/pamphlets/KarmaReincarnation.html>
Noriega, Brandi.“Greek vs. Roman Mythology: The Differences and Similarities of two Fascinating Cultures.” Feb. 24, 2006. Associated Content. Web. 23 Sept. 2010. <http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/19648/greek_vs_roman_mythology.html?cat=9>
Philip, Neil. The Illustrated book of Myths: tales & legends of the word. United States: Dorling Kindersley Publishing, 1995.
Dowell, Dr.James Kenneth. “Buddhism and Islam: Death and the Afterlife pt.1.” opensourcebuddhism.org. n.p. July 4, 2009. Web. 29 Sept. 2010. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8fdx9cFbbE>
Watson,john. “an overveiw of the ancient egyptian Religion.” Tour egypt. n.p.,2010. Web. 23 Sept. 2010. <http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/religion.htm>