ISTD Sketchbook - Samsara

ISTD - THE UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY SKETCHBOOK / NOTEBOOK 2015

Jamie Drummond

western attitudes towards death

Chinese attitudes towards death

The Aghori sadhu holy men of india Sources - youtube and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aghori are religious ascetic or holy persons that have cut all earthly ties and gone to live away from civilisation. Sadhus are considered to be dead unto themselves, and legally dead to the country of India. As a ritual, they may be required to attend their own funeral before following a guru for many years. The Aghori are a group of sadhus that engage in post-mortem rituals that would be seen as horrific in westwern culture they partake in these rituals in order to gain freedom from the cycle of death and rebirth. (samsara). These people often live in “charnel ground� where formerly living tissue is left to decompose uncovered, they embrance pollution and degredation, smear cremation ashes on their body and use human remains to craft different religeous items. They belive in non-duality which points to the idea that the universe and all its multiplicity are ultimately expressions or appearances of one essential reality. The more they blur the lines between clean and unclean, holy and unholy, good and bad, the more powers they attain.

An aghori believes in getting into total darkness by all means, and then getting into light or self realizing. They believe it to be effective and are infamously known for their rituals that include such as shava samskara (ritual worship incorporating the use of a corpse as the altar)

5 Large Scale Cultural attitudes towards death Sources: Book - Death and Dying, Life and living. + Calebwilde.com

Tame Death: Death is familiar and simple, regarded as inevitable and no attempt is made to evade it. The dying typically calmly await their deaths, usually surrounded by loved ones and members of the community, all of whom wait peacefully for the end. death is a public event. A major focus of attention is the community; it is affected by the loss. Death is also seen as a sort of sleep; either one is awakened at some point to eternal bliss, or one remains eternally asleep.

Death of the self: The focus is on the one who dies. Death produces great anxiety because it is believed that one is either rewarded or punished in his or her future state.

Death of the self involves a final testing period, and what one does at this moment determines what will happen to one after death Several religious traditions have some such belief. Jews believe that it is important at the moment of death to recite the Shema. Muslims are taught that invoking the Divine Name at the moment of death can be salvific. In the West, this attitude once led to the development of an art of dying well.

Remote and Imminent death: One’s attitude toward death is highly ambivalent. Death is viewed as a wholly natural event (not a supernatural one), but still great effort is made to keep it at a distance. It is both natural and dangerous, inviting and repelling, beautiful and to be feared.

Death of the other: main focus of attention is on the survivors. Death involves the breaking of relationships. resulting in an intolerable separation from the one who dies.

Feelings and behaviors may go nearly out of control (wailing, keening, throwing oneself in the grave, etc.) For the one who dies, death is primarily a period of waiting to be rejoined with loved ones in some other state.

Death denied / forbidden death: Death is seen as being dirty or indecent (even pornographic). Thus, it is offensive to die in public. Dying persons are therefore more or less isolated from the rest of the community. The very fact that the person is dying is denied, both to that person and to those around her or him. Emotions, both before and after the death are to be kept hidden, and mourning may be seen as morbid or even pathological.

Sokushinbutsu refers to a practice of Buddhist monks observing austerity to the point of death and mummification. This process of self-mummification was mainly practiced in Yamagata in Northern Japan between the 11th and 19th century, by members of the Japanese Vajrayana school of Buddhism called Shingon (“True Word�). The practitioners of sokushinbutsu did not view this practice as an act of suicide, but rather as a form of further enlightenment. Those who succeeded were revered, while those who failed were nevertheless respected for the effort.

I got to see one of these mummified monks when I visited a shrine in thailand

Buddhism Mahayana Buddhism believe that once you have reached enlightenment you become a Bodhisattva, and you keep being reincarnated over and over again helping others reach enlightenment. While Theravada believes, you get enlightened, you reach nirvana and boom you are done.

Jainism Digambara “sky-clad” is one of the two major schools of Jainism, the other being Śvētāmbara (white-clad).

[1] The word digambara is a combination of two words: dig (directions) and ambara (clothes). Those whose, garment is the element that fills the four quarters of space is called digambara.[2] Monks in the Digambara tradition don’t wear any clothes, as it is considered parigraha (possession) which ultimately leads to attachment.

Buddhism - Sokushinbutsu - The long outlawed Buddhist practice of self mummification or

Sokushinbutsu practice was not seen as suicide but as an attempt at further enlightenment.

Practitioners would undergo a low nutrition diet of bark and seeds coupled with rigorous exercise that stripped them of their body fat. Then they would consume a poisonous sap to purge their body tissue, remove moisture and make it inedible to maggots. The monk then sealed himself inside his tomb until succumbing to fate

Bon - Phowa - Adherents to the Bon religion sometimes practice a type of meditation called

Phowa. The exercise is practiced in life and may be employed at the moment of death in order to try and transfer ones consciousness into an enlightened realm through a hole in the top of the head. This “Practice of conscious dying” is confirmed by placing a reed in the resulting hole

Taoism - from yang to ying

At the moment of death Taoists say that a person goes from yang to yin. This statement shows that life and death are to be considered parts of the same process. Reaching an enlightened state is equal to being in harmony with the universe and can be experienced in life or in death irrespectively. However Taoist do also understand that other realms are attainable through ones Karma.

Sikhism - 5 K’

Those who follow Sikh doctrines strictly, believe that wearing 5 articles of faith will keep them closer to being a Sikh, and therefore closer to god. For Sikhs, becoming one with god is equal to enlightenment or liberation. The 5 k’s are worn objects that have symbolic meaning in Sikhism, they unite the followers of Sikhism in the pursuit of an ideal way of life.

A Typical response I think. There is an innate fear of death for Exlaimation marks are about the only part I get , but it would many of us and we all want to die happy and wityhout suffering. seem that death is an issue for animals globally. Death trancends We strive to ignore the fact that death is always undignified+ugly culture and influences it, not the other way round.

I decided to plant a Garlic clove the other day, thinking about it Old nutrients is used to create something new, that will die and in relation to this project I remember that from dead soil made contribute towards the life of another organism (me) i will die up of once living material comes life. Sort of like reincarnation. and my body will over time become one with the ecosytem again

Numerous people have claimed to come back from the brink of A very negative outlook on an unavoidably grim subject. death, and though while reports have common themes, people on the whole have completely differening experiences

Death exhibition Bristol museum Fits with the idea of reincarnation but also the notion that upon death one finds themselves somewhere utterly different than before. What the nature of that experience is like is the question

You only live once but if you do it right, once is enough. Part of the bristol meuseum death exhibition. if this is true is there a “right” way to live? who decides this?

Life is pleasant death is peaceful, its the transition that’s troublesome.

This stood out as a really interesting quote because my ideas of what comes after death are similar. It seems that I have been dead for what i can only imagine has been an infinite amount of time already, even before the big bang, something fundemental must have existed. I will die and I suppose i will return to that state of nothingness. “I” will cease to exist.

Worldwide, cultures have different symbols and iconography that hold connotations of death, or rebirth. Vultures feed on the carcasess of the dead and are comonly seen as harbringers

Topic description:

ThE Document aims to explore the hindu concept of reincarnation (samsara), those who believe in it and the related practices that they undertake.

