Dave Bareither Anne krippenstapel Steve Patterson

Greek and Buddhist views Afterlife perspectives: compare and contrast. By Anne K.

Body disposal Ancient Greek: Tying down, burning the body and putting a grave stone over it as a marker/memorial for the deceased. Remembrance, permanence and fear are paramount to the Greek attitude of death. Buddhist: “Sky burial” the deceased is fed to birds. Some sects believe birds to be carriers of the soul. No marker/ graves. The belief of the body as an empty impermanent shell reflect this. The body and life in general is an impermanent illusion.

Realm of the dead Ancient Greek: The underworld is a very real place with unchanging fate for all. (save for the exceptional/heroes) all for one deal for everyone. Buddhism: more abstract place, conceptual place for your mind/soul. No actual domain that one proceeds to. Most believe that the soul waits another existence. (usually reincarnation)

Realm of the dead-cont. Ancient Greek: Anthropomorphic characters like Hades, Thanatos and Charon.( Cerberus and Persephone too) Buddhism: No one in particular. But the way one lived their life is the way one spends the afterlife, keeping good thoughts, practicing “inner peace“ (for a lack of better term) leads one to a better place, flipside, if one is filled with hate, then they have a “demon filled” afterlife. But it is not quite the same as the Heaven/Hell dichotomy.

Other interesting notes: The idea that the soul is reincarnated was known in the Ancient Greek philosophy, but was unpopular in its religion. Many ideas on death and the afterlife vary from region to region in Buddhism, no set or official doctrine on the subject, and much of it is influenced by local folk religions as well.

A Comparative Study of Greek and Islamic Views on the Afterlife

Comparative Study of Greek and Islamic View of Underworld/Jahannam For most Greeks the afterlife was as real as life itself, the difference it holds to other beliefs is that there was little to look forward to once you got their The afterlife for Islamic believers is separated into Jannah, which means “garden” (similar to paradise) and seven realms of hell, the most commonly used being, Jahannam, which means, “place of great depth” (similar in function to hell)

Greek/Roman and Islamic Terminology Romans that eventually adopted the belief’s of Greeks referred to the Underworld as Orcus or, “the place that confines” The obvious similarities between these two perceptions is that both resemble a place that is either geographically or symbolically endless and one from where you cannot return In the Koran the Underworld Is also referred to, although less frequently, as Hawiyah, meaning “abyss or bottomless place”

So… You’re Dead, Now What? Particularly deserving Greeks were subject to the punishment of Tartarus for more heinous crimes. The Danaids were forced to fill a basin of water that was ever draining, Sisyphus pushing his boulder up a hill, or Tantalus being tantalized forever Jahannam is a place of torment for both non- believers and unstatisfactory believers, the main form of punishment being fire. Punishment also included; denial of light and water, scorching wind, boiling water, and inhaling black smoke

Similar Punishment for Similar Crime The Greeks had various crimes or “sins” that were considered taboos, and the same held true for Islamic believers. The Greek crime of Xenia is portrayed in Islam as refusing to feed the poor, or simply a lack of hospitality. Hubris is also frowned upon in Islamic beliefs. Special punishments were reserved for those who ignored God or God’s resurrection. Also, to gain economically through exploitation of others granted you entrance into one of the seven realms of the Underworld.

Divisions of the Underworld Greeks Believed Hermes was the first line of contact to the underworld and he lead the soul to Charon, who ferried you to Acheron, where most souls resided. And of course there was Tartarus, where souls were punished for eternity Realms of Underworld Jahannam (purgatory fire) –for Muslims Lazā (flaming fire) – for Christians Hutāma (raging fire) – for Jews Sa’ïr (blazing fire) - Sabeaens Saqar (scorching fire) – for the Magi Jahïm (fierce fire) – for Idolaters Hāwiyah (the abyss) – for Hypocrites

Can you ever get Out? For Greeks the Underworld has somewhat of a revolving door where the living could visit and return and in addition, the dead could also be given power, ex. Minos and the Three Judges Jahannam is considered a place of confinement where a sentence must be carried out. Many scholars believe that Jahannam eventually purifies men of evil, making, them fit for divine service. Similar in form to the position given to Minos, Aecus, ans Rhadamanthys

A Comparative Study of Greek and Islamic Views on the Afterlife

Comparative Study of Greek and Islamic View of Underworld/Jahannam For most Greeks the afterlife was as real as life itself, the difference it holds to other beliefs is that there was little to look forward to once you got their The afterlife for Islamic believers is separated into Jannah, which means “garden” (similar to paradise) and seven realms of hell, the most commonly used being, Jahannam, which means, “place of great depth” (similar in function to hell)

Greek/Roman and Islamic Terminology Romans that eventually adopted the belief’s of Greeks referred to the Underworld as Orcus or, “the place that confines” The obvious similarities between these two perceptions is that both resemble a place that is either geographically or symbolically endless and one from where you cannot return In the Koran the Underworld Is also referred to, although less frequently, as Hawiyah, meaning “abyss or bottomless place”

So… You’re Dead, Now What? Particularly deserving Greeks were subject to the punishment of Tartarus for more heinous crimes. The Danaids were forced to fill a basin of water that was ever draining, Sisyphus pushing his boulder up a hill, or Tantalus being tantalized forever Jahannam is a place of torment for both non- believers and unstatisfactory believers, the main form of punishment being fire. Punishment also included; denial of light and water, scorching wind, boiling water, and inhaling black smoke

Similar Punishment for Similar Crime The Greeks had various crimes or “sins” that were considered taboos, and the same held true for Islamic believers. The Greek crime of Xenia is portrayed in Islam as refusing to feed the poor, or simply a lack of hospitality. Hubris is also frowned upon in Islamic beliefs. Special punishments were reserved for those who ignored God or God’s resurrection. Also, to gain economically through exploitation of others granted you entrance into one of the seven realms of the Underworld.

Divisions of the Underworld Greeks Believed Hermes was the first line of contact to the underworld and he lead the soul to Charon, who ferried you to Acheron, where most souls resided. And of course there was Tartarus, where souls were punished for eternity Realms of Underworld Jahannam (purgatory fire) –for Muslims Lazā (flaming fire) – for Christians Hutāma (raging fire) – for Jews Sa’ïr (blazing fire) - Sabeaens Saqar (scorching fire) – for the Magi Jahïm (fierce fire) – for Idolaters Hāwiyah (the abyss) – for Hypocrites

Can you ever get Out? For Greeks the Underworld has somewhat of a revolving door where the living could visit and return and in addition, the dead could also be given power, ex. Minos and the Three Judges Jahannam is considered a place of confinement where a sentence must be carried out. Many scholars believe that Jahannam eventually purifies men of evil, making, them fit for divine service. Similar in form to the position given to Minos, Aecus, ans Rhadamanthys