Death & Buddhism
Raised in a pious Buddhist family, I surprised myself when I realised I’ve become more agnostic than I ever was. “I don’t think there’s an afterlife, this meat vessel I’m using to walk around in this reality is most likely all that I have” was the statement I found myself proclaiming in the past one year in discussions about death and religion. Do we actually think we will be rewarded heavily after we passed on if we do good now - treating whatever we contribute in the present merely a means to an end? Are we holding on to these statements like ships clinging to piers through their moorings to prevent going astray?
Death of a loved one has taught me more about religion than any other time. To reflect upon one’s life and what’s after that - one of the common times religion comes in.
“Live a good life. If there are gods and they are just, then they will not care how devout you have been, but will welcome you based on the virtues you have lived by. If there are gods, but unjust, then you should not want to worship them. If there are no gods, then you will be gone, but will have lived a noble life that will live on in the memories of your loved ones.”
― Marcus Aurelius
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