Book related to topic:

Font examples relevant to topic :

Samarkan - Recincarnation is real indonesiana serif - reincarnation is real Pad Thai - reincarnation is real

Tribal Garamond - Reincarnation is real Type Layouts: • Begin by explaining the concept of Samsara, describe its qualitys, its history, its meaning • Explain what samsara is to different religous groups in the south / southeast of asia • Look at the different practices groups undertake in relation to their faith of samsara • Saṃsāra, is a sanskrit term used to refer to the idea of reincarnation and the ongoing cycle of birth, life and death determined by one’s actions and their subsequent consequences in the past, future and present. This concept’s name changes between religeons and cultures but a majority of the people living from south to east asia relate with its thought. Samsara can be roughly translated to “cyclic existence” and we are said to wander through it, being reborn in one of six realms depending on one’s karma. Karma is judged on the quality and virtue of ones deeds in their current life, and determines which realm they will be reborn into. Samsara arises out of our fixation on the self, our desires, our ego, and ignorance. It is expressed through our suffering, anxiety and discontent.

However, by performing rituals, altering lifestyle and adhering to different traditions and practices it is believed one can acheive liberation from the ongoing cycle of reincarnation and reach a state of trancendance known as Moshka or Nirvana, a sort of Heaven.

These terms mean different things in different cultures and religeons but they all have connotations of the same central concept.

Groups that have faith in samsara Hinduism - Agorhi Sadhu Holy Men Buddhism - Sokushinbutsu Bon - Phowa Jainism - digambara, Taoism - from yang to ying Sikhism - 5 K’s

• Realms of exsitence

God Realm. - realm of bliss, where noone works to become enlightened and so expend their karma untill reborn in a lower realm Asura Realm - Realm of the Demigods. They have been reborn here because their intentions may have been good in their human life, but they commited bad actions.

Althought their life is seen as more pleasurable than the life of a human. They are pluaged by general jealousy, struggle and envy. especially for those in the god realm who are perceivable to them in the way humans are perceivable to animals.

Human Realm - ruled by passion, desire, doubt, and pride. This is thought to be potentially the most advantageous realm to be reborn in, because from here it is easyest to acheive trancendance from samsara if the life is used properly. This life is usually wasted and inevitably causes rebirth in the lower realm Animal Realm - it is a very teideous process gathering enough karma to experience a rebirth in the human realm from this one. It is charachterized by profound states of witless idiocy and preconceptions formed in earlier realms.

Preta Realm - The inhbitants of this realm are aflicted with unsatable desires and greed.

They are always hungry and thirsty but are never able to satisfy their deperate wishes.

Beings in this realm are depicted with bottlenecks and large stomachs, symbolising their inability to acheive fillment.

Hell Realm - The most unpalatable realm, Beings here are overcome with hatred and torment. This is where souls come to have their unfavourable karma burned away untill one might be reborn into another realm.

samsara

SAmsara

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This book examines the ideas surrounding reincarnation and the practices undertaken to influence where one might be reborn after death.

In western culture, attitudes towards death are reasonably grim. Many see it as the final moment of conscioussness preceding an infinite period of nothing atall. It seems to many that before we are conceived we are effectively in the same state as being dead.

However, eastern philosphys maintain the opposite. According to thought in a number of eastern religions all souls, upon death are reborn into another realm. the cycle of birth life and death repeats eternally and only through practises in this life may one break free from the cycle of reincarnation and reach a enlightened state in an endmost destination.

REINCARNATION

4 The “sky clad” Digambara school of Jainism practice nudity daily.

This is because clothes are considered as possessions, which lead to attachment. Jain people (among other religions) believe that material attachment is likely to cause unwanted Karma, keeping them locked in the cycle of reincarnation (Samsara). To achieve an enlightened state, Jain people believe one must follow a path of purification.

phowa Digambara

Adherents to the Bon religion sometimes practice a type of meditation called Phowa. The exercise is practiced in life and may be employed at the moment of death in order to try and transfer ones consciousness into an enlightened realm through a hole in the top of the head. This “Practice of conscious dying” is confirmed by placing a reed in the resulting hole

3

6

At the moment of death Taoists say that a person goes from yang to yin. This statement shows that life and death are to be considered parts of the same process. Reaching an enlightened state is equal to being in harmony with the universe and can be experienced in life or in death irrespectively. However Taoist do also understand that other realms are attainable through ones Karma.

Aghori sadhu Yin yang

The Aghori Sadhus are a Hindu group who believe that humans are bound by sensual pleasure, anger, greed, obsession, fear and hatred. To overcome these bindings and attempt to achieve Moksha the Aghori partake in cannibalism, necrophilia and the consumption of excrement among other practices. They blur the lines between what is holy and unholy ,clean and dirty, to show that all we see is sacred and therefore equal in virtue.

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The long outlawed Buddhist practice of self mummification or Sokushinbutsu practice was not seen as suicide but as an attempt at further enlightenment. Practitioners would undergo a low nutrition diet of bark and seeds coupled with rigorous exercise that stripped them of their body fat. Then they would consume a poisonous sap to purge their body tissue, remove moisture and make it inedible to maggots.

The monk then sealed himself inside his tomb until succumbing to fate

THe 5 K’s Sokushinbutsu

Those who follow Sikh doctrines strictly, believe that wearing 5 articles of faith will keep them closer to being a Sikh, and therefore closer to god. For Sikhs, becoming one with god is equal to enlightenment or liberation. The 5 k’s are worn objects that have symbolic meaning in Sikhism, they unite the followers of Sikhism in the pursuit of an ideal way of life.

5

Moksha is a word used in Indian religions that means liberation.

Different ideology’s think of this concept in a number of ways.

But generally they all believe that through the deeds performed in this life , one can break away from reincarnation in Samsara and either become one with god, or reach an otherwise transcendental state. Moksha is distinct from western ideas of heaven in that the state surpasses material form, space or time

Moksha

4 The most unpalatable realm. Beings here are overcome with hatred and torment. Aggression and hostility are a part of their every day interactions and they dispel those who show them compassion and love. Souls come to this place to have their unfavourable karma burned away until one might be reborn into another realm.

preta Realm HELL Realm

The inhabitants of this realm are afflicted with ceaseless hunger and greed. They are always looking to feed a craving within but are never able to satisfy their desperate wishes. The Preta are depicted with bottlenecks and large stomachs, symbolising their inability to achieve fulfilment. They are also associated with addiction, obsession and compulsion.

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6

A world ruled by passion, desire, doubt, and pride. Ours is thought to be the most advantageous realm to be reborn into, as trancendance from Samsara is at hand if the life is used properly.

Many lives’s are wasted and inevitably cause rebirths in the lower realms. However by performing certain actions in this life. One may achieve enlightenment. This unparalleled state is known as Moksha

deva Realm hUMAN Realm

The realm of Devas is one of bliss and splendour. The domain is filled with godly figures who’s powers far surpass those of any human. Although the beings in this realm enjoy the privileged of such dominance, It makes them ignorant to the suffering of others. and as a result, Devas expend their karma until they are reborn into a lower realm at the end of their extremely long life span.

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Asurans are seen as demi-gods. Although their life is more pleasurable than the life of a human, they are plagued by fierce jealousy, desire and condescension. Especially for those in the god realm who are perceivable to them in the way humans are perceivable to animals. The god realm may seem preferable but all realms are considered ‘dukkha’: temporary and imperfect.

Animal Realm ASura Realm

It’s a very tedious process gathering enough karma to experience a rebirth in the human realm directly from the realm of animals. The animals is characterised by profound states of witless idiocy and preconceptions formed in earlier lives. They avoid the unfamiliar and are conditioned by fear and ignorance. Those who are content in ignorance in their human life may find themselves reborn here.

