________________
Furthermore, they believe that the souls of humans and animals, birds, plants, etc. are different. They believe that while the souls of humans have spirituality and free choice, the souls of animals, birds, plants, etc. lack this and in fact, that animals, birds, plants, etc. were created to serve humans.
Asian religions like Hinduism and Jainism believe that the soul is eternal. It can neither be created nor be destroyed. They believe that the souls of all living beings are the same and they do not discriminate on the basis of species. They also believe that killing or harming anyone is a great sin because each soul is similar and enjoys the same right to live. This has led to a reverence for all life and thus the practice of vegetarianism and nonviolence.
Buddhist philosophy is different. While Buddhism places great importance on nonviolence, vegetarianism is not equally emphasised in Buddhism. The Buddha did not accept the eternal nature of the soul. Instead, he stated that all existence is constantly undergoing change. This principle is known as 'kshanikavaada".
Question 2: Where do souls go when they die?
Summary of Answers to Question 2: Judaism, Christianity and Islam are aligned in their understanding of life after death. They believe that since God has created each soul, only he has the right to pass judgement upon them. When a person dies, his soul and body are separated. His soul remains suspended in a spiritual realm until the day of judgement, when God passes judgement on all souls, depending on their actions, and decides which souls shall go to heaven and which to hell. The reason why the followers of these three religions bury their dead is because they believe that on the day of judgement, the souls shall be united with their bodies when they stand before God, awaiting his Last Judgement. The rising of the dead on the day of the Last Judgement is known as resurrection.
Both Hinduism and Jainism believe in the theory of karma. Jains believe that depending on the actions of each soul, it is born again in one of four gatis {forms of life viz. (i) Human form, (ii) sub-human form, (iii) celestial being and (iv) denizen of hell). Thus, the concept of reincarnation is central to both Hindu, Buddhist and Jain worldviews.
Both Hindus and Jains believe that once the soul departs its mortal coil, it shall never re-enter it. Depending on the karmas attached to it, it shall enter a new body. The old body, made up of inert matter, shall disintegrate. So Hindus and Jains cremate the dead body rather than burying it.
Buddhism believes in the impermanence of all existence. However, Buddhist doctrine adumbrates that action and reaction continue to take place in the form of transmigration, which by itself is punishment enough for the psychophysical entity.
389
