The Soul and the Afterlife

I thought this quote by a philosopher 'Guy Murchie' on the afterlife bitingly true.

Faith of course can be bolstered by religion and reason, since not only have all the great Prophets of God promised life beyond death, but reasonable philosophy also offers us a hearteningly positive answer to the classic query of "To be or not to be?" It is logical, you see, to conclude that there is nothing in nothingness or, which is the same thing, that not being cannot be. Doesn't the phrase say so itself rather plainly: it cannot be that something cannot be? Put another way, life is an inherently positive existence which has no such negative capacity as would be required if it were ever not to exist. Besides, the inscrutable wisdom of the universe, usually called God, has let us be. If nothingness were our divine destiny, how in heaven's name could we be here? How could we know of our own existence - or have an existence to know of? What meaning, what profit in a fleeing flash of positiveness if it is to be followed by an eternal negative? Obviously the answer is affirmative, we are meant "to be," and existence is our prime and positive destiny. We call ourselves "beings" because living is being and there is nothing without being.

Or, looking at it through the eyes of a gambler, might I not say that the most skeptical speculator could consider eternal life a safe bet. For in fact eternal life is a bet one cannot lose. When you come right down to it, any outcome of the bet constitutes life and victory. If there were no life after death, that would be no outcome and there would be no one around to lose the bet. So all beings must be winners and the mere fact of being is the victory.

To those who believe, as I do, that this is a positive world of unlimited potentiality and very probably infinite dimensions, it is natural and easy to accept life beyond death. The logic of it is that, in a world as potential as this - and I am thinking of the world in the broadest sense I know of, comprising the universe materially, mentally and spiritually - anything can happen if there is only sufficient room and patience or, in more fundamental terms, enough space and time. And if anything can happen, then it follows that everything must happen or must have happened somewhere in the infinities of space, time and other dimensions. The British novelist T. H. White went so far as to propose that "anything not forbidden is compulsory" on the unstated but implicit assumption that time goes on and on without limit. One could as easily say that "everything conceivable must eventually happen," for, if there are enough hours and millenniums and minds and dreams to conceive of something, there logically must be enough space and time for the same conception to be real in (reality being basically conception in definable form) - and, if everything conceivable happens, life after death (which is conceivable) must also happen sometime in some continuum or in some division or combination of consciousnesses.

The concept of probability also, surprisingly enough, cannot help but be a factor in the equation of immortality. Physicists have discovered a number of elementary particles by looking for them on the premise that, if no good reason why one can't exist has been discovered, the probabilities favoring its existence must amount to enough to make that existence an ultimate certainty. If this line of logic seems shaky as ground for hoping that something real will pop up out of nowhere, let me say it works nonetheless with everything from quarks to quasars - and it gave physicists provable results in the subatomic neutrino in conformance with the elementary law of nature that categorically declares that all events (real or imaginary) have some degree of probability unless some principle (known or unknown) specifically prohibits their happening. In other words: anything that can happen does happen. And therefore, in the absence of any law forbidding consciousness after death, consciousness has a continuing measure of probability that, however small, adds and adds and adds ... ad infinitum.

Perhaps now you will protest that an immortality compounded of eternal probabilities is cool comfort to the dying, that, if one has to wait a billion years for resurrection, one might as well forget it. But the billion years is of course relative and inherently illusory, for, without consciousness, the long sleep seems to its Rip Van Winkle to pass instantaneously and whether Rip "wakes up" in a minute or a billion years should make no difference to him - at least no conscious difference.

Besides, what evidence is there that time in any way exists as a dimension beyond our present life? Not only did Einstein contend that neither time nor space is fundamental but many mystic sources corroborate him with suggestions that the most profound of influences are eternal and infinite - that is, outside of time-space as in Jesus' tense-twisted declaration that "Before Abraham was, I am."

Religions are Progressive

Messengers bring the Word of God to the peoples of their time. They know that men will sometimes interpret their writings and without authority they will corrupt the writings through insistence on following meanings which were never meant. Prophets will come in another time to bring man back to the original meanings and will also change laws that need adjustment for the times.

This return of the Messenger will test the civilization that they appear in. So was Iran and Iraq tested in 1844 and 1863.

