Editing SG33SHS-T (section)

=== 9. The Meaning of the Afterlife and the Immortal Soul ===

Our second analysis concerns the issue of the afterlife,<ref>The term ''higan'' 彼岸, literally the “other shore” or “opposite bank” of a river, entered the vocabulary of East Asian Buddhism as a metaphor for nirvana, that place of respite on the “other side” of ''saṃsāra'', the torrent of birth and death. I have generally translated ''higan'' as “afterlife” (and ''higanshugi'' 彼岸主義—literally, “other-shore-ism”—as “belief in an afterlife”), though in the context of section 10 below, I have opted for “other world” as the more appropriate English rendering.</ref> which refers to the immortality of the soul as taught in traditional Buddhism. However, before delving into this issue, it is essential to clearly define and understand the meaning of otherworldliness and immortality of the soul, as the interpretation of these terms can vary and lead to confusion.

''Higan'' 彼岸 refers to the boundary, or crossing point, between life and death symbolizing the realm of delusion and suffering (i.e., this shore), while implying the attainment of awakening (nirvana) as the other shore. It can also metaphorically represent an ideal world on earth. Therefore, the term ''higanshugi'' 彼岸主義 can be used to describe various concepts—including that of a communist society—that might be considered forms of an afterlife based on [the] scientific inevitability [of their coming to pass]. However, in the context of the discussion here, ''higanshugi'' specifically refers to beliefs about the immortality of the soul after death, such as the Christian concept of heaven, paradise in Pure Land Buddhism, or the Pure Land of Vulture Peak in Nichiren Buddhism.

When it comes to the content of “immortality of the soul,” there has been a tendency in recent times to substitute phrases like “immortality of the self” in an attempt to support this belief. Various explanations are offered from philosophical, scientific, biological, social, and inspirational perspectives. I will explain these in relation to (1) philosophy, (2) science, (3) biology, (4) social achievements, and (5) lasting influence. Philosophically, it is argued that while phenomena may perish, the essence of the self is immortal, much like water remains even when bubbles disappear. This is similar to some of the teachings of Mahayana Buddhism, such as the doctrine of interdependent co-arising and the gate of “thusness” (such as one finds, for example, in the ''Awakening of Faith in the Mahayana'').<ref>The ''Dasheng qixin lun'' 大乘起信論 (Jp. ''Daijōkishinron'', T nos. 1666, 1667) is a brief commentary probably composed in China in the fifth century but attributed to Indian master Aśvaghoṣa (fl. ca. 2nd c.).</ref> Scientifically, proponents cite theories of the indestructibility of matter and energy to assert the substantial immortality of the self. This may be akin to Dr. Satō 佐藤 defending the rationality of Christianity by asserting that electrons are divine.<ref>Seno’o may be referring to Satō Sadakichi 佐藤定吉 (1887–1960), a Christian and professor of engineering at Tōhoku 東北 Imperial University, who published a work entitled, ''Kagaku yori shūkyō e no shisaku'' 科学より宗教への思索 (Sangyō Shūkyōkai, 1929). I thank the anonymous reviewer of the translation for pointing this out.</ref> Biologically, it is argued that the life of one’s descendants are an extension of the self, while in terms of social achievements, for example, Thomas Edison’s self exists in the shining light of an electric bulb. A further explanation relates that the spirit of Śākyamuni Buddha in Buddhism is immortal due to its lasting influence. However, all these explanations have strayed far from the true meaning of the immortality of the soul. In the traditional understanding, the immortality of the soul implies that after the death of a specific individual, their soul—with its unique, conscious identity—continues to exist, possibly experiencing punishment in hell or finding fulfillment in paradise.