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Fear
of Death
Sept.
28 , 2008
Swami
Yogatmananda
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Summary of this Lecture:
Fear of death is neither a phobia, (for death is not imagination but reality)
nor it is a justifiable, rational fear (as it is inevitable and it is common
to all). We want to cling onto life not acknowledging the fact that living
is a march towards death. According to Patanjali, we are bound by five afflictions:
ignorance (Avidya), a sense of 'I' the enjoyer and 'world' to be
enjoyed (Asmita), Likes and dislikes (Raga and Dvesa), Clinging
to life (Abhinivesa) or fear of death. This fear is sustained by
its own force - the force of past impressions. Every one of us has experienced
the trauma of birth and death many times in previous incarnations and those
memories give rise to this fear. These memories are generally not on the
conscious plane, but are subconscious.
Human beings have the opportunity to get rid of this fear by living
in such a way that after death there will not be any re-birth. Then
one gets the eternal life as Jesus promises. Kathopanisad portrays death
as a spiritual teacher and says that freedom from death is only possible
when one knows the truth -the Self which is beyond all senses and which
does not change. Meditate on that eternal Self. Dis-identification with
body will make us immortal. Childish people run after sense enjoyments
and get into the wide-spread jaws of death. Knowing this the intelligent
ones do not seek sense pleasures. Many a time's people try to shun the
thoughts about death. In fact, if we remember that death is near at
hand, the priorities of life change. To realize the Truth in this very
life will become the priority. In the hymn 'Bhaja Govindam',
Sankarachrya emphasizes that when death comes, name of God will alone
help and nothing else. When our consciousness expands to feel that 'as
long as some being in the universe is breathing, I am breathing', then
fear of death will vanish altogether.
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