They can only recover their past glory by accepting the Baha'is and realizing that Baha'u'llah is the fulfillment of the prophecies of Muhammad.

(from the Qur'an)
3:81 AND, LO, God accepted, through the prophets, this solemn pledge [from the followers of earlier revelation]: "If, after all the revelation and the wisdom which I have vouchsafed unto you, there comes to you an apostle confirming the truth already in your possession, you must believe in him and succour him. Do you" - said He - "acknowledge and accept My bond on this condition?"

They answered: "We do acknowledge it." Said He: "Then bear witness [thereto], and I shall be your witness. (3:82) And, henceforth, all who turn away [from this pledge] - it is they, they who are truly iniquitous!" (i.e. perverse, evil, base)

3:83 Do they seek, perchance, a faith other than in God, although it is unto Him that whatever is in the heavens and on earth surrenders itself, willingly or unwillingly, since unto Him all must return?


(from the Baha'i writings)
"...they that tread the path of faith, they that thirst for the wine of certitude, must cleanse themselves of all that is earthly — their ears from idle talk, their minds from vain imaginings, their hearts from worldly affections, their eyes from that which perisheth. They should put their trust in God, and, holding fast unto Him, follow in His way. Then will they be made worthy of the effulgent glories of the sun of divine knowledge and understanding, and become the recipients of a grace that is infinite and unseen, inasmuch as man can never hope to attain unto the knowledge of the All-Glorious, can never quaff from the stream of divine knowledge and wisdom, can never enter the abode of immortality, nor partake of the cup of divine nearness and favour, unless and until he ceases to regard the words and deeds of mortal men as a standard for the true understanding and recognition of God and His Prophets."

A preface to

The Will and Testament of Arthur Wendover
In the year 2008.

What I have witnessed up to now.

I had hoped that this world would come around. For I found what Jesus was talking about.
I discovered that there is another world where we can be happy. A spiritual world
which is right here. Most people are unaware of it. Many people will stop listening
because they think I am rambling-on or lying.

Christ left us His word. It is up to us to investigate and discover what He was talking
about. No one can do that for us. We are God's creation. We are souls with bodies, not
bodies with souls.

From the time we are born we mistake the body which we see with our own self. Wrong!!!
That is just the material animal that gives us a ride in this world. We should be
in control of the beast! We should be praying to God to help us see the truth.

In a Christian magazine these words were found.

Things are not as they seem. The thought keeps coming around. Things are not as they
seem... not as they seem. Behind the faces, front doors, and casual relationships of
our neighborhoods, workplaces, and churches is an underworld of personal pain and
embarrassment. Untold stories of alcoholism, anger, anxiety, addiction, abortion,
affairs, alienation, and abuse are epidemic. Under the surface we are fast becoming
a people like those of Isaiah's day:

"... beaten and bruised in heart, mind, and body, from the top of our heads to the
bottom of our feet (Isa. 1: l-6)..."

So where is man headed if he does not know who he is, as a person?

You have seen for yourself that the world has abandoned belief in God.
There are many examples in the Bible of what happened in the past because of
man's turning away from God.

The only true happiness is spiritual happiness. It is like living in a house with
the heavy drapes pulled shut. Outside the sun has risen and is shining brightly but
we go all unaware that it is time to step outside and greet the day. There is
happiness outside so open the curtains and go out the door.

Maybe someone in the house is trying to tell us the sun has risen but we do not
take him seriously.

I wish you all well and I go on to another house and, with God's help, a better place.
Be sure I am happy to be here and I will meet with everyone who wishes to see me.
Grama and Grampa Lyle, brother Steven and Uncle Art and now Dad and anyone
else who has gone on before me.

And I will be telling them about God's creation and His new Messenger, Baha'u'llah.
At least I will give it a try. We will have a good cup of tea, aunt Ruby and I.

It is good when a person understands his purpose and the Baha'i Faith has made that
clear to me. 'To know and worship God'.

We are here in this world to observe and try to understand God's creation. This world
is a mirror of God's own Self.

People who strive to obey God and understand will be given understanding.
He is fair and is waiting just for the first turning of our souls to Him.

