Please share this why in Hinduism we don't say “RIP” when we send condolence messages.

Mits, is there anyone who it is said to be "born again" that you know of?

With the passing of many through the years there should should be just as many who are "reborn" and with this in mind, shouldn't there be absolute proof of being 'born again?"  I've heard of a couple instances where someone who had never visited a  certain country, tell about when they lived there and told of various things that occurred but I do not believe all that I see or read.

I personally believe when we die we are gone. We would live on in the minds and hearts of those we have touched be it words of advice, our beliefs, our love for life, music, laughter, cooking,  etc.  Now that is my belief and in no way am I saying anyone is wrong in their belief because we really don't know. In the mean time we will carry on with our belief system.

Let's have Ron give us his 2cents.

@Cain, we do not remember our previous birth or how many times we were here before and in  what form.

The Bhagavad Gita (2.22) says that just as one gives up an old shirt to put on a new one, the soul gives up an old body to acquire a new kind of body (vasāmsi jirnāni yathā vihāya). Thus there are 8.4 million (84 lakh) types of bodies. Soul never dies; it only changes its physical form during existence. It is believed that every Hindu has been through all of them.

The primary goal of a Hindu is to gain Moksha (Salvation) else you will come again  to work for it.

@Mitwah posted:

WHY RIP IS NOT THE CORRECT FORM OF CONDOLENCE TO A HINDU FAMILY

R.I.P. means “Requisat in Pace” (Latin, Rest in Peace).

In Christianity, this short epitaph signifies wishing rest and peace to someone who has died. Christians bury the dead ones and the soul rests in peace in that grave until the day of judgement arrives. On Judgement Day, the Lord will decide who goes where, to Heaven or to Hell. They believe that on Judgement Day the dead will rise again. Until that time, the soul has to remain inside that coffin. Hence, the blessing Rest in Peace (until the day of judgement).

Now, Hinduism does not have any concept such as that of rising of dead ones. Hinduism believes in reincarnation. It says that the cycle of birth and death is governed by the Karma of individuals. The deceased individual would take another birth based upon the Karma of this life. So there is no rest, hence, the concept of RIP is not valid in Hinduism. Hinduism believes in Moksha, that is liberation, liberation from the endless cycles of birth and death. That’s why instead of using RIP we should say, “Om Shanti” or “Aatma Ko Sadgati Prapt Ho” (May the Soul attain Moksha), or simply "Om Sadgati". Sadgati means salvation or liberation. We always pray that may the soul get liberated from the cycle of life and death.

In fact, the concept of RIP would remotely come close to the concept of Preta (evil, hungry ghosts) which is basically a curse in the Hindu way of life. An individual after leaving his/her body becomes a Preta. When we say RIP, we are praying for the soul to remain locked in a standstill on Earth as it becomes a Preta for eternity. That’s why in the Hindu way of life there is a concept of Terahvin (13 days). For 13 days the family members of the deceased persuade the Pretas every day with various invocations and offerings requesting them to leave this earth and move on to their next destination, which could be either incarnation or salvation (moksha). By saying Om Sadgati we prompt the soul to move on and not remain in 'peace' here.

Share this with your children and their next generation also as to why in Hinduism we don't say “RIP” when we send condolence messages.

Ankur Mishra.

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So Mits, when one gains Moksha where does that soul go if not another body?

@cain posted:

So Mits, when one gains Moksha where does that soul go if not another body?

In Vedantic philosophies, Atma refers to the soul, and Paramatma (God) refers to the Absolute source of the soul (Atma) and the final resting place(Moksha). Param = Prime = Ultimate. Atma = Soul.

So, what is moksha? The definition of moksha is the freedom from the eternal cycle of life, death, and rebirth; which is also known as salvation. This is the ultimate goal of an individual who practices Hinduism known as Sanatana Dharma; the oldest and most complex of all established belief systems, with origins that date back more than 5000 years in India.