5

refers to the idea of reincarnation and the ongoing cycle of birth, life and death. The concept’s name changes between religions and cultures but a majority of the people living from south to east Asia relate with its thought.

Samsara can be roughly translated to a “cyclic existence” in which we continually die and are reborn in one of six realms depending on one’s karma. Karma is judged on the quality and virtue of one’s deeds in their current life, and determines which realm one will be reborn into.

Samsara

Reflection - Change the order of pages so they run in sequence - This whole piece could be screen printed if a fine enough screen could be used.

- Does the text go into enough detail. Does it ramble?

- Would i use a circular design again - No, Id probably go for a hexagonal shape because its much easier to work with. A circle was kind of neccessary for this project though as it was linking to the “Cyclic Existance� of reincarnation.

- Change wheels so they turn clockwise instead of anti clockwise

RESUBMIT - More content needed - More Images Needed - More Pages needed (50?)

- ReDesign Layout - Considering patterns symbols etc (decorative) - bibliography

SAMSARA Saṃsāra (Sanskrit संसार) is the repeating cycle of birth, life and death (reincarnation) as well as one’s actions and consequences in the past, present, and future in Hinduism, Buddhism, Bon, Jainism, Taoism,[1] and Sikhism.

According to these religions, a person’s current life is only one of many lives that will be lived—stretching back before birth into past existences and reaching forward beyond death into future incarnations. During the course of each life, the quality of the actions (karma) performed determine the future destiny of each person. The Buddha taught that there is no beginning to this cycle but that it can be ended through perceiving reality. The goal of these religions is to realize this truth, the achievement of which (like ripening of a fruit) is moksha or nirvana (liberation).

Karma symbols such as endless knot (above) are common cultural motifs in Asia. Endless knots symbolize interlinking of cause and effect, a Karmic cycle that continues eternally.

Saṃsāra is a Sanskrit word, the literal meaning of which is “a wandering through” – in reference to the passage through many states of existence that is involved in the cycle of death and rebirth.

In Hinduism, it is avidya, or ignorance, of one’s true self that leads to ego-consciousness of the body and the phenomenal world. This grounds one in kāma (desire) and the perpetual chain of karma and reincarnation.

Through egotism and desire one creates the causes for future becoming. The state of illusion that gives rise to this is known as maya.

The Sanskrit word samsara means “flowing on” or “passing through.” It is illustrated by the Wheel of Life and explained by the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination. It might be understood as the state of being bound by greed, hate and ignorance, or as a veil of illusion that hides true reality. the best definition of samsara I’ve seen so far is from the Theravada monk and teacher Thanissaro Bhikkhu: “Instead of a place, it’s a process: the tendency to keep creating worlds and then moving into them.” And note that this creating and moving in doesn’t just happen once, at birth. We’re doing it all the time.

The Buddha taught that what we think of as our permanent “self ” -- our ego, self-consciousness and personality -- is not fundamentally real but is being continually regenerated. From moment to moment our bodies, sensations, conceptualizations, ideas and beliefs, and consciousness work together to create the illusion of a permanent, distinctive “me.”

In Buddhism, rebirth or reincarnation is not the transmigration of an individual soul to a newly born body, but more like the karmic conditions and effects of a life moving forward into new lives.

Likewise, we can think of the Six Realms as places we may be “reborn” into every moment. In the course of a day we might pass through all of them. The important point is that the process of samsara-ing is something we’re all doing right now, not just something we’ll do at the beginning of a future life. How do we stop? the reason Samsara exists is that people fixate on themselves and their experiences. It comes from ignorance and it causes a state of suffering and dissatisfaction. Samsara in Buddhism can be overcome by following the Buddhist path and improving your karma. Essentially, Samsara is life on earth, filled with sorrow and pain.

Karma is the Buddhist version of the law of cause and effect. It teaches that whatever you reap in life is what you sow. Each day gives people the opportunity to rewrite their karma, with the chance to do good or not to do good. It represents, on a moment-by-moment basis, all the good or bad people do through their lives. In Buddhism, whatever you did in this life will affect what you become in your next life. In this way, the cycle of Samsara is driven by the law of karma.

NIRVANNA Nirvana is everywhere, at least for English speakers. The word has been adopted into English to mean “bliss” or “tranquility.” Nirvana also is the name of a famous American grunge band, as well as of many consumer products, from bottled water to perfume. But what is it, really? And how does it fit into Buddhism?

In the spiritual sense, nirvana (or nibbana in Pali) is an ancient Sanskrit word that means something like “to extinguish,” with the connotation of extinguishing a flame. This more literal meaning has caused many westerners to assume that the goal of Buddhism is to obliterate oneself. But that’s not at all what Buddhism, or nirvana, is about.

When fire is trapped by fuel it becomes hot and agitated, and flames are visible. When the fire is separated from fuel it passes into a different state. Although the fire is no longer visible to humans, it still permeates existence, coolly and serenely.

That is not at all how we understand fire today, of course. However, this understanding does explain why the Buddha used the word nirvana to mean “liberation” or “unbinding.”

So nirvana is liberation, but liberation from what? The standard answer is “samsara,” which usually is defined as the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. (Note that “rebirth” is not necessarily reincarnation as you might understand it.) Nirvana is also said to be liberation from dukkha,or the stress/pain/dissatisfaction of life.

Buddhism, then, is not so much a belief system as it is a practice that enables us to stop sticking and struggling. nirvana is not a place. It is more like a state of existence. However, the Buddha also said that anything we might say or imagine about nirvana will be wrong, because it is utterly different from our ordinary existence.

For this reason,it also defies definition, because language is inadequate to define it. Nirvana is beyond space, time, and definition.

One of the distinguishing characteristics of Mahayana Buddhism is the bodhisattva vow. Mahayana Buddhists vow to remain in the phenomenal world and strive to bring all beings to enlightenment. This is not done just a in sense of altruism, but with the understanding that it cannot be otherwise. In at least some schools of Mahayana, because everything inter-exists,”individual” nirvana is nonsensical.

Mahayana Buddhism also teachings that samsara and nirvana are not really separate. A being who has realized or perceived the emptiness of phenomena will realize that nirvana and samsara are not opposites, but instead completely pervade each other. Nirvana is the purified, true nature of samsara.

In the Buddhist context, nirvana refers to the imperturbable stillness of mind after the fires of desire, aversion, and delusion have been finally extinguished.[3] In Hindu philosophy, it is the union with Brahman, the divine ground of existence, and the experience of blissful egolessness.[5] the last bondage is the passion for liberation itself, which must be renounced before the soul can be perfectly free, and the last knowledge is the realisation that there is none bound, none desirous of freedom, but the soul is for ever and perfectly free, that bondage is an illusion and the liberation from bondage is an illusion too Nirvana is the eternal state of being where Karma and Samsara no longer exist. It represents the end of desire, suffering and individual consciousness. Until Nirvana is reached through enlightenment, the cycle of Samsara is repeated over and over.

REALMS OF EXISTANCE The Six Realms are an allegorical description of conditioned existence, or samsara, into which beings are reborn. The nature of one’s existence is determined by karma. Some realms seem more pleasant than others -heaven sounds preferable to hell -- but all are dukkha, meaning they are temporary and imperfect.

