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Re: What happens after enlightenment?
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Subject: Re: What happens after enlightenment?
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From: bluesman@bga.com (KingBee)
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Date: 6 Nov 1995 01:37:36 GMT
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Approved: srh <srh@rbhatnagar>
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Article: 511 of soc.religion.hindu
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Newsgroups: soc.religion.hindu
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Organization: Real/Time Communications - Bob Gustwick and Associates
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References: <479a1u$oai@babbage.ece.uc.edu>
In article <479a1u$oai@babbage.ece.uc.edu>,
aquach@hawaii.edu (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?
Well, I'm going to Disneyland!
>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
>
>
> Respectfully,
> Amy Quach
> aquach@uhunix.uhcc.hawaii.edu
Actually, Amy, you've certainly hit on one of the big questions of all time.
In my very humble opinion, your best bet it to find a book called DEATH AND
ETERNAL LIFE by John Hicks. It is a remarkable look at the various beliefs
about death and the afterlife -- philosophical and a bit tough in places, but
certainly no airhead new-age approach.
I've studied eastern philsophy for 25+ years and have read and experienced
quite a few things which, of course, means that I'm on my own journey just as
you are on yours. So, anything I suggest here is simply the view from where
I'm standing and isn't meant to be THE truth that you'd BETTER listen to! :)
My feeling is that you might be asking the question the wrong way. The way
you phrase it, the answer is, "Nothing." You see, what I mean is this: we
have pretty much started our journey in consciousness here with this lifetime.
What we take to be a soul or individual spirit within us is an illusion, but
a potent one. This soul/self continues after the physical death, moving on to
other realms as the "specific gravity of our soul" (to borrow a term from
Joseph Campbell) dictates. As we gather insight on compassion, love and
the inter-dependence of all things, we begin to see the idea of the individual
self as an illusion. When, at some point, we are able to "surrender" the ego
to the larger as a wave "surrenders" to the ocean, that is the moment of true
enlightenment. At that point, there is no "I" for anything to happen to. We
return to the ocean as the wave returns. Right now it's a pretty scary
thought to contemplate losing ourselves like that, or at least it is for me.
Yet there is a part that has awakened in me (although it's still groggy!!! :))
that knows it's best, that it's right. That voice, think, gets louder and
clearer as we grow.
Finally, I think that compassion and love open up as we grow. It becomes our
wish along the way to be of service to others, to help where we can and,
failing that, to do as little harm as possible.
It's a wonderful journey, a mystery, of which the great myths and legends
speak.
I hope this has been of some help. There's a zillion more things to be said
-- how I (for one) believe there is a continuity of self/soul after death,
etc. But I'm afraid you're probably scratching your head and wondering just
where this odd-wad came from! I'd love to hear from you if you're so
inclined.
Best wishes,
Brian Robertson
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