Editing SG33SHS-T (section)

=== 14. It Is Unnecessary to Insist on the Immortality of the Soul ===

Life is filled with contradictions. The more we awaken and strive to use our reason, the more contradictions with reality we feel. The issue of life and death is a representative example, as death is generally considered to be absolute and fearsome. If the fear of death and the desire for immortality is universal, then even if the belief in the immortality of the soul is denied by logic it may persist as an element of faith based on our desires. However, death can be both a subject of fear and a path to salvation. For instance, we hear that some people in their old age long for death. We also sometimes witness elderly individuals desiring death, and there are cases where lovers, saddened by unfulfilled hopes, choose the path of death. People may willingly sacrifice themselves for the sake of family, social class, or even their nation. In such cases, they do not necessarily desire an afterlife. Considering these facts, the longing for eternal life is not absolute. Moreover, death is not always a source of fear. Even in Buddhism, there are stories about this. In the ancient country of Bhīmā, a fox once proclaimed, “Some humans enjoy life and detest death, while others enjoy death and detest life,” and this declaration earned the fox recognition as a teacher by the god Indra.<ref>It is likely that Seno’o is here referencing one of the Jataka tales.</ref> Reflecting on a life without “death” in a tranquil manner, one can understand why “death” itself may be seen as the ultimate salvation in Buddhism, where nirvana is interpreted as synonymous with death.

In what situations can death be considered relatively calmly, and in what situations is it mourned most deeply? And why does the desire for eternal life arise so strongly? This issue can be observed in the fact that the death of an elderly person, seen as a natural end to a full life, is accompanied by fewer tears compared to the death of a young person. Even among young individuals, a peaceful death that follows medical treatment is more readily accepted, while a sudden and tragic death continues to be mourned. This suggests that the question revolves around whether the death is natural or unnatural. Attaining a natural death has a significant impact on alleviating the fear and grief associated with death. With the spread of correct concepts of hygiene and an improvement in basic living conditions such as clothing, food, and housing, we will see fewer unnatural deaths and a greater societal experience of natural old age, which would in turn increase awareness and understanding of the inevitability of the cycle of life and death. As ripe fruit naturally falls to the ground, death will be seen as a natural part of life, and the veil of fear and sorrow surrounding it will gradually be lifted. According to Dr. Futaki 二木,<ref>Futaki Kenzō 二木謙三 (1873–1966) was a well-known bacteriologist, physician, and author.</ref> the agony of an unnatural death caused by illness results from the sacrifice of healthy organs to compensate for the dysfunction of a single organ. On the other hand, a natural death is likened to the collapse of an old tree, where there is no pain for the individual. However, if one continues to live a life of unnatural hardship day and night, without experiencing the true pleasures of a human existence and ultimately perishes without enjoying a fulfilling life, it is only natural that dissatisfaction and regrets about life intensify, thereby heightening the fear of death and giving rise to a strong desire for eternal life.

Indeed, “freedom is the conscious recognition of necessity.”<ref>Seno’o here quotes Engels, commenting on Hegel. In his ''Logic'', Hegel writes: “The truth of necessity, therefore, is Freedom” (''The Logic of Hegel'', William Wallace, trans., Oxford University Press, 1874, p. 158). In ''Anti-Dühring'', Engels writes: “Hegel was the first to state correctly the relation between freedom and necessity. To him, freedom is the insight into necessity. . . .‘Necessity is blind only in so far as it is not understood.’ Freedom does not consist in any dreamt-of independence from natural laws, but in the knowledge of these laws, and in the possibility this gives of systematically making them work toward definite ends” ([https://tinyurl.com/3ejt8ena “Abstract from Chapter II: Morality and Law. Freedom and Necessity,” Marxist Internet Archive], accessed October 16, 2024).</ref> True peace of mind should be established upon such necessary truths. It is good for traditional religious leaders to point to death and prompt reflection on the impermanence of life, as well as preach a sense of comfort to be found in accepting death. However, for people in modern society, it is no longer necessary to insist on the immortality of the soul and the afterlife. The better path of guidance and salvation for modern people may lie in a clear recognition of the inevitability of death, while simultaneously making efforts to improve living conditions and working toward the transformation of the capitalist economic system. This would be to ensure greater life satisfaction for the masses and their attainment of natural death. Should we not also recognize that it is in such efforts that human self-awareness truly exists? In doing so, could we not replace “the paradise of heaven beyond our graves with the paradise of the earthly realm beyond our graves—namely the historical future and the future of humanity?”<ref>This passage comes from Feuerbach’s ''Das Wesen der Religion'' (''The Essence of Religion'', 1846). A Japanese translation of this work was published in 1931 by Oku Kazuo 奥一雄 as the second volume of Feuerbach’s ''Collected Works'' (フォイエルバッハ著作集). With the exception of the term ''tengoku'' 天国 used by Seno’o—Oku has ''tenjō'' 天上 instead—the quotation seems to be verbatim from that on p. 461 of this translation. Again, thanks to the anonymous reviewer for help locating this source.</ref>