The Bhavachakra, or Wheel of Life, is a Tibetan Buddhist illustration of the cycle of death and rebirth in samsara. The wheel is meant to illustrate the workings of karma. Beings in each of these realms, including the Deva Realm, are subject to birth and death. The realms most often are not thought of as physical places. They are more like psychological states, or the situations beings find themselves living in because of karma.

In Buddism, there is the teaching of the six worlds, or the six realms of existence. The six worlds are often used to explain states of mind. Our states of mind, arising through ignorance and attachment, which people go through continuously.

The world of heaven. This is the world of enjoyment, pleasure or pleasant things. The condition of heaven is impermanent, and this state of mind will also change.

The world of humans. (Human beings) In the world of humans, sometimes we are happy, sometimes we are sad, sometimes we are laughing, sometimes we are crying.

The world of asuras. This is the world of fighting, or strife. The realm or state of mind of fighting.

The world of hungry spirits. This is the realm of dissatisfaction, not being content. The state of having endless unsatisfied desires, or greed. Figuratively speaking, always being hungry.

The world of animals. It is the realm lacking reason. The state without reason. Without reason, mistakes are made, causing hardships or suffering to self, and at times others. Without reason, being dominated by one’s desires.

The world of hell. Hell refers to the realm of suffering. The state of suffering and pain, which through cause and condition people will enter.

DEVA REALM A deva (देव Sanskrit and Pāli) in Buddhism is one of many different types of non-human beings who share the characteristics of being more powerful, longer-lived, and, in general, much happier than humans, although none of them are worthy of worship.

Synonyms in other languages include Khmer tep (ទេព), or preah (ព្រះ), Myanmar language nat, Tibetan lha, Mongolian tenger (тэнгэр), Chinese tiān rén (天人), Korean cheon, Japanese ten, Vietnamese thiên, Thai thep (เทพ), thewa (เทวะ), thewada (เทวดา), etc. The concept of devas was adopted in Japan partly because of the similarity to the Shinto’s concept of kami.

Other words used in Buddhist texts to refer to similar supernatural beings are dēvatā (देवता; “deity”) and dēvaputra (देवपुत्र; Pāli: devaputta; “son of god”). It is unclear what the distinction between these terms is.

Devas are invisible to the human eye. The presence of a deva can be detected by those humans who have opened the “Divine eye” (divyacakṣus), (Pāli: dibbacakkhu), (Chinese: 天眼) an extrasensory power by which one can see beings from other planes. Their voices can also be heard by those who have cultivated divyaśrotra, a similar power of the ear.

Most devas are also capable of constructing illusory forms by which they can manifest themselves to the beings of lower worlds; higher and lower devas even have to do this between each other.

Devas do not require the same kind of sustenance as humans do, although the lower kinds do eat and drink.

The higher sorts of deva shine with their own intrinsic luminosity.

Devas are also capable of moving great distances speedily and of flying through the air, although the lower devas sometimes accomplish this through magical aids such as a flying chariot.

The term deva refers to a class of beings or a path of the six paths of the incarnation cycle. It includes some very different types of beings which can be ranked hierarchically according to the merits they have accumulated over life times. The lowest classes of these beings are closer in their nature to human beings than to the higher classes of deva. Devas can be degraded to humans or the beings in the three evil paths once they have consumed their merits.

The devas fall into three classes depending upon which of the three dhātus, or “realms” of the universe they are born in.

The devas of the Ārūpyadhātu have no physical form or location, and they dwell in meditation on formless subjects. They achieve this by attaining advanced meditational levels in another life. They do not interact with the rest of the universe.

The devas of the Rūpadhātu have physical forms, but are sexless and passionless. They live in a large number of “heavens” or deva-worlds that rise, layer on layer, above the earth.

The devas of the Kāmadhātu have physical forms similar to, but larger than, those of humans. They lead the same sort of lives that humans do, though they are longer-lived and generally more content; indeed sometimes they are immersed in pleasures. This is the realm that Māra has greatest influence over.

ASURA REALM An Asura (Sanskrit, Pali; Tibetan; Chinese: 阿修羅; pinyin: Āxiūluō; Japanese pronunciation: ashura; Korean: 아 수라; Vietnamese: A tu la) in Buddhism is the lowest ranks of the deities or demigods of the Kāmadhātu. They are described as having three heads with three faces and four to six arms.

The Asura realm is the realm of the demigods. They are here because of actions based on egoic jealousy, envy, insincerity, struggle, combat or rationalization of the world. They may be here because in human form they had good intentions but committed bad actions such as harming others. The Asuras of some inferior realms however, are malevolent (such as the corruptor Mara) and can be more closely related to the translation of demon that is sometimes ascribed to them. These can be alternatively referred to as Rakshasas.

The Asuras are said to experience a much more pleasurable life than humans, but they are plagued by envy for the devas, whom they can see just as animals can perceive humans.

The Asura realm is also sometimes referred to as the Ashura realm, Titan realm, Jealous God realm, Demigod realm, or Anti-God realm. Asura is also sometimes translated as “demon,” “fighting demon,” “those without wine,” or “angry ghost”. The inaccurate translation can cause confusion because beings of the hell realm are also sometimes referred to as demons.

This is the realm of the Asuras, the jealous gods or titans. These are powerful demigods who are perpetually at war with the gods of the lowest heavens. These are beings devoted to warfare and everything that goes with it; anger, pride, lust for conquest and so forth. Beings in the human realm who manifest these qualities are experiencing Asura-consciousness and are laying the foundation for rebirth here.

There is a Jataka which describes the origin of the war between the gods and the Asuras. (no.31) At one time, it seems, they shared the same realm as the gods of the first heaven. This is located at the summit of the mythological Mt. Sumeru, the world-axis. On the slopes of this mountain there grows a huge tree with intoxicating fruit. The Asuras, being coarser than the devas, were more heavily affected by the fruit and lay about in a drunken stupor.

Sakka, the king of the gods, decided to be rid of these loutish fellows and had them grasped by the heels and tossed down the side of the mountain, to the roots of the tree. Coming to their senses, they realized what they had lost and have been fighting to regain their lost place in heaven ever since.

Generally they get the worst of the battles, because the gods are very hard to kill - they recover quickly from any wound and the only way to finish them off in war is to sever the head. It is indicated in Digha Nikaya 18 that at times when righteousness prevails amongst humans then many more are born into the realms of the devas and the Asura host declines. If this is so, then perhaps the are doing better these days!

PRETA REALM Preta (Sanskrit: प्रेत) is the Sanskrit name for a type of supernatural being described in some Indian religions as undergoing suffering greater than that of humans, particularly an extreme level of hunger and thirst.

Preta is often translated into English as “hungry ghost” from the Chinese adaptation. In early sources such as the Petavatthu, they are much more varied. The descriptions below apply mainly in this narrower context.

Pretas are believed to have been false, corrupted, compulsive, deceitful, jealous or greedy people in a previous life. As a result of their karma, they are afflicted with an insatiable hunger for a particular substance or object.

Traditionally, this is something repugnant or humiliating, such as cadavers or feces, though in more recent stories, it can be anything, however bizarre.[1] The Sanskrit term preta means “departed, deceased, a dead person”, from pra-ita, literally “gone forth, departed”. In Classical Sanskrit, the term refers to the spirit of any dead person, but especially before the obsequial rites are performed, but also more narrowly to a ghost or evil being. [2] The Sanskrit term was taken up in Buddhism to describe one of six possible states of rebirth. The Chinese term egui (餓鬼), literally “starving ghost”, is thus not a literal translation of the Sanskrit term.

