The Atma Jyoti Blog

Q: How important is a belief in heaven and hell?

First, we must not equate the Eastern view of heaven and hell with the Western view. The Eastern view is that heaven and hell–as well as our situation during earthly incarnation–are valuable teaching instruments. They are mirrors revealing to us the state and qualities of our inner minds (but not our spirits, that are ever perfect).

In Western religion the view is that these are rewards and punishments, indications of whether God is “pleased” or “angry” with us according to whether we have been “good” or “bad.” This belief views the soul as a veritably inert thing that merely pleases or displeases God, rather than a living entity that grows. It only follows then that those who hold it consider salvation as no more than getting to heaven and avoiding hell. Seeing the soul as intrinsically static, exoteric religions treat people accordingly. They put their adherents through certain rites and rules of behavior whose only purpose is a guarantee of a place in heaven. To us this approach is simply not viable because the soul is a growing and a developing thing. Consequently salvation–liberation, moksha–is a process that can take millions, if not billions, of years.

Further reading:

• The Yogi and the Afterlife
• Does Hell Exist, and Why?
• The Real Heaven
• What Is Life on the Astral Plane Like?