Dharma) effect the speed at which a person can be freed from samsara.
When an atman finally reaches moksha it can rest, as taught in the Bhagavad Gita: ‘Coming right nigh to Me, these great of soul, are never born again. For rebirth is full of suffering, knows nothing that abides: free from it now they attain the all-highest prize.’
These basic beliefs about reincarnation are shared among all Hindus.
Useful words:
Samchita karma - the karma from previous lives
Paapa - sinful actions in the past; these can cause suffering
Agami karma - the actions which are performed in the present life and which go on to affect the future.
Explain how a Hindu funeral might help and comfort the relatives of someone who has died. (7)
Hindu funerals are seen as celebration and gain rather than a loss. This is because Hindus believe that the deceased is now one step closer to achieving moksha, the ultimate release of rebirth. This is shown in Hindu funerals in many ways.
Firstly, Hindus are cremated after death, this helps release the atman (soul) from the body. This element would comfort a relative, as it would assure them that the deceased has progressed to the next step in the cycle, and is now closer to achieving moksha. The Bhaghavad Gita further expresses this as: ‘for sure is the death of all that comes to birth, sure is the birth of all that dies. So in matter that no one can prevent, thou hast no cause to grieve.’ This quote shows how the cycle of samsara is endless and shows how a person lives on even after death because their atman is eternal, and therefore reincarnated into another body, so the need to grieve is unnecessary.
Secondly, during the funeral a candle is lit at the head of the deceased. Light is an important part of the Hindu faith, as shown with the celebration of Diwali (the festival of lights). This celebrates good over evil, light over darkness, and knowledge over ignorance. This is therefore represented by the candle and gives the relative a sense of hope that their loved one will go on to a better life.
Thirdly, if possible the relatives of the deceased spread the ashes of the body into the river Ganges. The river Ganges is very holy to Hindus as ancient scriptures state that the water of Ganges carries the blessings of Lord Vishnu’s feet. This action would help comfort a Hindu relative because it ensures them that an act they have done, will benefit and reward the deceased, making them apart of the cycle of samsara. This is because Hindus believe that the river Ganges can cleanse a person’s soul of all past sins.
However, the funeral processes may differ among castes. This is because Brahmins (highest) are very religious and obey the Vedas in great detail. Their beliefs are fundamental on the Holy Scriptures. Whereas, the Chandalas views may differ because they are of a lower caste and are thought to be unclean and impure. Therefore they did not study the Vedas as they were seen to be above them. The religion that the Chandalas believe is esoteric, therefore it is complicated to they even believe in the basic beliefs in afterlife