Pretas are invisible to the human eye, but some believe they can be discerned by humans in certain mental states. They are described as human-like, but with sunken, mummified skin, narrow limbs, enormously distended bellies and long, thin necks. This appearance is a metaphor for their mental situation: they have enormous appetites, signified by their gigantic bellies, but a very limited ability to satisfy those appetites, symbolized by their slender necks.

Pretas are often depicted in Japanese art (particularly that from the Heian period) as emaciated human beings with bulging stomachs and inhumanly small mouths and throats. They are frequently shown licking up spilled water in temples or accompanied by demons representing their personal agony. Otherwise they may be shown as balls of smoke or fire.

Pretas dwell in the waste and desert places of the earth, and vary in situation according to their past karma.

Some of them can eat a little, but find it very difficult to find food or drink. Others can find food and drink, but find it very difficult to swallow. Others find that the food they eat seems to burst into flames as they swallow it. Others see something edible or drinkable and desire it but it withers or dries up before their eyes. As a result, they are always hungry.

In addition to hunger, pretas suffer from immoderate heat and cold; they find that even the moon scorches them in the summer, while the sun freezes them in the winter.

The sufferings of the pretas often resemble those of the dwellers in hell, and the two types of being are easily confused. The simplest distinction is that beings in hell are confined to their subterranean world, while pretas are free to move about.

HELL REALM Naraka (Sanskrit; Pali: Niraya) is a term in Buddhist cosmology[1] usually referred to in English as “hell”, “hell realm”, or “purgatory”. The Narakas of Buddhism are closely related to diyu, the hell in Chinese mythology. A Naraka differs from the hell of Christianity in two respects: firstly, beings are not sent to Naraka as the result of a divine judgment and punishment; secondly, the length of a being’s stay in a Naraka is not eternal, though it is usually very long.

A being is born into a Naraka as a direct result of his or her accumulated actions (karma) and resides there for a finite period of time until that karma has achieved its full result.[2] After his or her karma is used up, he or she will be reborn in one of the higher worlds as the result of karma that had not yet ripened.

In the Devaduta Sutta, the 130th discourse of Majjhima Nikaya, the Buddha teaches about hell in vivid detail.

Physically, Narakas are thought of as a series of cavernous layers which extend below Jambudvīpa (the ordinary human world) into the earth. There are several schemes for enumerating these Narakas and describing their torments. The Abhidharma-kosa (Treasure House of Higher Knowledge) is the root text that describes the most common scheme, the Eight Cold Narakas and Eight Hot Narakas.[3] Descriptions of the Narakas are a common subject in some forms of Buddhist commentary and popular literature as cautionary tales against the fate that befalls evildoers and an encouragement to virtue.[13] The Mahāyāna Sūtra of the bodhisattva Kṣitigarbha (Dìzàng or Jizō) graphically describes the sufferings in Naraka and explains how ordinary people can transfer merit in order to relieve the sufferings of the beings there.

The Japanese monk Genshin began his Ōjōyōshū with a description of the suffering in Naraka. Tibetan Lamrim texts also included a similar description.

ANIMAL REALM The position and treatment of animals in Buddhism is important for the light it sheds on Buddhists’ perception of their own relation to the natural world, on Buddhist humanitarian concerns in general, and on the relationship between Buddhist theory and Buddhist practice.

Animals have always been regarded in Buddhist thought as sentient beings. Furthermore, animals possess Buddha nature (according to the Mahāyāna school) and therefore potential for enlightenment. Moreover, the doctrine of rebirth held that any human could be reborn as animal, and any animal could be reborn as a human. An animal might be a reborn dead relative, and anybody who looked far enough back through their series of lives might come to believe every animal to be a distant relative. The Buddha expounded that sentient beings currently living in the animal realm have been our mothers, brothers, sisters, fathers, children, friends in past rebirths. One could not, therefore, make a hard distinction between moral rules applicable to animals and those applicable to humans; ultimately humans and animals were part of a single family. They are all interconnected.

In cosmological terms, the animals were believed to inhabit a distinct “world”, separated from humans not by space but by state of mind. This world was called Tiryagyoni in Sanskrit, Tiracchānayoni in Pāli. Rebirth as an animal was considered to be one of the unhappy rebirths, usually involving more than human suffering.

Buddhist commentarial texts depict many sufferings associated with the animal world: even where no human beings are present, they are attacked and eaten by other animals or live in fear of it, they endure extreme changes of environment throughout the year, and they have no security of habitation. Those that live among humans are often slaughtered for their bodies, or taken and forced to work with many beatings until they are slaughtered at the end of their lives. On top of this, they suffer from ignorance, not knowing or understanding with any clarity what is happening to them and unable to do much about it, acting primarily on instinct.

The Jātaka stories which tell of past lives of the Buddha in folktale fashion, frequently involve animals as peripheral or main characters, and it is not uncommon for the Bodhisattva (the past-life Buddha) to appear as an animal as well. The stories sometimes involve animals alone, and sometimes involve conflicts between humans and animals; in the latter cases, the animals often exhibit characteristics of kindness and generosity that are absent in the humans.

Also recorded in the Jatakas is how, in a past life as King Shibi, Shakyamuni sacrificed himself to save a dove from a hawk.[1] Recorded in the Golden Light Sutra, is how Shakyamuni in a past life, as Prince Sattva, came across a starving tigress and her cubs, he fed himself to them so that they would survive There has been some contention about interpretations of the sūtras. One interpretation is that eating of meat is not explicitly prohibited in the suttas and Vinaya of the Pāli canon which encourage monks to accept whatever food they are given. However, monks are forbidden from accepting animal flesh if they know, believe or suspect that the animal in question was killed especially for them, i.e., if the visits of begging monks have become an occasion for the slaughter of animals.

In the Laṅkāvatāra & Aṅgulimāla sutra the Buddha explicitly prohibits the eating of meat, fish and any animal products which are the result of harming and killing of any sentient being. The Buddha states the only time it is acceptable for a monastic to accept and eat the flesh of sentient beings is for medicinal purposes only if the animal died in accordance with the Dharma, meaning the animal died of natural causes.

The craving of a person given to heedless living grows like a creeper. Like the monkey seeking fruits in the forest, he leaps from life to life (tasting the fruits of his kamma).” The Samyutta Nikaya (12.61, tr. Bodhi 2000:595) says: “Just as a monkey roaming through a forest grabs hold of one branch, lets that go and grabs another, then lets that go and grabs still another, so too that which is called ‘mind’ and ‘mentality’ and ‘consciousness’ arises as one thing and ceases as another by day and by night.

HUMAN REALM In the visionary picture of the human realm presented in Buddhist cosmology, humans live on four continents which are, relatively speaking, small islands in a vast ocean that surrounds the axial world-mountain of Sumeru, and fills most of the Earth’s surface. The ocean is in turn surrounded by a circular mountain wall called Cakravāḍa (Sanskrit) or Cakkavāḷa (Pāli) which marks the horizontal limit of the earth. Because of the immenseness of the ocean, the continents cannot be reached from each other by ordinary sailing vessels, although in the past, when the cakravartin kings ruled, communication between the continents was possible by means of the treasure called the cakraratna (Pāli cakkaratana), which a cakravartin and his retinue could use to fly through the air between the continents.

