Who and What Dies When We Die?

Well, of course, it partly the way it gets expressed naturally depends on the traditions. But, of course, what dies is the body. And certainly from the perspective of any spiritual practice, the spiritual element that has taken on my body for its purposes that does not die. To use a slightly more contemporary language, because even the words like soul and spirit have been so much misused, you know, my soul is eternal or everlasting, etcetera. So a contemporary usage. Actually, this is an expression of my teacher, John the Sussman, more or less trying to convey this idea that an energy is trying to evolve That is why it comes into a body.

As I said, the emphasis on this basically slightly varies from culture to culture. But in general, the spiritual element that has taken on my body that does not die. It's the body, physical body that dies to put it in a slightly more contemporary usage or contemporary language because words like soul and spirit have been used to just justify whatever. This is a remark actually of my teacher, Jean De Salzman. She said an energy is trying to evolve.

That is why it comes into a body. If a person undertakes spiritual practice, then when the body dies, this energy goes to a higher level. But if a person does not undertake this kind of practice, then when the body dies, the energy remains its its original level. But the human life is wasted because the whole purpose of human life from a spiritual point of view is to assist the evolution of this particle of divinity that has taken on my body. And to assist it, require certain kind of actions, etcetera, which is also the reason why it is silly to be against the body or the mind.

It is the instrument. To assist the evolution of this particle of divinity. So it is stupid to be against the instrument. The instrument needs to be sharp. It needs to be well preserved, which is why you look at any of the teachings particularly yoga Sutra would be a good example of that.

There is absolutely no suggestion to have a bad body or bad breath or anything like this. Very strong suggestion that a good body is required, good mind is required to assist the evolution of the spirit. So what dies is the body, not the spiritual element. So this is really the overall perspective. But as I said in the Abrahamic tradition, since the body gets identified with my individuality, that they even, therefore, tendency to preserve this ordinary body.

Even though very strong distinction is made, I think I mentioned earlier by Saint Paul about spiritual body and carnal body. So it's the spiritual body that never dies. It's the kernel body that dies.