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Rest in Peace: What does it mean ?

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Rest in Peace: What does it mean ?

It's become a common practice to say RIP (Rest in Peace) when someone passes away. Is is culturally accurate?

We ought to understand the implication of words we say.

For example "RIP" implies that the person is going to sleep/rest in their graves until the day of second coming of Jesus/ Al-Mahadi comes back and resurrects their body.

The Last Judgment, Final Judgment, Day of Judgment, Judgment Day, or The Day of the Lord or in Islam Yawm al-Qiyamah or Yawm ad-Din is part of the eschatological world view of the Abrahamic religions.

Everyone who has ever lived will be brought back to life in some form to face the final judgement along with those still living.

Christian View


The phrase “rest in peace,” often abbreviated “R.I.P.,” comes from the Latin blessing requiescat in pace (literally, “may he begin to rest in peace”). It is usually biblical thing to say.

To say someone who has died is going to “Rest in Peace” fits much better with the biblical saying that “the dead know nothing” (Ecc 9:5) and that they “sleep in the dust of the earth” (Dan 12:2) and that it is Jesus the Christ who at his return (1 Cor. 15:23) will call the dead out of the sleep of non-existence and back to life – “Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment.” (John 5:28-29).

In summary, according to the Christian view, a dead person's body awaits resurrection while their soul enters heaven or hell and stays there forever. Resurrected beings (bodies once again with their souls) face the final judgement and then enter heaven or hell as whole; but that shall not happen until the end of the world - the Judgement day, the Rapture.

Islamic View

The coming of Imam Mahdi is one of the signs of Qiyamah as is the belief of the Ahlus-Sunnah and he has yet to appear. Abdullah ibn Masu`d has reported that the Prophet has said:
"The world will not pass away before the Arabs are ruled by a man (referring to Mahdi) of my family whose name will be the same as mine"

(Abu Dawud).


Muslims also believe that the coming of the Day of Reckoning is a certainty, as Allah has said in the Qur'an:-

“This is because verily Allah, He is the reality, and because He gives life unto the dead, and because verily He has power over all things. And that the Hour (of resurrection) is to come, there is no doubt therein, and that Allah will raise up those in the grave” (Qur’an, 22:6-7)


That will be the day of Qiyamat and the faithful people will be resurrected by the command of Allah.

Also,

“Said he: “This is a mercy from my Lord. But when the promise of my Lord (i.e., Resurrection) comes to pass, He will level it with the ground; and the promise of my Lord is true.” And We will let them that day to dash into one another. And the trumpet will be blown; then We will gather them all together.” (Qu’ran, 18:92-99)


In summary, Islamic views about resurrection are more or less the same as Christians.


Life_and_Death_and_more.jpg

Body is central to the A-brahmic belief system, hence the burial- which is a form of preservation (of sorts) and belief that it'll be alright once again.


Sanatan view



In Sanatan Dharma the body is just a vehicle, a temporary refuge, Aatma is indestructible. Atma basically means your eternal self, the spiritual essence of who you are. It is not the body you inhabit; nor is it not the sum total of your material possessions. It is the spiritual you. People often confuse 'Soul' - the Western Judeo-Christian concept with 'Aatma'. The former system tends to believe when a person dies their soul travels on to heaven or hell. In other words, paradise or eternal suffering are the end of the road. On the other hand the aatma carries on its journey with reincarnations, until the day its Karmic path and spiritual knowledge leads it to Moksha. An appropriate phrase, for a Hindu who has passed away, would be "may the departed aatma attain moksha" , "Om Shanti" (or something similar).


In summary, according to the Sanatan Dharmic view, a dead person's body is destroyed while their aatma (not the same as concept of soul) enters heaven or hell temporarily and then takes rebirth and this cycle continues until the aatma attains moksha (become one with Bhagwan,above and beyond the heaven or hell ).


http://shankhnaad.net/heritage/myth-vs-facts/item/230-rip-what-does-it-mean
 
When attending funerals and filling up the condolence book..all I write is Om Shanti Shanti Shanti.

Wonder if that sounds like rest in peace?
 
according to the Christian view, a dead person's body awaits resurrection while their soul enters heaven or hell and stays there forever. Resurrected beings (bodies once again with their souls) face the final judgement and then enter heaven or hell as whole; but that shall not happen until the end of the world - the Judgement day, the Rapture.


^I read the above and couldn't understand it.

1. Does it mean according to Christian belief, there is only 1 life, followed by death - heaven/hell for the soul - resurrection - judgement day - heaven or hell again for the resurrected body?

2. If yes for question 1, then what is the difference between being destined to heaven or hell as a soul alone and later the same heaven or hell as a resurrected body? Why the body is needed?

I would appreciate clarification from anyone who knows better, also scholarly and simple articles are appreciated.
 
Rest in Peace: What does it mean ?

It's become a common practice to say RIP (Rest in Peace) when someone passes away. Is is culturally accurate?

We ought to understand the implication of words we say.