I will be watching to see how things are going here. But I expect He will
keep me busy with all that has to be done over there. It will be good to
get rid of a weak and complaining body.

Love Arthur

Some Thoughts on the Soul

Could it be that the human soul is in relation to the body,
operating by remote control? At a distance in a realm where
distance has no meaning. That it shines, as Baha'u'llah says,
upon the heart of the body with a unique signature.
One soul, one body! The soul is born at the same time as the
body is conceived. It is assigned, in our case, to the realm of
Earth in this early 21st century.

The soul lives in a garden undisturbed when the body is awake.
It wakes when the body sleeps to investigate a world hidden
within this world and within ourselves. We continue to interact
with others both on Earth and in the deep dream state. We
continue to learn and experience. Our powers of focus and wisdom
grow as we pass through all the worlds of learning.

The Soul and the Afterlife

From a Chapter on the Soul and the Afterlife
(The Spirit of Islam)

The popular Christian notion, fostered by ecclesiasticism, that Mohammed denied souls to women, is by this time, we believe, exploded. It was a calumny concocted to create an aversion against Islam. But the idea that the Arabian Prophet promised his followers a sensual paradise with hooris and a graduated scale of delights, still lingers. It is a sign alike of ignorance and ancient bigotry. There is no doubt that in the Suras of the intermediate period, before the mind of the Teacher had attained the full development of religious consciousness, and when it was necessary to formulate in language intelligible to the common folk of the desert, the realistic; descriptions of heaven and hell, borrowed from the floating fancies of Zoroastrian, Sabaean, and the Talmudical Jew, attract the attention as a side picture, and then comes the real essence the adoration of God in humility and love. The hooris are creatures of Zoroastrian origin, so is paradise,[1] whilst hell in the severity of its punishment is Talmudic. The descriptions are realistic, in some places almost sensuous; but to say that they are sensual, or that Mohammed, or any of his followers, even the ultra-literalists accepted them as such, is a calumny.The wine "that does not inebriate" and the attendants "that come not nigh"[1] can hardly be said to represent sensual pleasures!

1 In Persian, firdous.

The chief and predominating idea in Islam respecting a future life is founded upon the belief that, in a state of existence hereafter, every human being will have to render an account of his or her actions on earth, and that the happiness or misery of individuals will depend upon the manner in which they have performed the behests of their Creator. His mercy and grace are nevertheless unbounded, and will be bestowed alike upon His creatures. This is the pivot on which the whole doctrine of future life in Islam turns, and this is the only doctrinal point one is required to believe and accept. All the other elements, caught up and syncretised from the floating traditions of the races and peoples of the time, are mere accessories. Setting aside from our consideration the question of subjectivity involved in all ideas of future rewards and punishments, we may say, in all ideas of a life after death, we must bear in mind that these ideas have furnished to the moral teachers of the world the most powerful instrument for influencing the conduct of individuals and nations. But though every religion, more or less, contains the germ of this principle of future accountability in another state, all have failed thoroughly to realise its nature as a continuous agency for the elevation of the masses. Virtue, for its own sake, can only be grasped by minds of superior development; for the average intellect, and for the uneducated, sanctions, more or less comprehensible, will always be necessary.

To turn now to the nature of these sanctions, it must be remembered that it is scarcely ever possible to convey an idea of spiritual pleasure or spiritual pain to the apprehensions of the generality of mankind without clothing the expressions in the garb of tangible personalities, or introducing sensible objects into the description of such pleasure or pain. Philosophy has wrangled over abstract expressions, not dressed in tangible phraseology. Such expressions and conceptions have seen their day, have flourished, and have died without making themselves felt beyond a restricted circle of dreamers, who lived in the indefinable vagueness of their own thoughts.

Mohammed was addressing himself not only to the advanced minds of a few idealistic thinkers who happened to be then living, but to the wide world around him engrossed in materialism of every type. He had to adapt himself to the comprehensions of all. To the wild famished Arab, what more grateful, or what more consonant to his ideas of paradise than rivers of unsullied incorruptible water, or of milk and honey; or anything more acceptable than unlimited fruit, luxuriant vegetation, inexhaustible fertility?