The four continents are: Jambudvīpa (Sanskrit) or Jambudīpa (Pāli) or 南阎浮提洲 (阎浮提 is also translated as 赡部 in Chinese) is located in the south.

Pūrvavideha or Pubbavideha or 东毗提诃洲 (毗提诃 is also translated as 胜身) is located in the east.

Aparagodānīya or Aparagoyāna or 西瞿陀尼洲 (瞿陀尼 is also translated as 牛货) is located in the west.

Uttarakuru or 北俱卢洲 is located in the north. life in the world of humans is known as “the precious human rebirth”. Born close to the pivot point of happiness and suffering, humans have a unique capacity for moral choices with long term significance.[4] The human rebirth is said to be extremely rare. The idea is that one must be good and moral because falling below the human realm is dangerous as the odds of one becoming a human again with any great frequency is slim.[5] With regard to a fortunate human life, Pabongkhapa Déchen Nyingpo said: “Instead of feeling so much regret when we lose our money, we should develop regret when we waste our human life.

Damai lamaOur prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can’t help them, at least don’t hurt them.

This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness.

Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.

Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.

My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness.

If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.

Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them, humanity cannot survive.

We can never obtain peace in the outer world until we make peace with ourselves.

In the practice of tolerance, one’s enemy is the best teacher.

We can live without religion and meditation, but we cannot survive without human affection.

Man.... Because he sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present; the result being that he does not live in the present or the future; he lives as if he is never going to die, and then dies having never really lived.

AGHORI SADHU the Aghori sadhus are notorious for their uncommon and grisly rituals they perform as a part and parcel of their religious routine, enough to arouse curiosity and awe among the public. Aghori Sadhu is associated with cannibalism, rituals using human skulls and making love to corpses Dark skinned Shiva followers dressed in black clothes, with long black hair, are easy creatures to spot. They are so obviously drunk and drugged that they can barely stand, yet their eyes seem calm and sober. Besides living by ritual burning areas, Aghoris also live in remote places far from the public: in the cold caves of the Himalaya, in the jungles of Bengal where tigers reign, or in the bare, empty, hot deserts of Gujarat where no living creature survives.

Aghoris worship Shiva or Mahakala - the destroyer, or its female manifestation: Shakti or Kali, the goddess of death. But what Shiva and Kali demand from their followers is not acceptable to most people. Thus Aghoris are the only ones willing to please them.

Aghoris try to gain awareness of the oneness of everything and eliminate discrimination. Therefore they consume feces, human fluids and human flesh. Like other saddhus, they live in celibacy, but with one exception…. The reason why we do things that seem outrageous to the outside world is actually simple. To find purity in the filthiest! If an Aghori manages to remain focused on God even during sex with a corpse or while eating a human brain, then he is on the right way.”

They believe that one who hates cannot meditate. Sharing food with dogs and cows does not sound repulsive to them, rather it is how they eat their meals - alongside the animals which frequent cremation grounds, out of the same bowl. It is their belief that if they were to start worrying about insignificant things like animals dirtying their food, they would not be able to focus on their higher aims of meditating and becoming one with Lord Shiva. the burial ground. His life centers around it and he lives there night and day. Ash is the cloth for Aghoris as was used by Lord Shiva. As his child, the Aghori must use it as well. Being made from the 5 elements, ash is essential to protect him from disease and mosquitoes. His constant state is to be one with Lord Shiva, and he starts to do this by imitating his physical appearance. when a man approached the baba seeking blessings regarding his daughter’s wedding, the baba cursed the man using utter obscenities. The Dhuniwale Bhaba is also notorious for throwing faeces on people and the most awful fact is that people are very contended with his ‘prasad’ and some even take it home.

The Aghori are well known for their extremely revolting appetite. Their food habits include whatever a civilized human being will not eat at any cost, such as foods from dump site, faeces, urine and putrefying human corpses. But they seem to have their own reasons for their nasty appetite. Consumption of excreta is said to kill ego and derail the human perception of beauty, which is essential for a man to lead his life as an Aghora. performing a puja on the sculpture of Lord Shiva using his own excreta. History says that Lord Shiva himself appeared in the dream of the local king of Benaras and complained about the insult meted out to Tailanga Swami. human cremated remains to cover their nakedness. Talking about accessories, Human skulls are worn as jewelry around their necks.

Instead they absorb the diseases that plague the victims who visit them into their bodies and eliminate the diseases by burning them using Black magic. true godliness lies in seeking the ‘purity in the filthiest’. One of those sadhus says they are true Aghoras if they were able to concentrate on god while performing the most perverted acts.

When asked by curious visitors that whether they consume weed for pleasure, they abruptly deny the assertion. The delusion and hallucinations provided by weeds are taken as religious ecstasies and heightened spiritual experiences.

SOKUSHINBUTSU After he died at 79 years old while meditating, the Buddhist monk Luang Pho Daeng was closed in a glass coffin and left in his mudra pose with his legs folded, lotus style. Over 25 years later, his body remains incredibly well-preserved.

Sokushinbutsu (即身仏?) refers to a practice of Buddhist monks observing austerity to the point of death and mummification The practitioners of sokushinbutsu did not view this practice as an act of suicide, but rather as a form of further enlightenment.[1] Those who succeeded were revered, while those who failed were nevertheless respected for the effort There is the existence of at least one “self-mummified” 550 years old corpse of a Buddhist monk named Sangha Tenzin in India,[3] visible in a temple in Gue village, Spiti, Himachal Pradesh. This mummy was found in 1975 when the old stupa preserving it collapsed. Virtually all stupas contains relics, so it could be possible that several other mummies hide inside of ancient stupas all over the Himalaya and Tibet. The mummy has been carbon dated between 550 and 600 years ago The elaborate process started with 1,000 days of eating a special diet consisting only of nuts and seeds, while taking part in a regimen of rigorous physical activity that stripped them of their body fat. They then ate only bark and roots for another thousand days and began drinking a poisonous tea made from the sap of the Urushi tree, normally used to lacquer bowls.

This caused vomiting and a rapid loss of bodily fluids, and most importantly, it made the body too poisonous to be eaten by maggots. Finally, a self-mummifying monk would lock himself in a stone tomb barely larger than his body, where he would not move from the lotus position. His only connection to the outside world was an air tube and a bell. Each day he rang a bell to let those outside know that he was still alive.

When the bell stopped ringing, the tube was removed and the tomb sealed. After the tomb was sealed, the other monks in the temple would wait another 1,000 days, and open the tomb to see if the mummification was successful. If the monk had been successfully mummified, they were immediately seen as a Buddha and put in the temple for viewing. Usually, though, there was just a decomposed body. they are considered able to see into the souls of the living and be able to perceive reality perfectly.

Needless to say that it must have been horribly painful, except of course if you are a Buddhist monk and “suffering” is just an illusion to you.

The main reason why they tried to be Sokushin-butsu was to help all people from poverty and hunger by being living Buddha.

Actually it was while the big famine in Tenmei period (1781 ～ 1789) that Shinnyokai-Shonin made up his mind to be Sokushin-butsu.

In addition

PHOWA Phowa (Tibetan: འཕོ་བ་; Wylie: ‘pho ba; also spelled Powa or Poa phonetically; Sanskrit: saṃkrānti) is a Vajrayāna Buddhist meditation practice. It may be described as “the practice of conscious dying”, “transference of consciousness at the time of death”, “mindstream transference”, or “enlightenment without meditation” (Wylie: ma-sgom sangs-rgyas).

