[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

can there be eternal happiness in a finite plane conditioned in time and space? Eternal bliss and
immortality can be found in your own Atman, the Self only.
A life in heaven is very much the same sort of life you lead here, only a little happier. You
have comfortable living there, but it is not eternal life of everlasting bliss. Further, you will have to
come down to earth-plane, when the fruits of good actions are exhausted. Heaven is not a
53
LOKAS OR PLANES
permanent abode. Everything which has name and form must perish. Atman or Soul only is
immortal and eternal. That is the reason why sages and thirsty aspirants after Truth do not long for
the enjoyments of heaven.
The Vedanta does not attach any special value to heaven. It teaches that these heavens are
phenomenal and transitory. Even if one dwells in heaven for millions of years, these millions of
years are nothing before eternity.
Lord Jesus says,  The Kingdom of Heaven is within you. Vedanta also tells the same thing.
Real everlasting happiness can be attained by realising one s own Atman or the Immortal Soul.
Eternal bliss is within. Perennial joy is in your own innermost Self. The little pleasure that you get
from objects is only reflection of the bliss of the Soul. It is a particle of that real, eternal bliss of
Soul.
Man sees God face to face. He lives in God. There is no intervening veil or limitation
between him and the Lord. He lives in absolute and complete oneness with Him. He is ever blissful.
This is Heaven.
From the transcendental viewpoint, there is neither heaven nor hell. They are creations of
psycho-physical necessities. If your mind is filled with Sattva, you are in heaven. If Tamas and
Rajas preponderate in your mind, you are in hell.
When a man who has done meritorious actions dies, he becomes a Deva or god and dwells in
heaven. He enjoys various kinds of pleasures in heaven. During his period of stay in heaven he does
not do any fresh Karma or action. Dwelling in heaven is simply a reward for his past good actions.
In the Deva form he does not perform any Karma at all.
Abandon the idea of heaven. The idea of obtaining eternal happiness in heaven is a vain
dream. It is a puerile idea. Seek the eternal bliss in your own Atman through meditation. You are the
Immortal Soul, free, eternal; you are ever pure, ever blessed. Assert your birth-right. Proclaim your
freedom and be what you really are, ever free, ever blessed. Everything in time, space and causation
is bound. The soul is beyond all time, all space, all causation.  Tat Tvam Asi , Thou art That, my
child. Realise this and be ever happy.
Lord Buddha says:  Many thousand myriads of systems of worlds beyond this is a region of
bliss called Sukhavati. This region is encircled within seven rows of railings, seven rows of vast
curtains, seven rows of waving trees. This holy abode of the Arhats is governed by the Tathagatas
and is occupied by the Bodhisattvas. It has seven precious lakes, in the midst of which flow
crystalline waters having seven and yet one distinctive properties and qualities. This, O Sariputra, is
the Devachan. Its divine Udambara flower casts a root in the shadow of every earth, and blossoms
for all those who reach it. Those born in this blessed region who have crossed the golden bridge
and reached the seven golden mountains they are truly felicitous; there is no more grief or sorrow
in that cycle for them.
Only persons who have earned great merits on earth can go to heaven. The heaven is well
provided with excellent paths. It is always frequented by celestial cars. Atheists and untruthful
54
WHAT BECOMES OF THE SOUL AFTER DEATH
persons, those who have not lived a life of asceticism and those who have not performed great
sacrifices, cannot go there.
Only virtuous souls and those of subdued minds, those who have controlled their senses,
those who are free from malice, those intent on the practice of charity, and heroes and men bearing
marks of battle and who have performed the most meritorious acts, attain to the celestial regions.
The celestial regions can be attained only by virtuous acts. The celestial regions are inhabited by
pious men. They bestow every object of desire. The Siddhas, the Visvas, the Gandharvas, the
Apsaras, the Yamas and the Dharmas dwell there. There is that foremost of mountains, the golden
Meru, extending to thirty thousand Yojanas. There are many celestial gardens. The Nandana garden
is the most beautiful one. Here sport the persons of meritorious acts. Neither hunger nor thirst,
neither heat nor cold, neither grief nor fatigue, neither labour nor repentance, neither fear nor
anything that is disgusting and inauspicious is found here. There is no old age either.
Delightful fragrance is found everywhere. The breeze is gentle and pleasant. The
inhabitants have resplendent bodies. Delightful sounds captivate both the ear and the mind. These
worlds are obtained by meritorious acts, and not by birth or the merits of fathers and mothers.
There is neither sweat nor stench, nor excretion, nor urine. The dust does not soil one s
clothes. There is no uncleanliness of any kind. Garlands do not fade. Excellent garments, full of
celestial fragrance, never fade. There are countless celestial cars that move in the air. The dwellers
are free from envy, grief, ignorance and malice. They live very happily.
Such is the bliss of heaven. But the disadvantages of heaven are great indeed. In the celestial
region, a person, while enjoying the fruits of acts he had already performed, cannot perform any
other new act. He must enjoy the fruits of the former life till they are completely exhausted. Further
he is liable to fall after he has completely exhausted his merit. These are the disadvantages of
heaven. The consciousness of those about to fall is stupefied. It is also agitated by emotions. As the
garlands of those about to fall fade away, fear possesses their hearts.
But there is one world where there are no such disadvantages. It is the supreme seat of
Vishnu, above the abode of Brahma, which is pure, eternal and effulgent. It is known by the name of
Para Brahman. Persons who are addicted to sensual objects or those who are subject to arrogance,
covetousness, ignorance, anger and envy cannot go to that place. Those men who are free from
conflicting emotions and those who have restrained their senses and those who are given to
meditation and Yoga can go there. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]