Religious views on Life After Death

Buddhist Perspective

General Overview - 1

• Buddhists do believe in a form of afterlife, called rebirth, however, it is different to the views of many philosophers.

• The Buddhist concept of rebirth can be compared and contrasted to the Hindu religions concept of reincarnation

Reincarnation – individuals soul inhabits a new body, sometimes known as the “transmigration of souls”, however, it would be a totally different body and therefore person. The memories of previous lives are either non-existent or buried deep in the subconscious.

• Rebirth is founded on thoughts about many other Buddhist concepts, such as samsara and karma, anatta and the skandhas.

General Overview - 2• The main goal of the Buddhist religion is to attain

enlightenment, this can be done by following The Eightfold path or meditating to gain wisdom, depending on which Buddhist school is followed.

• If this goal is reached, you reach nirvana, where there will be no-more rebirths.

• Alternatively, if it is not reached, at death, your actions in this life will be taken into consideration and the rebirth of the skandhas will be decided.

• For Buddhists, the “I” is the union of all lives lived, as there are causal connections between different lives.

Things to consider when looking at Buddhist rebirth…

AnattaSkandhas

KarmaSamsara

Anatta• No-self

• Anatta is part of The Three Marks of Existence.

• Understanding the concept of Anatta allows you to realise what you are. Ultimately, Buddhists believe you are a combination of aggregates called skandhas.

• You realise that “your body” is impermanent.

“All processes are impermanent … All processes are afflicted … All phenomena are not ‘Self’; when this is seen with knowledge, one is freed from the illusion of

affliction. This is the pathway to purity” – Dhp. 20. 277-279

Skandhas• Skandhas are what makes up a “person”. They include;

– matter,– sensation,– perception,– mental formations– and consciousness.

• Just like the axles and wheels make up a chariot (King Melinda Analogy), skandhas make up a person.

• Names are just things conveniently assigned to a particular make-up of the 5 skandhas, which make up a person

• Buddhists accept that everything is constantly changing, these aggregates are too.

When all constituent parts are there, The designation ‘cart’ is used; Just so, where the five groups exist, Of ‘living being’ do we speak.

Karma

• Our actions in this life will have a effect on our rebirth - which realm we are born into.

• Karma is the acceptance that there is a relationship between what a person does and what happens to them. It influences the next life after re-birth.

• Things earning good Karma- Follow the 5 precepts (or more of you are ordained)- Practice the 5 positive moral qualities

- Help others to reach enlightenment

Samsara

• The cycle of rebirth. Where the karmic balance is determined. This is demonstrated in the Tibetan Wheel of Life.

• The law of dependent origination (paticca-samuppada) states that one condition arises out of another, which in turn arises out of prior conditions. Basically, a chain of causes.

Tibetan Wheel of Life