He could conceive of no bliss unaccompanied with these sensuous pleasures. This is the contention of that portion of the Moslem world which, like Sanai and Ghazzali, holds that behind the descriptions of material happiness portrayed in objects like trees, rivers, and beautiful mansions with fairy attendants, lies a deeper meaning; and that the joy of joys is to consist in the beatific visions of the soul in the presence of the Almighty, when the veil which divides man from his Creator will be rent, and heavenly glory revealed to the mind untrammelled by its corporeal, earthly habiliments. In this they are upheld by the words of the Koran as well as the authentic sayings of the Prophet.

"The most favoured of God," said Mohammed, "will be he who shall see his Lord's face (glory) night and morning, a felicity which will surpass all the pleasures of the body, as the ocean surpasses a drop of sweat." One day, talking to his friend, Abu Huraira, the Prophet said, "God has prepared for His good people what no eye hath seen, nor ear heard, nor hath it entered into the heart of any one," and then recited the following verse of the Koran: "No soul knoweth the joy which is secretly prepared for it as a reward for that it may have wrought"[1] Another tradition[2] reports that Mohammed declared the good will enjoy the beatific vision of God, to which reference, he said, is made in the following verse of the Koran: "And God inviteth unto the dwelling of peace.... For those who do good there is excellent reward and superabundant addition."[3]

1 Koran xxxii. 17; Mishkut, bk. xxiii. chap. xiii. pt. i.
2 From Suhaib.
3 Koran x. 27. Consult here Zamakhshri (the Kashshaf), Egyp. ed, pt. i. p. 244; he gives the fullest references to the opinions of the different theologians and schools, and especially mentions the doctrines of the Mush-habbahas and the Jabarias.

As to the parabolical nature of the Koranic expressions, this school of thinkers bases its convictions on the following passage of the inspired book: "It is He who hath sent down unto thee the Book." Some of the signs (verses) are firm (i.e. perspicuous or clear to understand) these are the basis (or fundamental part) of the book and others are figurative."[l]

Another section looks upon the joys and pains of the hereafter as entirely subjective. It holds that as extreme mental pain is far more agonising than physical pain, so is mental pleasure of the higher type far more rapturous than any sensuous pleasure; that as, after physical death, the individual soul merges "returns," in the Koranic expressions) in the Universal Soul, all the joys and pains, portrayed in vivid colours by the inspired teacher to enable the masses to grasp the truth, will be mental and subjective. This section includes within its bosom some of the greatest philosophers and mystics of the Moslem world.

Another, and by far the largest class, however, believe in the literal fulfilment of all the word-paintings of the Koran. Without venturing to pass any opinion on these different notions, we may take this occasion to state our own belief with regard to the Koranic conception of future rewards and punishments.

1 Koran iii 5.

A careful study of the Koran makes it evident that the mind of Mohammed went through the same process of development which marked the religious consciousness of Jesus, Mohammed and Jesus are the only two historic teachers of the world, and for this reason we take them together. How great this development was in Jesus is apparent, not only from the idealised conception towards the end of his earthly career regarding the Kingdom of Heaven, but also from the change of tone towards the non-Israelites. Thoroughly exclusive at first,[1] with a more developed religious consciousness wider sympathies awaken in the heart.

As with Jesus so with Mohammed. The various chapters of the Koran which contain the ornate descriptions of paradise, whether figurative or literal, were delivered wholly or in part at Mecca. Probably in the infancy of his religious consciousness, Mohammed himself believed in some or other of the traditions which floated around him. But with a wider awakening of the soul, a deeper communion with the Creator of the Universe, thoughts, which bore a material aspect at first, became spiritualised. The mind of the Teacher progressed not only with the march of time and the development of his religious consciousness, but also with the progress of his disciples in apprehending spiritual conceptions. Hence in the later suras we observe a merging of the material in the spiritual, of the body in the soul. The gardens "watered by rivers," perpetual shade,[3] plenty and harmony, so agreeable to the famished denizen of tlie parched, shadeless, and waterless desert, at perpetual discord with himself and all around him, these still form the groundwork of beautiful imageries; but the happiness of the blessed is shown to consist in eternal peace and goodwill in tlie presence of their Creator.

