Heaven or Hell?

It is not that in Buddhism there is no heaven or hell, it is just a matter of what culture and environment the Way was being propagated in history since the time of the Buddha. As Buddha's teaching geographically evolved and expanded the Way takes own new forms and images that were inherent to the related culture or society. Primarily it is my understanding that man creates his own pain and suffering and thus his own heaven and hell throughout his life. Govern by thoughts, man becomes attached to his thought created forms and images of himself in relationship to his environment and this has become the trap that keeps him in bondage to this physical realm of existence.

All that we are is the result of what we have thought. It is founded on our thoughts. It is made up of our thoughts. If one speaks or acts with an evil thought, pain follows one, as the wheel follows the foot of the ox that draws the wagon.

All that we are is the result of what we have thought. It is founded on our thoughts. It is made up of our thoughts. If one speaks or acts with a pure thought, happiness follows one, like a shadow that never leaves.

(Dhammapada 1-2 / Müller & Maguire, 2002.)

Thus, to be liberated from this cycle of life-death and rebirth,one has to look deeply where thoughts originates or ceases to be. Where silence prevails, where the mind is quiet; it is here sometimes one catches a glimpse of what is liberation or absolute freedom. A man with a fully cluttered mind will never come close to this self realization as the activity of the mind creates a barrier or a veil hiding the truth behind thought formations. The impermanence of thought processes and its delusional imagery causes suffering for those lost in their own thought formations; hell becomes real and heaven is something to grab a whole of. Thus the seeking and yearning for spiritual awakening in this course of our lifetime, to live and die in vain. The Buddha is said to have said," In this human form, ultimate liberation is possible, do not waste time!" 

For a Muslim Christians and jews for that matter, there is not much choice, it is a matter of heaven or hell when your journey is over, or so it seems. Follow the religious doctrines and precepts, do good and avoid evil and all will be well for you. It is said in the Quran if I am not mistaken that man and jinn were created for the sole purpose of worshipping the All Mighty Creator, Allah for the Muslims. Man is given free will to make the choice to obey or go against the Lord's command and the outcome will be the same, you do good you go to heaven otherwise you end up in hell. What if I refuse to accept heaven or hell? What if I decide that I can make the third choice of returning to the source, to God directly; from Him I came to Him I return. I have to be judged no doubt for all my sins and transgressions or so it seems, however, if it has all been preordained and if it is all God's Will that my existence is what it is, what difference does it makes. 

The difference is in the fact that I live in fear, in pain and suffering from the day I was born till the day I die, with breaks in between times for some simple pleasure, so i can say that life is worth living and often followed by, and this too will pass as nothing last forever especially thought generated ideas and concepts. Islam is a religion of the afterlife as this life is but a temporary visit for man and God through His hosts of angels and demons, through His infinite Mercy and the yen for testing His slave for his piety and faith has placed man on this earth to taste suffering and bliss, pain and pleasure, to make choices that dictates the future status in the afterlife; heaven or hell.

To be contd.