The method can be applied at the moment of death to, according to Vajrayāna Buddhist belief, transfer one’s consciousness through the top of the head directly into a Buddha-field of one’s choice. By so doing, one bypasses some of the typical experiences that are said to occur after death.[1] Example destinations are Sukhāvatī, Abhirati, Ghanavyūha, Aṭakāvatī, Mount Potala, the Copper-Colored Mountain (Wylie: Zangs-mdog dpal-ri), and Tuṣita;[2] the most popular in Chinese, Japanese and Tibetan Buddhism is Sukhavati.[citation needed] Phowa is also performed by specialists (Wylie: ’pho-’debs bla-ma) on the behalf of the deceased, as a post-mortem ritual. [3] The mark of a successful Phowa practice is a small drop of blood directly from the center of the vertex. To demonstrate a successful practice traditionally a Kusha-grass was pushed into the small opening created in the fontanel Some lineages of phowa include a rite of incision, or opening of the sahasrara at the cranial zenith, to assist with transferral.[10] Ayang Rinpoche (born 1942) was born in a nomadic family in Eastern Tibet and holds both Drikung and Nyingma lineages. Recognized as the wisdom incarnation of Terton Rigzin Chogyal Rinpoche, he is considered a foremost authority on Buddhist afterlife rituals and Tibetan Pure Land Buddhism; he gives teachings and initiations to the practice of phowa in Tibetan and English annually in Bodh Gaya, India and across the world in Europe, It appears that self-mummification was practised in Japan from the 11th century to at least the late 19th century. While Egyptian mummies were posthumously embalmed, Buddhist monks underwent a special rite known as nyūjō (入定) that would turn them into “Living Buddhas”: for one thousand days they would engage in strict ascetic exercise and live on a special diet consisting of water, seeds and nuts in order to shed body fat.

For the next thousand days, they would feed on roots and pine bark and start to drink urushi tea Digambara (/dɪˈɡʌmbərə/; “sky-clad”) is one of the two major schools of Jainism, the other being Śvētāmbara (white-clad). The word Digambara (Sanskrit) is a combination of two words: dig (directions) and ambara (clothes), referring to those whose garments are of the element that fills the four quarters of space.

Digambara monks do not wear any clothes. The monks carry picchi, a broom made up of fallen peacock feathers (for clearing the place before walking or sitting), Kamandalu (a water gourd), and shastra (scripture).

DIGAMBARA Digambara (/dɪˈɡʌmbərə/; “sky-clad”) is one of the two major schools of Jainism, the other being Śvētāmbara (white-clad). The word Digambara (Sanskrit) is a combination of two words: dig (directions) and ambara (clothes), Digambara monks do not wear any clothes as it is considered parigraha (possession) which ultimately leads to attachment The monks carry picchi, a broom made up of fallen peacock feathers for removing small insects without causing them injury, Kamandalu (the gourd for carrying pure, sterilized water) and shastra (scripture).[12] [13] The head of all monastics is called Āchārya, while the saintly preceptor of saints is the upādhyāya.[14] The Āchārya has thirty-six primary attributes (mūla guņa) in addition to the above mentioned 28.[5] The monks perform kayotsarga daily, the posture of which is: rigid and immobile, with arms held stiffly down, knees straight, and toes directed forward.[2] Relics found from Harrapan excavations like seals depicting Kayotsarga posture, idols in Padmasana and a nude bust of red limestone give insight about the antiquity of the Digambara tradition.[24] The presence of gymnosophists (“naked philosophers”) in Greek records as early as the fourth century BC, supports the claim of the Digambaras that they have preserved the ancient Śramaṇa practice.[2] The Digambara Jains worship completely nude idols of tirthankaras (arihants) and siddha (liberated souls).

The tirthankara is represented either seated in yoga posture or standing in the Kayotsarga posture.[25] The truly “sky-clad” (digambara) Jaina statue expresses the perfect isolation of the one who has stripped off every bond. His is an absolute “abiding in itself,” a strange but perfect aloofness, a nudity of chilling majesty, in its stony simplicity, rigid contours, and abstraction.

5K’s

Sikhs are very strong in their belief of reincarnation. All animals including humans have soul and our soul goes through different life forms until we purify it to become One with God. Just like one changes clothes, our soul changes life forms. This very fact has been narrated by God through Sikh Gurus. Nobody has seen what happens after death, so it is very hard for someone to understand happens after death. Sikh Gurus are in communion with God and they tell us that our soul has been separated from God and its dignity remains in merging back with God. Think of God as an ocean and our soul as a droplet of water. The water droplet is separated from the ocean.

The droplets come on land in the form of rain. We are like those rain droplets; we have been separated from God and have been born in this world. The dignity of the rain droplet lies in merging back in the ocean. Just like those rain droplets the main purpose of our souls is to merge back with God, to be One with Him. Our soul suffers from pain of birth and death and this pain can be ended by attaining salvation, merging in God. Gurus are like rivers, if the rain droplets follow the river, they can reach the ocean. So, if we follow our Gurus, we can meet God. Once a soul merges in God, it achieves salvation, gets rid of birth and death and all the suffering of this world. That soul becomes one with God. Sikhs have five articles of faith natively known as Kakaars or Five K’s. The articles include Kesh (uncut hair), Kanga (comb), Kara (Bracelet), Kirpan (sword) and Kachehra (a special type of shorts). A baptized Sikh is to wear all five articles of faith. These articles are not merely symbols, they not only represent or identify a Sikh but also have deep meanings. Guru Gobind Singh Ji created a lifestyle to keep a Sikh focused life. Guru’s lifestyle does not let one dwindle or get side tracked.

Kesh: Hair is not just a symbol, it is the gift from God. Guru Nanak Dev Ji started the practice of keeping the hair unshorn. The keeping of hair in its natural state is regarded as living in harmony with the will of God. It is also a symbol of Khalsa brotherhood and the Sikh faith. Hair is an integral part of the human body created

by God and Sikhism call for its preservation. Sikhs live the way God made humans and never cut their hair.

Guru Gobind Singh Ji instructed Sikh to wear Turban in order to protect their hair. Turban has many purposes and one is to keep a Sikh focused in his beliefs.

Kanga: The comb is necessary to keep the hair clean and tidy. A Sikh must comb his hair twice a day and tie his turban neatly. The Gurus wore turbans and instructed the Sikhs to wear turbans for the protection of hair, promotion of social identity and cohesion. It has thus become an essential part of the Sikh dress.

Kara: The bracelet symbolizes restrain from evil deeds. It is worn on the right wrist and reminds the Sikh of the vows taken by him. Sikh as a servant of the Guru, should not do anything which may bring shame or disgrace. When he looks at the Kara, he is made to think twice before doing anything evil with his hands.

Kirpan: The sword is the emblem of courage and self-defense. It symbolizes dignity, self-reliance, capacity and readiness to always defend the weak and the oppressed. It helps sustain one’s martial spirit and the determination to sacrifice oneself in order to defend truth, fight against oppression and fight to preserve Sikh moral values. The rule is never to do injustice and never let anyone perform injustice.

Kachehra: Kachehra, under shorts, symbolizes to live a faithful life. It reminds the Sikh of the need for self-restrain over passions, lust and desires. Apart from its moral significance, it ensures briskness during action and freedom of movement at all times. During today’s dark world filled with lust, if a Sikh ever gets carried away in the moment of lust, the Kachehra refrains one from making wrong moves and reminds him of his duties.

