【Reincarnation】Is there really an afterlife or a next life?

[1] My mother passed away this January, and I’ve been thinking about such things constantly ever since. I want to believe that consciousness continues after death, but I just don’t know. I’ve read quite a few books about the afterlife and the next life, but I find most of them hard to trust, and I’m at a loss.

• [2] Stop thinking about stupid things and get to work.

[3] >>2 I am working. I just want to believe my mother’s consciousness continues.

• [4] My deepest condolences. I wonder about that too… You are living proof that your mother existed. You might become a father yourself someday. And eventually, you too will pass away. I don’t know about consciousness, but life itself is carried on. Sorry, I couldn’t express that very well.
• [5] >>3 If that’s what you believe, isn’t that enough? Why are you asking for other people’s opinions? If someone told you to die, would you do it?

[7] >>4 >You are living proof that your mother existed. Thank you for that perspective! It’s comforting.

• [8] Right, problem solved then.

[9] >>5 If consciousness continues after death, I want to increase my level of certainty about it.

• [10] >>9 Isn’t that up to you too?

[12] >>8 I just encountered a different angle on how to think about it, so it’s not solved.

• [13] >>12 How much did the funeral, posthumous name, and grave cost? What Buddhist sect are you?

A Kaimyō (posthumous Buddhist name) is a name given mainly in Buddhism by a monk to someone who has received the precepts or to a deceased person.

• [15] Don’t worry! It definitely exists!

[17] >>13 >How much did the funeral, posthumous name, and grave cost? The funeral and posthumous name cost about 1.4 million yen. We haven’t built the grave yet.

• [26] >>1 Was your mother happy?

[29] >>26 I think she had plenty of joy and plenty of hardship. The joy came from being a good conversationalist and well-liked by people, and the hardship came from being bullied by my father.

• [32] If the same consciousness continues after death, wouldn’t it mean remaining in an aged state of mind? Is that okay with you?
• [33] Decades ago, when my child passed away, I also thought about the afterlife.

[35] >>32 A common theme in spiritual books is that the afterlife is a continuous series of realizations and enjoyable experiences.

• [36] >>35 What did you think when you read that?

[37] >>33 Thinking genetically (and I apologize if this offends you), losing a child must be much harder than losing a parent, so that must have been incredibly difficult for you.

[38] >>36 Maybe it’s a process where, as the brain shuts down, brain chemicals (like endorphins) max out, leading to such experiences?

• [39] >>38 Isn’t that still part of being alive?

[40] >>39 Medically, it’s known that the brain continues to function for a while even after the heart stops.

• [41] >>29 When you say your father bullied her, was it domestic violence?
• [42] >>40 I could understand if it were stories from people who were resuscitated after cardiac arrest.

[43] >>41 I saw DV happen twice. But he was yelling and ranting at her constantly, all the time.

• [46] If there is such a thing as a “soul,” I hope she has departed peacefully. It’s almost time for Hatsu-bon, isn’t it?

Hatsu-bon is the first Obon festival (a Japanese Buddhist custom to honor the spirits of one’s ancestors) observed after a person’s death.

[48] >>46 Yes. Spiritual books commonly say that the soul becomes one with everything and then reincarnates.

• [49] My mother is also nearing the end. I don’t know what she thinks about the afterlife. Due to various things that have happened, I can’t believe in religion, and I feel like there’s no afterlife…

[50] >>49 I desperately want proof whether the afterlife exists or not.

• [51] You know, with things like this, you can’t really trust what others say. You have to see for yourself.
• [52] In my case, there were various strange phenomena up until around the 49th day, so I believe it exists. It also happened at a friend’s house where I took my child to play.

The 49th day (Shijūkunichi) in Buddhism marks 49 days after death and is considered a crucial day when the destination of the deceased’s soul is determined, often marked by a memorial service.

[53] >>51 I’m currently meditating, and I feel my thoughts becoming clearer day by day. I hope I can learn something profound.

[55] >>52 I also experienced two physically unexplainable phenomena on the day of funerals (though not my mother’s)! That makes me believe in consciousness after death, but whether it’s eternal is the mystery.

• [59] Nobody knows, and it can’t be proven.

