Ashin Kelāsa with an Hindu gentleman, who lives in United States
Q: Where does the soul go after death? or what happens to the soul when one passes away?
A: Well, the question is interesting for me just when I was young. I’m used to asking the same question to my father concerning my late mother. However, my father could not answer my question. I’m now spiritually quite developed by practice living mindfully in every moment. I feel so funny to such a question “Where does the soul go after death?” at the back of my mind because it is not within the reach of our hands. It is an extremely religious matter.
Of course, the Buddha teaches us “The Law of Cause and Effect” the cause is all the volitional actions done by ourselves every moment. Each volitional action will bring us their particular result. There is nothing to do with Buddhist or non-Buddhist in the law of cause and effect because we always volitionally think about someone or something. We always volitionally speak of someone or something and we always volitionally act to someone or something.
This is just nature but we are naturally following this natural law of cause and effect. It is not because we are Buddhist but because we are composed of mind and matter, physical and mental phenomena. We have a mind; we must think; it is called Mano-Kamma. We have a mouth; we must speak; it is called Vacī-Kamma. We have a body; we must act; it is called Kāya-Kamma. Therefore, we can see that we are floating in the stream of Kamma as long as we are alive. No matter whether we like it or not, we must be floating on the stream of Kamma, the natural law of cause and effect.
Then, the answer to the question “Where does the soul go after death?” is overthought and over-worried. It is beyond our reach but I’m sure that it is within the reach of the law of cause and effect taught by the Buddha. What will happen to the soul after death is just the question of an effect caused by all your volitional actions you have done here and now in this very life. It is quite clear and quite scientific Teaching of the super-scientist Buddha, isn’t it? This is not just my philosophy but the greatest guru’s, the Buddha’s Teaching. I totally agree with the Buddha. His Teaching does not go against any religion and and god. I hope you got it.
Q: Well, thank you so much sir for your kind, patient and wise explanation on the question.
