According to Buddhists, What Happens After Death?

Buddhism is an optimistic spirituality, the teaching of Buddha is proof of this. He gave details about the human being and his nature, his missions and his destiny. If that's a person's purpose, what about death?

Is there life after death? How do Buddhists perceive it?

The doctrine of rebirth according to Buddha

This doctrine is specific to Buddhism since Buddha, at the moment of enlightenment, discovered this truth. After waking up, he shared with his disciples that death is just a passing and not an end. When human life dies, we do not die in the true sense, we only pass from one life to another. In other words, we are reborn. Indeed, the two existences are linked because each person already has the facet of the gandhabha, that is to say “the being to be born”.

This consciousness of rebirth is natural in human beings, which is why the new life called “bhevangasota” invades the subconscious and highlights the latent character of a person. This passage does not require any human intervention called “antarabhava”, it is a natural process. However, it is imperative to remember that Karma plays an important role in the process of rebirth and the elements linked to this process are: the animal kingdom, the celestial worlds , spirits, extreme suffering and humanity itself.

Impermanence and death

Death is the detachment of the spirit from the human body. According to Buddhism, this break can be the beginning of a new life, that is to say the prolongation of life. On this point, “permanence” comes into play, for it is hardly the hallmark of existence. However, one thing that is omnipresent in our lives is change. Man changes his characters, his desires, his moods, his feelings; he also grows, he matures.

Therefore, impermanence is synonymous with change and is also omnipresent. Buddha's teaching on the Four Noble Truths indicates that suffering is the origin of impermanence because it pushes man to always want more, to seek happiness through all means. means and never be satisfied with what he has.

Nevertheless, the fundamental principle of Buddhism is against this. In this regard, Buddha said to his disciples: “The bodily form, O monks, is impermanent. What causes and conditions its birth is also impermanent. How, O monks, could the bodily form which has impermanence as its origin be permanent? ”.

The transition from one body to another according to Buddha

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When a person dies, they can no longer control anything and usually their memories are released from their subconscious and are presented in the form of a spirit. In addition, energies are released from his body in full decomposition and go in search of another body. This movement from one spirit to another body is called reincarnation. Buddhist precepts emphasize the law of causality of rebirth: rebirth in the heavenly realm and rebirth in the hell realm.

It is our character in the previous life that determines our reincarnation. A person of good character joins the heavenly realm, while a person of bad character joins the realm of hell. Rebirth is therefore not the same for both beings. For more than a decade, this transmigration from one being to another has been known as a law. And, over the past thirty years, studies carried out by parapsychologists have confirmed this hypothesis.

The elements of Sangsara according to the six domains of rebirth causation

According to the principle of rebirth of Buddhism, karma intervenes in human life. karmic law recognizes that life in the past influences life in the future. This is why the law of causality is linked to sangsaric continuity. Karma thus determines the reincarnation of a deceased person, either as a higher being or as an animal. This sangsaric continuity has six spheres to know:

- Human nature: this sphere is linked to the five abstinences: not stealing, not lying, not harming life, not committing adultery and not drinking alcohol ;

- Assuras: this sphere concerns a person with a dual personality, that is to say they can do good and evil at the same time;

- The demon pit: this sphere refers to bad characters such as evil acts, greed, greed, greed, etc.;

- Enfer : this sphere determines the goal of bad actions committed during life;

- The cattle fair: this sphere represents the future of lust and festivities;

- The celestial sphere: this sphere provides insight into good rebirth.

Rituals and spiritual practices at the time of death and after death

At death, Buddhists perform rituals such as the prayers related to "Infinite Light" and are intended for the Buddha Amitabhwho vowed to help humans after death. This ritual is more common in Tibet, China and Japan. And, on the other hand, they engage in ordinary practices such as purification and transfer of consciousness called "P'owa ". The latter is practiced at the moment of death, it is a technique in Vajrayana Buddhism to transfer consciousness into a “pure field”. Thus, death is liberation for Buddhists.

Also read: Does a Buddhist Believe In Reincarnation?

According to Buddhist precepts, an individual is considered dead when their consciousness leaves their body. Typically, this process can occur within three days of heart failure. His family does not touch the body of the deceased during this period so as not to disrupt the phenomenon of exiting consciousness; and during this same period, lay people and monks perform purification prayers, prayers of guidance or P'owa with the body of the deceased. Some families practice all three at the same time. It is after these days of purification and detachment of conscience of the deceased that the cremation of thebody takes place and is accompanied by an offering.