[60] >>59 I think the level of certainty can be raised. One point is that there are people who claim to have memories of past lives, although some argue this is just a meme.

• [62] >>60 What kind of information and evidence would give you certainty? Wouldn’t your level of trust be zero no matter what you’re told?
• [63] It’s like religion; for those who believe, it probably exists.
• [64] If it does exist and she’s doing well, isn’t that good enough?

[66] >>62 I think there might be possibilities in neuroscience or quantum mechanics.

[67] >>64 No, that’s not good enough. As I wrote in [65] (note: [65] is missing from the provided text), I want useful information.

• [68] Why?
• [69] >>66 So you want physical proof? Not circumstantial evidence or spiritual arguments?

[70] >>68 Because if the soul is immortal and in a state of happiness, my worries would disappear. At worst, even if I got proof that this life is all there is, I could at least stop constantly thinking about it.

• [71] >>66 I have a feeling this is heading in a bizarre direction.

[72] >>69 No, I’m willing to consider the latter [spiritual arguments, etc.] if they are sufficiently persuasive.

[73] My mother died suddenly from a heart attack, so she likely experienced the eternal-like bliss that science has documented [in near-death experiences], which is some comfort. However, it feels unfair that people who die instantly in accidents, for example, wouldn’t experience that bliss according to current science.

[74] >>71 If there’s an answer, I’ll pursue it thoroughly, no matter the field of study. Right now, I don’t know what to do, so I’m spending time trying to calm my mind. Hoping something will become clear.

[75] By the way, I don’t believe in religion at all. Though books about Buddhism are interesting.

• [76] In old China (Taiwan), there are scenes where people become special spirits and fight Jiangshi (hopping vampires). Ordinary humans can’t fight them unless they are Taoist priests. Some Jiangshi are so ferocious that even child special spirits can’t beat them. When a baby Jiangshi appears, even the ferocious Jiangshi go home to eat. Baby Jiangshi are lonely, so they side with children. Even special spirits can’t defeat them, but the Jiangshi find them cute.

[77] >>76 That’s an interesting story.

• [78] >>70 If the universe consists of finite matter but has infinite time, then the same world will repeat itself over and over again.

[79] >>78 Even if someone with the exact same genetic structure appeared in the universe in the future, wouldn’t the ‘strings’ (the smallest constituent of matter) that make up those genes be different?

• [80] There are stories about being able to hear even after death, but I wonder… The thought of returning to nothingness is terrifying every time, but you can’t recognize that you’re dead… hmm. There’s also the saying, “dead men tell no tales.” Do we just return to the state before self-awareness emerged?

[81] >>80 >Do we just return to the state before self-awareness emerged? That makes you think. If it means becoming one with God (does that sound weird?), I’d be happy, like it’s often written in spiritual books.

• [86] >>79 With infinite time, the same genes are certainly possible.

[88] >>86 Not just the composition of the four proteins, but could the arrangement of the ‘strings,’ currently considered the smallest unit of matter, also be identical? Is that really possible?

[90] Putting the truth aside, people who genuinely believed in their religion must have felt much lighter at heart.

• [94] >>88 Because it’s infinite, it’s possible.

[95] >>94 Yes, because it’s infinite, it must happen. However, even if technology to perfectly replicate a person becomes possible far in the future, can that replication be called the same person? Their coordinates in space-time are different. The moment they are replicated, differences in brain activity and brain cells would emerge, and their genes would likely undergo different changes. Besides, science has shown that the smallest units of matter in the body are constantly changing in less than an instant.

[96] Here’s a quote from a book: ‘In the quantum world, apparently, if you move a can of coffee from position A to position B, that can of coffee has already “changed” into a different substance.’

• [97] My mother also passed away this winter. It’s said that Buddha never spoke about hell or heaven. He believed that the present is important; if you’re suffering now, you should deal with it now. The idea isn’t to endure suffering because you’ll go to heaven later. I find this view convincing.

[98] >>97 I’m sorry for your loss. So Buddha didn’t mention the afterlife? I didn’t know that. Why did he take that stance?

• [99] >>96 That being said, I also like the idea of death as an eternal, complete cessation. Time flows towards the future, but when you die, it stops, leaving you fixed in that era. It’s more a state after death than an afterlife world. You become increasingly distant from the living, moving people, never to interact again… something like that.

