Sooner or later, death comes to us all. No exceptions. Being a human being with conscious, sense of self, “death” is an important, final theme of life. On this post,
we will learn about this essential topic, by studying Silver Birch’s teachings.
Before we proceed, I would like to make clear of the following facts, to avoid misunderstanding. Let us be reminded that there are many atheists who are far more advanced spiritually than many devout men and women of religion, says Silver Birch. He has also made it clear that the lengths of one’s life on earth is irrelevant to the advancement of one’s spirituality.
I have recently read a book by Shintaro Ishihara and Ayako Sono, called “Shi Toiu Saigo No Mirai” (2020, Gentosha, Tokyo Japan). The title can be translated as “Death, Our Final Future,” and it contains series of frank conversations by the two authors, exchanging their personal opinions on the titled theme. What death is all about, and what would happen after we die? Do we turn into nothing, or does life continue on? Ishihara and Sono are both approaching ninety years of age; and both are well-known persons of common sense, being among the most widely-known authors in Japan.
They represent, so to speak, the intellectual population of Japan. The two hold contrasting views and beliefs on death, largely from their different religious backgrounds. Ishihara is a Buddhist, and Sono is Catholic. Roughly said, this book allows us to observe an exchange of opinion by an intellectual Buddhist (atheist) and an intellectual Catholic.
Let’s now have a look at their contrasting views on “death.” Contents are quoted from Shi Toiu Saigo No Mirai, the book in discussion.
Ishihara: No, I believe consciousness is lost at death. Without consciousness we have no perception, which means we can no longer grasp anything.
To die is to become “void.” We turn into empty nothing. But “voidness” exists as voidness. There is just no other way to express it.
They say void is an existence itself. Mere voidness is what we become once we die. Shakyamuni’s (Gautama Buddha) verse in the Heart Sutra, “Form is Emptiness, Emptiness is Form” is the ultimate aphorism on time and existence. Upon death time expires, and everything dissipates.
Isn’t there somebody who can show us what is beyond life…?
Being a man who would never give up on life until the very final moment, I must say I am in great struggle.
The thoughts of death are pressing me every single day, seeing so many of my longtime mates of my age, passing away, one after another. It’s tough.
Sono: To me, people who believe death is the end, scare me in a way. It troubles me seeing how people turn into thieves just because they want money, or commit murder or arson, because someone offended them. How could these people let crude instincts rule them like that? I am puzzled. Once they learn what death is all about, at least people would not come to hold such instinctive thoughts.
Ishihara: Upon death we lose consciousness. Consequently, we would lose altogether, the ability to understand and make sense of things. Unable to think, unable to comprehend. I have certain fear and frustration, knowing that is where I am headed.
Sono: Life is supposed to continue on. We will receive our rewards, based on how we had lived. How we fared on our current life on earth, would determine whether we go to heaven or hell; and in between heaven and hell, there is a purgatorial place, where we atone our sins, before being allowed to proceed to heaven. It is supposedly a preparatory stage for heaven.
Ishihara: Is there next life?
Sono: It is supposedly so. But you know, it is all unknown to us. Maybe there exists hope for life after death, or opportunities for reunion with the ones we had been bereaved of. Or maybe there is no such hope at all, and desperation exists instead.
Ishihara: That type of thoughts do not exist in Buddhism. Shakyamuni did not mention anything of that kind. During the Heian era, Honen, who founded Jodo-shu (Pure Land Buddhism in Japan) introduced the idea of afterlife in Buddhism, with the intention of saving the common people from fear of death. There exists the Land of Bliss, and to receive saving grace you only need to chant “Namu Amida Butsu,” Honen preached.
It was like a magical sales talk. Shakyamuni himself mentioned no words on reincarnation, heaven, hell, etcetera. Therefore, I see death as the “ultimate unknown,” and I am yarning to find out what it is about.
Sono: I don’t really understand the state of “attaining Buddhahood.”
Ishihara: “Nirvana” is the state of Buddhahood in the Lotus Sutra. It is to pass away, surrendered in absolute peace and calmness.
I have often heard of “hinotama” (or hitodama, balls of fire floating in the air.
They are said to be the souls of the dead, according to folklore in Japan.) I think those are manifestations of people’s thoughts.
Sono: I believe this thing we call “the soul,” does exist, and that they are immortal. . .
Those who believe, call it as “the moment before immortality.” We go through so much thoughts, joys and sorrows in life. All that we experience and learn throughout our life, do they suddenly terminate and lose their functions and meanings altogether by death? I cannot imagine it that way.
Ishihara: I see. My view on death is that once we breathed our last, we are totally extinct, including the soul. We would immediately turn into non-existent dust.
Sono: “Death is a new birthday towards eternity; not the extinction of life.”
This message is in the heart of all Catholics.
Ishihara: I understand that’s what you have been telling me about, the soul being eternal. I maintain the exact opposite view. I see death as death, the termination which extinguishes us all in seconds.