1 Matt x. 5, xv. 22 -26.
2 Matt, xxviii. 19, etc.; comp. throughout Strauss, New Life of Jesus (1865), vol. i. p. 296 et seq.
3 Koran xiii. 34, xlvii, 16, 17. Comp. also chaps, ix., x., and xiv.

"But those," says the Koran, "who are pious shall dwell in gardens, amidst fountains; (they shall say unto them), 'Enter ye therein in peace and security;' and all rancour will we remove from their bosoms; they shall sit as brethren, face to face,[1] on couches; weariness shall not affect them therein, neither shall they be repelled thence for ever."[2]

What can be nobler or grander in its conception or imagery, or give a better idea of the belief in Mohammed's mind, (at least towards the latter period of his career,) concerning the nature of the present and future life, than the following passage: "It is He who enableth you to travel by land and by sea; so that ye go on board of ships, which sail on with them, with favourable breeze, and they rejoice therein. But if a tempestuous wind overtake, and the waves come on them from every side, and they think they are encompassed therewith, they call on God, professing unto Him sincere religion; (saying) wouldst Thou but rescue us from this, then we will ever be indeed of the thankful. But when We have rescued them, Behold! they commit unrighteous excesses on the earth. O men! verily the excesses ye commit to the injury of your own souls are only for the enjoyment of this earthly life; soon shall ye return to Us, and We will declare unto you that which ye have done. Verily, the likeness of this present life is not otherwise than the water which We send down from heaven; and the productions of the earth, of which men and cattle eat, are mixed therewith, till the earth has received its beautiful raiment, and is decked out, and they who inhabit it imagine they have power over it!

1 i.e. with peace and goodwill in their hearts.
2 Koran xv. 44.

"(But) Our behest cometh unto it by night or by day, and We make it as if it had been mown, as though it had not teemed (with fertility) only yesterday. Thus do We make our signs clear unto those who consider. And God inviteth unto the abodes of peace, and guideth whofti He pleaseth into the right way.[1]

"For those who do good is excellent reward and super-abundant addition of it; neither blackness nor shame shall cover their faces. These are the inhabitants of paradise; therein do they abide for ever. But those who have wrought evil shall receive the reward of evil equal thereunto; [2] and shame shall cover them (for there will be none to protect them against God) as though their faces were covered with a piece of the night of profound darkness."[3]

Then again, what can be purer in its aspirations than the following:

1 Baidhawi explains the expression "whom He pleaseth," as " those who repent" (p. 67, n. I, chap. iv.).
Compare Zamakhshri (the Kashshai).
2 Observe the reward of virtue will not be confined to an exact measure of man's works; it will far exceed his
deserts; but the recompense of evil will be strictly proportioned to what one has done.
3 Koran x. 23-28.

"Who fulfil the covenant of God and break not their compact; and who join together what God hath bidden to be joined; and who fear their Lord and dread an ill-reckoning; and who, from a sincere desire to please their Lord,[1] are constant amid trials, and observe prayers and give alms, in secret and openly, out of what We have bestowed on them; and turn aside evil with good: for them there is the recompense of that abode, gardens of eternal habitation, into which they shall enter, together with such as shall have acted rightly from among their fathers, their wives, and their posterity; and the angels shall go in unto them by every portal, (saying), 'Peace be with you! because ye have endured with patience. Excellent is the reward in that abode!"[2]

Enough has been said to show the utter falsehood of the theory that Mohammed's pictures of future life were all sensuous. We will conclude this chapter with the following passage from the Koran to show the depth of spirituality in Islam, and the purity of the hopes and aspirations on which it bases its rule of life: "thou soul which are at rest, return unto thy Lord, pleased and pleasing Him; enter thou among my servants; and enter thou my garden of felicity."[3]

1 This may also be translated as "from a desire to see the face (glory) of their Lord."
2 Koran xiii. 20-24. Compare throughout Zamaklishri (the Kashshaf).
3 Koran Ixxxix. 27-30.