For example "RIP" implies that the person is going to sleep/rest in their graves until the day of second coming of Jesus/ Al-Mahadi comes back and resurrects their body.

The Last Judgment, Final Judgment, Day of Judgment, Judgment Day, or The Day of the Lord or in Islam Yawm al-Qiyamah or Yawm ad-Din is part of the eschatological world view of the Abrahamic religions.

Everyone who has ever lived will be brought back to life in some form to face the final judgement along with those still living.

Christian View


The phrase “rest in peace,” often abbreviated “R.I.P.,” comes from the Latin blessing requiescat in pace (literally, “may he begin to rest in peace”). It is usually biblical thing to say.

To say someone who has died is going to “Rest in Peace” fits much better with the biblical saying that “the dead know nothing” (Ecc 9:5) and that they “sleep in the dust of the earth” (Dan 12:2) and that it is Jesus the Christ who at his return (1 Cor. 15:23) will call the dead out of the sleep of non-existence and back to life – “Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment.” (John 5:28-29).

In summary, according to the Christian view, a dead person's body awaits resurrection while their soul enters heaven or hell and stays there forever. Resurrected beings (bodies once again with their souls) face the final judgement and then enter heaven or hell as whole; but that shall not happen until the end of the world - the Judgement day, the Rapture.

Islamic View

The coming of Imam Mahdi is one of the signs of Qiyamah as is the belief of the Ahlus-Sunnah and he has yet to appear. Abdullah ibn Masu`d has reported that the Prophet has said:
"The world will not pass away before the Arabs are ruled by a man (referring to Mahdi) of my family whose name will be the same as mine"

(Abu Dawud).


Muslims also believe that the coming of the Day of Reckoning is a certainty, as Allah has said in the Qur'an:-

“This is because verily Allah, He is the reality, and because He gives life unto the dead, and because verily He has power over all things. And that the Hour (of resurrection) is to come, there is no doubt therein, and that Allah will raise up those in the grave” (Qur’an, 22:6-7)


That will be the day of Qiyamat and the faithful people will be resurrected by the command of Allah.

Also,

“Said he: “This is a mercy from my Lord. But when the promise of my Lord (i.e., Resurrection) comes to pass, He will level it with the ground; and the promise of my Lord is true.” And We will let them that day to dash into one another. And the trumpet will be blown; then We will gather them all together.” (Qu’ran, 18:92-99)


In summary, Islamic views about resurrection are more or less the same as Christians.


Life_and_Death_and_more.jpg

Body is central to the A-brahmic belief system, hence the burial- which is a form of preservation (of sorts) and belief that it'll be alright once again.


Sanatan view



In Sanatan Dharma the body is just a vehicle, a temporary refuge, Aatma is indestructible. Atma basically means your eternal self, the spiritual essence of who you are. It is not the body you inhabit; nor is it not the sum total of your material possessions. It is the spiritual you. People often confuse 'Soul' - the Western Judeo-Christian concept with 'Aatma'. The former system tends to believe when a person dies their soul travels on to heaven or hell. In other words, paradise or eternal suffering are the end of the road. On the other hand the aatma carries on its journey with reincarnations, until the day its Karmic path and spiritual knowledge leads it to Moksha. An appropriate phrase, for a Hindu who has passed away, would be "may the departed aatma attain moksha" , "Om Shanti" (or something similar).


In summary, according to the Sanatan Dharmic view, a dead person's body is destroyed while their aatma (not the same as concept of soul) enters heaven or hell temporarily and then takes rebirth and this cycle continues until the aatma attains moksha (become one with Bhagwan,above and beyond the heaven or hell ).


http://shankhnaad.net/heritage/myth-vs-facts/item/230-rip-what-does-it-mean

Questions about Sanatan's view.

Q1) Is Sanatan's view applicable to all Hindu traditions?
Q2) If the focus after death is not on the (rotting) body why do Iyangars have preserved the body of their teacher Ramanuja in Srirangam temple? I read about this only in this forum in some other thread.
Q3) I heard from someone that saints of Hinduism l(like Kanchi saint) are not cremated but only buried? Why? why focus on the body?

Thanks
Informative article, thanks Mr PJ
 
^I read the above and couldn't understand it.

1. Does it mean according to Christian belief, there is only 1 life, followed by death - heaven/hell for the soul - resurrection - judgement day - heaven or hell again for the resurrected body?

2. If yes for question 1, then what is the difference between being destined to heaven or hell as a soul alone and later the same heaven or hell as a resurrected body? Why the body is needed?

I would appreciate clarification from anyone who knows better, also scholarly and simple articles are appreciated. [/B]

I found some answers:

1. According to Christianity, there is no reincarnation. After death, the soul separates from the body and reaches heaven or hell.

2. The judgement day is said to span a period of 1000 yrs at which all living and dead on earth will be 'judged' for their true merit.

3. During judgement day, by the process termed as 'resurrection', the soul of the deceased will be united with their 'body' and they will be tried for their merit and be destined to heaven or hell forever.