The Five K’s are not supposed to foster exclusiveness or superiority. They are meant to keep the Sikhs united in the pursuit of ideal life. The articles of faith enable Sikhs to keep their vows made at the time of baptism.

Wearing the symbols of faith keeps one close to being a Sikh and being a Sikh brings one closer to God. Each and every one of Gurus’ teachings have a purpose and meaning because it was told to them by God Himself.

God has created a religion, a path, a faith, which brings one closer to God and helps one to Unite with Him.

YIN YANG

There is significant scholarly debate about the Taoist understanding of death.[1] The process of death itself is described as shijie or “release from the corpse”, but what happens after is described variously as transformation, immortality or ascension to heaven. For example, the Yellow Emperor was said to have ascended directly to heaven in plain sight, while the thaumaturge Ye Fashan was said to have transformed into a sword and then into a column of smoke which rose to heaven Religious Taoism holds that the body is filled with spirits and monsters,[3] and prescribes a number of rituals that must be performed so that these spirits are able to guard the body.[3] When the spirits leave the body then there is nothing to protect it from illness so it weakens and dies.[3] Taoism is also known for people believing that there is eternal life.[4] In Taoism when one dies if they need to be contacted it is done so through meditation by an alchemist.[5] In Taoism death is seen as just another phase in life, something that must happen and that we must all accept.[6] People believe if they do what they have to do and are supposed to do then when they die they will be granted immortality.[7] Taoist ceremonies for the dead often include an altar upon which are placed a sacred lamp, two candles, tea, rice, and water. The sacred lamp symbolizes the light of wisdom, yet it could also be referred to as the Golden Pill or Elixir of Immortality. On each side of the lamp are two tall candles that symbolize the light of the sun, moon, and both eyes of the human body. The tea, rice and water are put in cups in front of the altar. The tea symbolizes yin, water is the energy of the yang, and rice represents the union of the yin and the yang.[8] A very common and major goal of most Taoists is to achieve immortality rather than enter the regular after life. Reaching this goal is not easy; there are various tasks that must be met during your entire lifetime to be qualified to be immortal. The two different categories of requirements for immortality include internal alchemy[11] and external alchemy External alchemy is mastering special breathing techniques, sexual practices, physical exercises, yoga, attempting to produce an elixir of immortality by consuming purified metals and complex compounds, and to develop medical skills. In Taoism one’s soul or energy is considered to be interlocked with the vital energy, which is what nourishes your soul. Ridding the body of impurities can increase this energy. Aside from these requirements, you must lead an upright, moral and good-hearted life.

Internal alchemy includes sophisticated visualization, strict dieting, specific sexual exercises and self-control. A strict diet was committed to kill demons within the body and to stimulate and maintain energy. The body is purified by the consumption of refined substances such as, jade or gold. The many different types of meditation all revolved around the common idea of breathing. Much of a Taoist’s time is spent meditating. A popular rule of thumb for breathing techniques include holding one’s breath for 12 heartbeats, better known as a “little tour”, 420 heartbeats is the “grand tour” and the most prominent achievement in breathing is holding one’s breath for 1000 heartbeats. Carl Jung was among those who interpreted internal alchemy in a purely spiritual, rather than physical, sense Taoism places great value in life. It does not focus on life after death, but on health and longevity by living a simple life and having inner peace. It is said that the human body is filled with spirits, gods, or demons.

When people die, it is believed that they should do rituals to let the spirits guard the body. The spirits of the dead are routinely communicated with through the assistance of spirit-mediums

ymbolic of the dynamic forces of creation and destruction, and the harmonious balance of opposites. Most images of the dancing Shiva depict him with four arms, which represent the four cardinal directions of space,

symbol represents the all seeing eyes of the Buddha, a symbol of the omnipresent compassion of the Bodhisattvas. The small dot depicted between the eyes represents the third eye, a symbol of spiritual awakening. The curious squiggle between the eyes is the Sanskrit numeral one, symbolizing the unity of all things

Chakra in Hindu means “wheel.� In Buddhist, Jain, and Hindu beliefs, Chakras are vital energy centers in the body. Located in the nerve ganglia along the spine, they are conceived as spinning vortices channeling cosmic energy. Blockages or interruptions of the flow of this energy is believed to cause illness, confusion, and emotional difficulty. Traditions differ about the total number of chakras, but most agree that seven are the most potent-

instead of representing Samsara, or endless rebirth, it symbolizes overcoming obstacles. The Dharma wheel is one of the eight Ashtamangala, or auspicious symbols of Tibetan Buddhism. Sometimes, the wheel is flanked by deer, which refer to the deer park in which the Buddha is said to have given his first sermon.

Dorje in Tibetan means ‘indestructible.’ The Dorje is the Tibetan Buddhist equivalent of the double terminated Hindu ritual tool known as the Vajre, or thunderbolt. The Vajra represents masculine force, sudden inspiration, the ‘cutting’ of ignorance and illusion. In Buddhist rituals it is always paired with the singing bell, or Ghanta, its feminine

The endless knot or shrivatsa is one of the “eight auspicious signs,” symbolizing the eight-fold paths of Buddhism. The knot, also known as the “mystic dragon,” is a symbol of eternity and unity. such knots were commonly found in decorations under the common belief that the endless looping of the designs confused evil spirits and prevented them from entering homes

The enso (“circle”) is the emblem of Zen Buddhism. A simple circle drawn with a single, broad brushstroke, it is a symbol of infinity, and represents the infinite void, the ‘no-thing,’ the perfect meditative state, and Satori (enlightenment.)

This Vedic solar deity is Garuda (Sanskrit, eagle), a mythological creature who is a half-man, half eagle hybrid. He is known as the king of the birds and destroyer of snakes. Garuda is likely the personification of the constellation Aquila (which is coincidentally named for the sacred eagle of Zeus).

This Jain Symbol is a compound, made up of a number of other symbols significant to the Jain religion. The Jain religion, an offshoot of Vedic religion (today’s Hinduism), shares many concepts and beliefs with its cousins Hinduism and Buddhism, and the symbol encompasses the core Jain teachings. The outline of the emblem represents The upper, the realm of heaven The lower, the realms of hell The center, the material world where the two intersect.

The emblem of the Jain religion, symbolizing its main tenet, the doctrine of nonviolence. The hand is in the position of the abhaya or “no fear” mudra, a gesture-symbol shared with Hinduism and Buddhism.

The wheel in the center of the palm is the wheel of Samsara (or dharmachakra); the word in the center of the wheel reads ahimsa, “stop.”

The Khanda is the most recognizable emblem of the Sikh faith, symbolizing the four pillars of Sikh belief. It consists of four symbolic weapons: In the center, the double edged sword, or khanda, from which the symbol derives its name

A yantra is meditational device used in Hindu and Tibetan Tantric meditation. From the root “yam,” meaning “to sustain,” the Yantra is a symbolic image used to maintain a focused state during meditation.

A yantra is usually composed of an outer geometrical form enclosing an interior geometrical designs

The Manji is made up of several elements: a vertical axis representing the joining of heaven and earth, a horizontal axis representing the connection of yin and yang, and the four arms, representing movement- the whirling force created by the interaction of these elements.

To Further the scope of my books contextual relevance i created a nymber of symbolic illustrations in order to give a visual cue to some of the information within.