Every Soul Born Pure

Know thou that every soul is fashioned after the nature of God, each being pure and holy at his birth. Afterwards, however, the individuals will vary according to what they acquire of virtues or vices in this world. Although all existent beings are in their very nature created in ranks or degrees, for capacities are various, nevertheless every individual is born holy and pure, and only thereafter may he become defiled. And further, although the degrees of being are various, yet all are good. Observe the human body, its limbs, its members, the eye, the ear, the organs of smell, of taste, the hands, the fingernails. Notwithstanding the differences among all these parts, each one within the limitations of its own being participateth in a coherent whole. If one of them faileth it must be healed, and should no remedy avail, that part must be removed. (swa, p.190)

Residents of the Supreme Concourse

---

... another friend referred to the communing of Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration with Moses and Elijah; and 'Abdu'l-Bahá said: "The faithful are ever sustained by the presence of the Supreme Concourse. In the Supreme Concourse are Jesus, and Moses, and Elijah, and Bahá'u'lláh, and other supreme Souls: there, also, are the martyrs." (abl, p.97)

Jain and Soul

(from http://www.jainstudy.org/QfromS-RatnlKnwl-1.01.htm)

I am presenting a comprehensive knowledge of soul as differentiated
from external objects, based on my understanding and experience.
Accept it if (in your estimation) it satisfies the condition of
authenticity (PRAMAAN). But if I fail in my description, reject it.

One who is desirous of spiritual progress,
through scriptural readings and discourses,
differentiates between the auspicious path and the ominous one;
considers the options and nurtures propitious behavior.

The individual, inspired by rational knowledge, becomes settled
in rational perception, penance, vows and self-restraint;
consequently, the individual enjoys pristine qualities of self,
and remains resolute and intent throughout one's lifetime.

As one becomes absorbed in the study of scriptures,
with inimitable interest and immeasurable enthusiasm,
one becomes immersed in the stream of conviction,
and, thus, step by step, the sage attains supreme bliss.

Just as a needle with a thread attached to it,
fallen into a heap of trash, does not get lost,
similarly, endowed with the knowledge of scriptures,
a worldly soul does not lose sight of its estimable goal.

One who possess the knowledge of scriptures;
but who is devoid of the jewel of rationalism,
and is without devotion to genuine virtues,
perpetuates one's cycles of birth and death.

Though having an extensive knowledge of scriptures,
one who has even an iota of passions,
such as attachment, aversion and the like,
remains totally ignorant of the nature of soul.

Ignorance of the pristine nature of soul
accompanies lack of knowledge of external entities;
being devoid of such insightful discernment,
an individual does not attain rationalism.

That which entails the knowledge of aspects of reality,
that which leads to self-restraint of mental activities,
that which brings about the purification of self,
according to the teachings of JIN, that is rational knowledge.

According to the Jain scriptures, rational knowledge
redeems a worldly soul from bonds of attachment;
it generates an affinity for auspiciousness,
and, ingrains feelings of amity towards all.

One who realizes that the soul is distinct from body and karmas,
knows that the self is unique and independent of external entities,
believes that soul is eternal, without beginning or end,
such an individual espies the spirit of the entire Jain teaching.

One who knows the self as fundamentally different
from the defiled physical existence of a worldly soul,
realizes nature of the self - full of perception and knowledge,
possesses the understanding of the entire Jain scripture.

One who comprehends that the intrinsic nature of soul is pure
perception and knowledge, attains spiritual progress;
one who does not have such self-realization and thinks
that soul is impure, remains contaminated with karmas.

One who comprehends the nature of inner self
inherently knows the external world;
conversely, one who knows the external world
certainly appreciates spirituality.

An individual who knows one - one's soul,
knows all that exists in the universe;
a person who knows all aspects of reality
accurately comprehends his/her real self.

The sagacious ones remain immersed in rational knowledge;
they obtain satisfaction in knowing attributes of a pure soul;
they treasure the contentment derived from enlightenment;
thus they get inimitable happiness and enjoy supreme bliss.

One who knows the supreme human beings (ARAHANTs),
from the viewpoints of substance, attributes and transformations,
such an individual attains self-realization - knowledge of soul;
he/she undoubtedly breaks the shackles of unwholesome delusion.

Just as a person enjoys the fruits of his endeavors,
spending his life with his relatives and friends,
similarly, a person having the gift of rational knowledge
enjoys the self by minimizing indulgence in external objects.