Reflections On Life And Death

Swami Chinmayananda

oi-Priya

By Priya Devi

Wednesday, April 25, 2012, 12:57

There are some schools of thinkers who have established that death is the end of everything and there is nothing beyond it. There are others who accept, argue and heartily proclaim that there is existence even beyond the grave. Most of us also show a keen interest in wanting to know what lies beyond.

But only few of us apply ourselves to the practice of how to make our lives more fulfilling in the present moment. Yet understanding our present life is much more important than trying to discover what is after death. How to experience undisturbed peace and happiness in ourselves and how to bring this new found peace and harmony back to the world is of vital importance to us all.

Nevertheless, in this modem era, where people consider themselves to be highly intellectual, there is great curiosity and pre-occupation to know what lies beyond the death experience. This shows that what we cannot see or experience has significantly greater attraction for us. Before entering into the subject, we should first analyze the following questions:

What is life? And is death? And who dies?

What is life?

From the point of view of the materialist, life is an illogical and meaningless procession from birth to death. One who is constantly engaged in the pursuit of earning, procuring and hoarding material, wealth cannot have the required subtlety of mind to inquire into the possibilities of the hereafter.

As long as the mind and intellect are drowned in the base values of life, which are built upon thoughtless conclusions and instinctive identification with one's body, one shall not easily entertain the urge to go beyond the shackles of mortal limitations. The materialistic person seems convinced that there is nothing after death, and firmly believes that death is the end, as no one has ever come back to talk about it.

But for spiritual students, life is a continuous process with a great purpose, a glorious pattern and full of meaning. They understand that the life which they are living today is an effect and since every effect must have a cause. Their lives must have their independent causes, even though they may not be visible today. Spiritual life is a continuous attempt to live a divine life. Thus, the spiritual student tries to live up to certain higher values such as tolerance. love, kindness and mercy.