Essay: Does Life after Death Exist?

Does Life after Death Exist: View on Different Concepts in Buddhism and Confucianism
Both China and India have very long histories, describing the life of people in these two countries since antiquity till today. China as well as India possesses many exciting and at the same time unique customs, traditions, and beliefs. People of both countries practice different religions, such as Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, Confucianism, Islam, Christianity, and others. However, it’s not so unusual to compare beliefs of two countries, as we already know a lot of facts about Indian and Chinese religions and cultures. Thus, the current essay will explore the concepts of life and death in Buddhism, since it is the second widespread religion in India, teaching people rather unusual ways how to reach happiness, and concepts of life and death in Confucianism, because it was one of the main religions in ancient China, and had a great impact on cultural and social views of its people. The matter of life and death is addressed in all religions. Some of the religions state that there is life after death, emphasizing the importance of living a pious life because human souls go to heaven or hell after death, which is conditioned by person’s previous life. Others reject the idea of life after death, stating that human souls live forever, or that there is neither heaven nor hell, and that human souls might settle down in animals or plants. Thus, the matter of life after death remains a rather controversial one, provoking multiple disputes between religions. The main goal of this essay is to find out if life after death is possible, and how this concept is discussed in Buddhism and Confucianism.