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Re: What happens after enlightenment?
Amy P Quach wrote:
>
> In many books that I've read, it says that after death one can
> either be trapped in samsara-the cycle of birth and rebirth, or reach
> enlightenment. My question is: What happens after enlightenment is
attained?
> The soul is not reborn again, so it must go on to another place. Could
> it be said that the final destination of the soul is similar to that of
the
> western view of "Heaven"? If anyone has any answers, please send
> responses directly to my e-mail: aquach@uhunix.uhcc.hawaii.edu
>
Heaven, or svargaloka, is merely a higher planet in the material
world, and the inhabitants there, though of long life, are also
subject to the law of karma and reincarnation. I believe this
point is discussed in Gita 9.20-21.
The final destination of the soul is the Kingdom of God, known
as Vaikuntha, which is entirely transcendental to the material
universes and its dualities of pain and pleasure. In Vaikuntha,
everyone is engaged in the transcendental devotional service
to the Supreme Person, Lord Sri Hari, in the mood of worship of
their choice. In other words, the liberated soul goes to the
Vaikuntha planet wherein resides the form of the Lord he has
dedicated his life to, and there he renders devotional service.
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