[100] >>99 >I also like the idea of death as an eternal, complete cessation. What part of this do you like? I don’t understand the reasoning here.

• [101] >>98 Because he was the ultimate realist.
• [102] >>98 Originally, there was an anti-Hinduism aspect. Hinduism has concepts of caste and reincarnation, which determined one’s fate. Many in the lower castes suffered, thinking, “I’ll probably suffer as an Eta/Hinin (outcast class) in the next life too…” To save everyone, including them, Buddha taught mental exercises like this: “If you train your mind this way, even if suffering doesn’t disappear, you won’t be unhappy.” Therefore, not answering questions about the afterlife was the correct thing to do. If Buddha had said, “Maybe there’s an afterlife,” people would have had to worry about the next world in addition to this one, increasing their suffering. Silence was the answer.

Eta/Hinin refers to the discriminated outcast classes in the social hierarchy of early modern Japan.

[103] >>101 That was long ago; he could have deceived people to give them comfort. Why didn’t he?

[104] >>102 That makes perfect sense. Thank you.

• [106] >>103 If people are saying “I’m suffering so much now,” what good does being saved after death do?

[108] >>106 If he had deceived them by saying they could go to paradise after death, wouldn’t that have lightened their burden? Or were the potential disadvantages of believing in an afterlife greater in daily life? I don’t quite get it.

• [109] >>100 The reason I like it is that it’s a neat explanation that doesn’t depend on religion or culture. Also, I think it aligns with the argument against suicide: “If you stay alive, good things might happen.” Death is eternal cessation; there’s no change, nothing happens, so the path to happiness ends. But since you also don’t feel suffering anymore because you’ve stopped, it can also explain the feelings of someone who wants to die. I like that kind of clarity.

[110] >>109 >The reason I like it is that it’s a neat explanation that doesn’t depend on religion or culture. That’s true. I understand now.

• [111] >>108 Why would he need to deceive them? Buddha doesn’t save people in the first place. People just happen to find salvation through his teachings. That’s what makes him such an ultra-realist.

[112] It would be nice if the soul loops like: Life → Death & Eternal Bliss → Life, as often described in spiritual books. Maybe about 10,000 times feels right. Just my feeling, though.

• [113] >>108 Buddhism is about learning techniques to face reality without deception, but heaven and hell are methods to easily save those who can’t handle the rigorous practice. The key point is that it’s not necessarily about individual salvation. Also, in Japan, hell is closely tied to moral education. It’s a way to reinforce discipline: “Hell is a place of punishment, so you better behave properly.” It’s not purely a concept of the afterlife.
• [115] >>112 Whose books did you read?

[116] >>113 >The key point is that it’s not necessarily about individual salvation. But wouldn’t the end result be that many people are saved?

[118] >>115 People like Fumihiko Iida, Michiko Miyagawa, Neale Donald Walsch, Hitori Saito… I can’t count them all. I read whatever I could get my hands on, so I only remember those few names.

[119] I read the “Conversations with God” series, and it’s amazing because I couldn’t find any contradictions. But be warned, absolutely do NOT read the book called “Tomorrow’s God”.

• [120] >>118 You’ve read a lot. I only know Fumihiko Iida.

[121] >>120 Yes, I want to explore profound knowledge. I genuinely want to become a shaman.

• [125] >>116 To be saved, one needs to be deceived. It sounds like wordplay, but that’s how I understand it. From my perspective, letting myself be “deceived” by a monk saves me. It requires an act of surrendering oneself to something that isn’t suffering.
• [129] I think religion is logical. When you say “opposite,” what aspects are you referring to, and what aspects of believers make you consider them opposite?

[131] >>125 Wasn’t it Kant [actually Pascal] who said something like: if heaven exists, it’s better to have believed, and if the afterlife doesn’t exist, the cost of faith (time spent) is small, so believe? Following that logic, isn’t it acceptable to pay a small price to lighten one’s heart?

[133] >>129 By “opposite,” I mean the difference in the fear of death, and the tendency to swallow teachings whole without questioning, I think.

