Christian Response To Death In Purusha Sukta By Sumegi

Before explaining Hinduism in depth, Sumegi points out that there is a noticeable change for the religious response to death between the earliest and the latest Vedic texts (165). Based on the premise, she begins to discuss Hindus’ belief in afterlife from the early age. Sumegi specifically stresses the story of the Purusha Sukta because it informs us that a ritual death and dismemberment result in creation (170). Death is not the end but the new beginning of creation. And, death leads the deceased to the two paths: the way leading to the world of the fathers and the way leading to the world of the gods (171). Those who have a correct knowledge of the hidden interconnections between all things go to the world of the gods without reincarnation, while those who think that immortality is the result of rituals go to the world of the
fathers (172). In the context of Vedic thought, creation and destruction, mortality and immortality are indispensable elements of each other (173).
And then, Sumegi moves towards the Upanishads, the latest Vedic texts composed 800-600 BCE, by exploring five crucial concepts related to the Hindu understanding of death and afterlife (175).
Karma as intentional action results in a future rebirth, and samsara is the unending cycle of death and rebirth fueled by karma (176). In order to be free from samsara, people seek for liberation (moksha) (177). Liberation cannot be explained without the understanding of atman and brahman because liberation derives from the knowledge that atman, the foundation and essence of the individual, corresponds with brahman, the foundation and essence of the universe (179). In addition, the Bhagavad Gita (Song of the Lord) presents three paths to liberation through the teaching of Vishnu/Krishna (183). The path of action is to act according to Dharma (truth and righteousness) without fear of punishment or hope of reward (184). The path of knowledge is to realize atman, and the path of devotion is to turn to God with genuine loving devotion (184, 186). Among these three paths, the path of knowledge is the hardest one and the path of devotion is the simplest
one.
Hinduism stands on the endless cycle of life to death if someone would not be liberated from it by attaining to the world of gods through the three paths to liberation. Although having the knowledge of homology between atman and brahman is absolutely imperative for human beings to get liberation from the beginning of Hinduism, devotion and karma are also emphasized as the next best ways. In fact, it is very hard to get the esoteric knowledge. In this regard, Hinduism is significantly different from Christianity for three reasons. Firstly, Christian belief in the afterlife oppose to reincarnation of Hinduism. Although both religions approve that death is the door leading the deceased to a new life, the afterlife is not related to death again for Christians. Secondly, for Christians, human soul or self is very distinct from that of other creatures while it is closely connected with the absolute being, God. That is because Christians believe that a human being especially bears an image of God from the beginning of the time. Lastly, death is the result of human sins and is conquered by Jesus Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection in Christianity. It is impossible to have the afterlife/eternal life without Jesus’ works. So, for Christian, afterlife is not a reward of human actions or devotion but a gift given from loving God. Of course, for human beings, it is required to have belief in God to attain to heaven, but faith is also a gift given from God.
As it is hard to understand what each concept/term means, I keep struggling to grasp the paradox of death and the concepts of atman and brahman. There is no clear cut line between life and death for Hinduism, rather an endless loop. If so, what is the meaning of each life? What is the purpose of all creation for the Creator, Sustainer, and Destroyer? And, if individual innermost essence, atman is identical with brahman, foundation of existence, why atman needs to be united with brahman in the world of gods? Already, there is no difference between both of them. Also, if each human being has the same atman, how can human beings have individuality? For me, there are lots of contradictions and unresolved questions in Hinduism. It may be because there is no founder or certain origin for Hinduism.
However, in spite of these difficulties, Hindus’ belief in life and the afterlife is interesting in that it proposes very specific ways to gain liberation from samsara. Maybe, people are instinctively attracted by a specific answer to their concern for death instead of remaining a mystery. But, I am not.