DOES THE WORLD OF THE HEREAFTER EXIST?
Purpose and Meaning of Life
WE can subject the inquiry of the existence of the Hereafter to the same scientific principles as we use to study the physical phenomenon around us. We present here a few ideas in support of the argument that the world of the Hereafter is a rational and scientific fact.
The Meaningful Universe
Sir James Jeans once observed that the Creator of the universe must
have possessed a mathematical mind. Here, we must add that the very
meaningfulness of the universe is a proof that its Creator must have
had a deep sense of purpose. Such a purposeful Creator could not
have created a world, which was imperfect—
and therefore meaningless—if this objective
was to be fulfilled.
Despite all its meaningfulness, our world in its present state is incomplete. It requires the existence of another world for its completion.
Despite all its meaningfulness, our world in its present state is incomplete. It requires the existence of another world for its completion. It is such a world that all the prophets have called the world of the Hereafter. This world of the Hereafter is not just a matter of dogma. It is an entirely scientific fact.
First of all, we must define what is scientific proof? Scientific proof does not mean that there can be any degree of absolute certainty about whatever is to be proved. This kind of undeniable certainty is not possible. When something is said to have been proved scientifically, this statement only means that its probability has been established. And, from the scientific viewpoint, we cannot refuse to apply to the case of the world Hereafter, a method that we hold valid in most scientific matters. As we know, the steps to a scientific inquiry include—hypothesis, observation and verification.
If we apply this three-point formula to the world Hereafter, we can certainly arrive at an understanding of its probability. And as we know, in the field of science, probability paves the way for certainty.
Can Man Fulfil all his Desires?
A careful study of the human society shows that all men and women
have two contradictory themes running throughout their lives. On
the one hand, they are consumed by a limitless desire to establish
a dream world for themselves—a world that is in keeping with their
ideals and where they may lead their lives—with all the sought-after
pleasures and comforts. But, on the other hand, they are faced with
this contradiction that, despite surrounding themselves with all the
material things conceivable, they fail to build their desired world.
Boredom, loss, illness, accident, the infirmities of old age and finally
death—within a period of around a 100 years or less—that is the story
of every individual born into this world.
The following example is an apt illustration of the same.
Billy Graham, a well-known American missionary, writes that he once received an urgent message from an American billionaire who wanted to meet him without a moment’s delay. On receiving this message, Billy Graham cancelled all his other appointments and immediately set out to meet this man.
Everything in this world exists in pairs; everything becomes complete only in a pair—the negative and positive particles in an atom, the male and female in humans, animals and even in plants.
When he arrived at the billionaire’s palatial home, he was immediately taken to a private room, where the two men sat on chairs facing one another. Then, with great seriousness, the billionaire said to Billy Graham, “You see, I am an old man and life has lost all meaning for me. I am going to take a fateful leap into the unknown...Young man can you give me a ray of hope?”
The American billionaire is not the only person to be faced with this kind of desperation. Every individual, man or woman, born into this world, is faced with this question at one time or the other.
We can come to grips with this paradox by examining the observable phenomenon of the principle of pairs, which is universally operative. Everything in this world exists in pairs; everything becomes complete only in a pair—the negative and positive particles in an atom, the male and female in humans, animals and even in plants. Therefore, it follows that along with this world there must exist another parallel world, and in its existence lies the completion of our present world.
The Right Framework
Now, let us come to an understanding of the basic framework of this
parallel world. Within this framework, the concepts of “Paradise” and
“Hell” will also become clear. Paradise is a resting place for sincere and
truth-loving people, while Hell is a place for the insolent and the false.
Thus the picture that evolves is that of the present world being made
by its Creator to serve as a testing ground for man due to which he
has been granted free-will, whereas the next
world has been created as a place where we
shall reap the rewards of (or punishments for)
our actions in this world.
Paradise is a resting place for sincere and truth-loving people, while Hell is a place for the insolent and the false.
Let us not forget that although our mind is eternal, our bodies are transient. The study of human physiology shows that our body is composed of several living cells, which keep transforming themselves. In this way the body is renewed at regular intervals. It is regenerated just like the water in a running stream. Yet the body eventually dies but the spiritual personality, or the soul, remains unchanged and lives on. This is because the soul can exist even independent of the body.
While everything in this world is so designed as to permit man to develop his personality, we must remember that everything in the present world is finally just a test for man. For, only those who are capable of positivity will finally gain admission into Paradise.
A Satisfactory Explanation
If we go by the theory of cause and effect, is it possible that this
entire world could just have been created in vain—with no purpose
whatsoever?
Look at the sun, the moon or the tiniest insect—is it conceivable that they could all have been created without any specific purpose?
In fact, everything appears to have been created for a specific purpose. Even human desires appear to have been created for a purpose. However, this purpose cannot be fulfilled in this present limited world. Since these desires are unlimited, they can only be fulfilled in an unlimited world, i.e. in Paradise.
This brings us to the question—what is Paradise? Paradise is the ultimate answer to the human quest. It is a vast, zero-defect, evil-free universe, complete in itself.
Certainty prevails all over the universe, but the human world is marred by uncertainty. Fear is unheard of in the universe, but man continually suffers from fear and apprehension. The rest of the universe is in a state of equilibrium as it receives everything that it needs, while human beings are in a state of imbalance as they are the only creatures in the world to suffer from the painful thought that they have not received what they wanted. Moreover, the rest of the universe is evil-free, while human beings continually suffer from the problem of evil due to the misuse of freedom by others.
Even human desires appear to have been created for a purpose. However, this purpose cannot be fulfilled in this present limited world.
Paradise is the answer to all these problems. The concept of Paradise shows that man too will find everything that the rest of the universe has found. So while the rest of the universe is receiving what it wants today in this world itself, man will receive what he wants tomorrow in Paradise.