• [134] >>133 That’s quite a prejudice, isn’t it? (lol)**

[135] >>134 Is it prejudice? I’m specifically referring to believers with very strong faith. For example, aren’t there even Muslims who claim to have absolutely no fear of death? And isn’t that state of mind impossible unless you obediently believe what you’re told from above?

[136] Why is Buddhism so unique and different from other religions, yet still has many followers? Especially when it’s so complex to study.

• [137] Don’t you know? The percentage of people practicing Buddhism isn’t actually that high. Anyway, why don’t you try learning a bit about faith itself? Christianity, having conquered much of the world, has published many books on the path to faith. Even Shusaku Endo would be a start. I’m not well-read myself, but even from my perspective, your knowledge seems biased.
• [138] >>136 That’s like asking, “Why Windows? Why not Mac?”
• [139] Most people probably get into a religion just because their parents followed it.

[140] >>137 If I study faith, could it help correct some of my biased thinking?

• [141] And maybe you should research how suicide bombers are created, consider whether that can be called faith, and see if it matches the logic Muhammad devised to save people.

[142] >>138 No, isn’t Buddhism closer to a philosophy, a religion that can better withstand scientific counterarguments compared to others?

• [143] >>142 For example?
• [144] Q: Does God exist or not? Shakyamuni: “You will know when you attain enlightenment.” ↑ Stop dodging the question! (rude words)**
• [146] >>140 Holding onto biases and preconceptions doesn’t necessarily lead to unhappiness, but humans surprisingly have a desire to “get things right.” If you have such a desire, knowing more wouldn’t hurt. Whether the biases disappear depends on how you think.

[148] >>143 Its compatibility with modern science. It doesn’t have descriptions of supernatural phenomena like the Bible.

[150] >>146 Thank you. I certainly want to fix the bugs in my thinking. I just have no idea where to start reading.

[152] I’ve heard that people have about 1,000 misconceptions on average. It’s interesting how through meditation, when you notice a misconception (a bug in thinking), you immediately discover a shining truth.

• [153] >>152 But can’t you remember those shining truths because your memory has declined due to meditation?

[155] >>153 That’s right. Often, I can’t put it into words. It’s more like images connecting with images, concepts linking with concepts.

[157] Moreover, it’s refuted without contradiction, both intuitively and scientifically. (Note: It’s unclear what “it” refers to here, likely a previous point in the discussion.)

• [164] The afterlife and the next life exist, of course, and so does the past life. The proof is me.
• [165] Assuming it could be proven that the afterlife exists, or doesn’t exist, what are you seeking from that answer? Since your mother’s death is involved, is the desired answer “it exists”? If that hope isn’t fulfilled, what answer would you want to find then?
• [166] I also lost my daughter three years ago. If you’re looking for comfort, you probably won’t find what you truly need. The hole left by someone lost can only be filled by that person. We just have to carry the sorrow of losing our loved ones and live out our time until death. That, too, is part of living. What can be seen from the afterlife is the world of the living. So, whether it exists or not, it doesn’t really matter either way.
• [168] If it exists, it probably wouldn’t be material.
• [170] Common people reincarnate 2-4 weeks after death. The more spiritually advanced, the longer it takes. Buddha or Christ might be after 1000 years.

[173] >>165 The desired answer is that consciousness continues after death. It seems quite possible I’ll spend my whole life searching until I know. Right now, I’m thinking it would be good if I could make a living related to death with dignity or euthanasia. I want to help people.

[174] >>166 That must have been incredibly hard for you. >What can be seen from the afterlife is the world of the living. Isn’t that statement without basis?

[176] >>168 I wonder. Isn’t it possible it’s matter composed of the smallest units, even smaller than elementary particles?

• [185] I believe it exists. And I live my life believing that my guardian spirit is always watching my daily actions, and if I do good deeds, they will guide me to a better place after death.
• [187] Believing it exists seems to lessen the fear of death, so I choose to believe it exists.
• [188] Believing something to feel better really does sound like religion, doesn’t it?

[191] >>185 I want to know if that’s religious or moralistic sophistry, or if it’s the truth.

[193] >>187 Exactly. If I knew it existed, I could enjoy life to the fullest. It feels like science won’t prove this kind of thing within our lifetimes.