Sono: Of course, that’s fine. People see things differently, and have different views. There is no problem in that.
Ishihara: But still, when we die, we lose awareness, consciousness and all. Unable to perceive anything, we would turn into useless void. . .
Sono: “Life is a mere journey.” A foreign nun had told me this many times. We journey on the path of life.
This is the end of quoted materials from the book Shi Toiu Saigo No Mirai.
Next, let’s take a look at Silver Birch’s words on death. Kazuo Inamori, a famous entrepreneur (founder and honorary chairman of Kyocera, and a Zen monk) sometimes mentions Silver Birch in his books and lectures.
“Should you be sad because they are freed from pain, from old age, from tiredness and weariness?”
“Should you be sad because they have escaped from darkness (earthly world) into the light (spirit world)? Should you be sad because they can now unfold the talents with which they have been endowed? Should you be sad because they are now free to enjoy the pursuits that are natural to them?”
“No, your sorrow is selfish. You are mourning your own loss, you are thinking in terms of what you are missing and what you will have to endure-a life of loneliness, bereft of love that has enriched it. But you are wrong.”
(p.89 Silver Birch Anthology)
“Millions of people think the world in which they live is the only world. They think the life they are living is the only life they will live, and so they try to accumulate all the things of matter, the earthly treasures which one day they will have to leave behind. The cause of your wars, bloodshed, misery, sickness - practically all of them - is due to the fact that the secret of life eludes millions who do not know that they are eternal spiritual beings here and now, that they are not bodies only. They are spirits expressing themselves through bodies. They are placed in a world of matter to grow and to develop that soul which will fit them for their real home which begins from the moment the Angel of Death touches them on the shoulder and says ‘Come hither.’”
(p.115-116 Silver Birch Companion)
[Comments]
Individual’s consciousness continues to live after physical death. “Death” is the phenomena where one’s “true self” (soul) merely discards its physical body. “Death” is the process of liberation, which sets us free from the blunt jail of physical body.
Our brain does not create consciousness. Individual consciousness is an attribute of the soul, which grows as the soul unfolds itself, whereas the brain belongs to the physical body, our temporary dwelling on earth.
Everything that are built of physical materials (of the earth) has its lifespan. There are no exceptions. The brain, which is an element of the physical body, is but a relaying organ that links the soul (spirituality, mind) with the body. Its function is to move the body, perceive the five physical senses, and transmit the information to the soul (true self). It is an intermediary organ. The spirit gains its individual consciousness, and the ability to express its sense of self for the first time, when it is born into the physical world, contained in a physical body.
The soul (individual’s consciousness) is the “true self.” It possesses two bodies: spirit body and physical body. On death, the physical body is cast off, then the soul moves onto the spirit world, of different vibrations, where it continues life, expressing oneself through the spirit body.
Among those who believe death as the end, some choose “death” on their free will. “Forceful death,” including suicide and homicide rob one’s own or others’ lives by force. Doing so they squarely violate God and his providence (natural law). Needless to say, those who violate inevitably face the consequences for their actions. The law of cause and effect ensures our evolutional advancement, by maintaining automatic and precise reaping (expiation) of what we sow. If the reaping does not occur during our lifespan on earth, we will face it after we move on to the spirit world.
“Life” (our individual consciousness) does not terminate at the extinction of the physical body. We will not become “void.” Every experience on earth is engraved on our “true selves” (the soul).
What if death means void, and everything ends when we “die,” turning us into nonexistent dust? Then what will happen, if the “good effects” of the “good cause,” or the “bad effects” of the “bad cause” fail to come into effect during one’s lifetime on earth, which would mean exemptions from “you reap what you sow”?
Should that be the case, those who violate the providence, those involved in unscrupulous actions like homicides and nation-wide manslaughter, actions of extreme evil that forcefully end lives of others, and the anachronistic hegemonism, oppressing their own citizens, and persecuting people of different race, would be excused, without consequences and penalties for their actions, hence allowing gain only to those who violate.
If violators gain by violating, and those who flee from their responsibilities succeed, that would indicate faults in the “law of cause and effect.” The law, which is the grounding principle that governs the entire great cosmos, would lose its perfection, and the absolute fairness of God would collapse. All this would mean God, the omnipotent providence (law) is incomplete and powerless.
Once again, we need to compare God’s wisdom, thus the grounding principle of the great cosmos, with our own beliefs and presumptions, based on our very limited knowledge. The answer, once again, should be self-evident.
References
Shi Toiu Saigo No Mirai （死という最後の未来）Ishihara, Shintaro and Sono, Ayako, 2020. Gentosha (幻冬舎), Tokyo.
Silver Birch Anthology—edited by Naylor, William. Edition 2009. The Spiritual Truth Press, Surrey, Great Britain. First published in 1955.
Silver Birch Companion—edited by Ortzen, Tony. Edition 2013. The Spiritual Truth Press, Surrey, Great Britain. First published in 1986.