Philosophy Topic 1 Afterlife

[Daeval]

I'm a self-studied buddhist, but in what most would probably call a philosophical way, more than a spiritual, although it's spiritual for me. I love the basic principles, the things that are said to be core to the teachings of the Buddha - the Four Noble Truths, and the Eightfold Path, etc. Those make sense to me; their truth and positive effects are visible with my own still-living eyes. At least, as long as you think of enlightenment as a really great state of normal existance (rather than some miraculous physical transformation), and reincarnation as something that was included because it was, culturally, a commonly accepted fact in that part of the world at that time.

 

However, I don't really like all the ritual and dogma that have been added over the years by the various branches of Buddhism. Things like "only monks can achieve enlightenment" and "you drink magical soup after you die," etc. Making those types of things an important part of your religion, and therefore ideally an important part of your daily life, seems contrary to the basic teachings to me. I'm reminded of the story of the monk who burned wooden budda statues to keep him and his fellow monks from freezing. It's the basic principles that matter, not the book or the ritual.

 

As for the afterlife.. I'm up in the air. There are a million different takes on the afterlife, and not one has any solid proof over another. Maybe we get reincarnated? Maybe we spend eternity in heaven or hell? Maybe we get our hearts weighed by Anubis or maybe we just cease to exist? I'm open to all interpretations, but I'm not willing to throw my lot in with any one of them.

[Ryuken]

doesn't reincarnation makes more sense, since people are dying everyday but babies are born everyday, and heaven and hell thing is kinda true but since u can't really c it then i don't believe it as much

[Gryph]

doesn't reincarnation makes more sense, since people are dying everyday but babies are born everyday, and heaven and hell thing is kinda true but since u can't really c it then i don't believe it as much

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Well people dying and being born doesn't make reincarnation make any sense. It's basically rationalizing it. And how are heaven and hell "kinda true"? What does that mean? So you believe in it somewhat but since you can't see it you don't believe in it all the way?

[Madi]

honestly right now i havent decided on any type of religion , i dont like all of the ideas of it so im kinda leaning toward atheism

[Ryuken]

damn it who post this damn topic, it's making think but the stuff i said isn't making sense so i think i'm gonna stop posting in this topic

[Diso]

ya know ryuken there are only 7 hells

 

Yen lo wang - Chinese god of the seven hells

[Inky]

heaven and hell are right here on eath now. I dunno or consern myself to much with what comes after. although I do love a good ghost story. and lean towards paranormal explanations for the unexplained.

[AntiWinner22]

For me, this life that you is currently being lived is it. Nothing more, nothing less. Death is just a final peace to the struggle in life to attain it. I am fine with knowing this, and, thus, I believe in nothing else.

 

Anon.

[Diso]

So to that, U think once death consumes us, u'll be in eternal sleep and nothing will happen ?

 

Wonder howd that will be like, to not exist. If ur a deep sleeper u know how that feels

[OverlordMondo]

So to that, U think once death consumes us, u'll be in eternal sleep and nothing will happen ?

 

Wonder howd that will be like, to not exist. If ur a deep sleeper u know how that feels

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It wouldn't be like to not exist. Not existing means you have no thoughts or feelings on the matter. I personally prefer that to heaven. But following Christian doctrine, I get stuck with hell. Blasted dictator.

[Diso]

So to that, U think once death consumes us, u'll be in eternal sleep and nothing will happen ?

 

Wonder howd that will be like, to not exist. If ur a deep sleeper u know how that feels

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It wouldn't be like to not exist. Not existing means you have no thoughts or feelings on the matter. I personally prefer that to heaven. But following Christian doctrine, I get stuck with hell. Blasted dictator.

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Well don't you want to feel kinda alive. To be put in eternal sleep means you won't wake up or anything and not experience anything at all. Thats kinda depressing in a way.

 

And to that hell thing, just confess and donate 50$ to a poor man. That should be enough right?

[AntiWinner22]

It is difficult to grap the fact that one could be fine with just being there, without thought. Just think; a very deep sleep for the rest of time... you won't even realize you are dead or not. Just sleep.

 

Anon.

[Diso]

Thats true that you won't feel or realize anything. but I prefer being alive doing something than sleeping for a long time.

 

Its just based on ur beliefs.

[Ryuken]

dead=deep sleep but in deep sleep, u can wake up

[Madi]

im kinda confused about religion at the moment i dont agree with anything.......like all the people who arent a certain type of religion will all die and go to hell.....well what about the good people? is there even a hell?

too may questions