4. The new resurrected body is not physical body, however it is capable of doing anything a physical body is able to do - touch, feel, eat and do much more such as penetrating through walls, traveling great distances instantaneously, etc.

5. According to Christianity, the soul never existed before, such a notion is against the belief of Christian doctrines.

6. So what happens to the Hindu notion of 'Every saint had a past, every sinner has a future?'. :noidea:
 
Dear Jayashree,

Each religion has its own beliefs. It is better NOT to compare any two of them and confuse ourselves! :)

P.S: Hindu way of threatening is that by bad deeds one will be born again as a worm, pig, dog etc! :fear:
 

P.S: Hindu way of threatening is that by bad deeds one will be born again as a worm, pig, dog etc! :fear:

Dear RR ji,

This is according to us humans!LOL

May be dogs and pigs etc have their own Dharma and after death if the had done bad deeds they might be born as humans.

But one thing that never ceases to amaze me is dead animals do not haunt!

Only dead humans haunt sometimes.
 
6. So what happens to the Hindu notion of 'Every saint had a past, every sinner has a future?'. :noidea:

That is just to let potential saints know to have some 'fun" before they embrace sainthood!LOL

“Nau sau choohe khaake billi haj ko chali”

– After eating 900 mice, the cat went for a pilgrimage.


BTW that every saint had a past and every sinner has a future is not a Hindu notion..is a quote from Oscar Wilde.
 
Questions about Sanatan's view.

Q1) Is Sanatan's view applicable to all Hindu traditions?
Q2) If the focus after death is not on the (rotting) body why do Iyangars have preserved the body of their teacher Ramanuja in Srirangam temple? I read about this only in this forum in some other thread.
Q3) I heard from someone that saints of Hinduism l(like Kanchi saint) are not cremated but only buried? Why? why focus on the body?

Thanks
Informative article, thanks Mr PJ

Q3) I heard from someone that saints of Hinduism l(like Kanchi saint) are not cremated but only buried? Why? why focus on the body?

Why Hindu Holy Men and Saints Are Buried and Not Cremated?




The traditional practice in Hinduism is to cremate the body of a dead person. But the dead body of holy men, saints and children below the age of three are buried. In many Hindu communities, the body of a holy person is buried in the Padmasana Posture (Lotus Position).
Arnab Mitra writes about this aspect in Hindu Religion in Hindustan Times


Hindus generally cremate their dead. But there are exceptions: the dead bodies of saints, holy men and children are buried. These practices are based on two related and fundamental tenets of Hinduism — the belief in the transmigration of the soul and reincarnation. The Gita says: “Just as old clothes are cast off and new one worn, the soul leaves the body after death and enters a new one.”


Hindus believe that burning the body, and, hence, destroying it, helps the departed soul get over any residual attachment it may have developed for the deceased person.


Holy men and saints, however, are buried in the lotus position (padmasan) as they are believed to have attained — through piety, penance, rigorous spiritual training, or through good deeds done in previous lives — a level of detachment that makes cremation redundant.


Children, on the other hand, are buried as the soul has not stayed in the body long enough to develop any attachment.


http://www.hindu-blog.com/2011/04/why-hindu-holy-men-and-saints-are.html
 
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Dear Jayashree,

Each religion has its own beliefs. It is better NOT to compare any two of them and confuse ourselves! :)


Dear Raji Madam,

If we have profound interest in a subject, it wouldn't confuse us! Trust me, I have profound interest in metaphysics, near death, psychology, and anything paranormal.
 
Last edited:
BTW that every saint had a past and every sinner has a future is not a Hindu notion..is a quote from Oscar Wilde.

Dear Renu,

I was using the term metaphorically to denote Hindu's belief of reincarnation to seek redemption via expiation of karmas! :)
 
^I read the above and couldn't understand it.

1. Does it mean according to Christian belief, there is only 1 life, followed by death - heaven/hell for the soul - resurrection - judgement day - heaven or hell again for the resurrected body?

2. If yes for question 1, then what is the difference between being destined to heaven or hell as a soul alone and later the same heaven or hell as a resurrected body? Why the body is needed?

I would appreciate clarification from anyone who knows better, also scholarly and simple articles are appreciated. [/B]

Namsthe!!!
Birth-rebirth-moksha is a unique belief of Hinduism..... It is accepted by both adwaidin or dwaidin irrespective of their philosophy..... We also believe that soul is present in all jivas from grass to brahma...
But
But in Islam and Christianity it is not so....in Christianity soul is only for men... Same belief exist in islam too... But one group of Muslim believe that women have soul...... They do not believe in rebirth..... They believe that when they don't do self surrender for the respective god of their religion I.e Jesus/allah.... They are put to hell... Or if they have done sharanagathi to their respective god then they are put to heaven on the day of judgement...... There is no moksha for them... Only swargavasam (heaven) is the ultimate goal of their soul......
 
They believe that when they don't do self surrender for the respective god of their religion I.e Jesus/allah.... They are put to hell... Or if they have done sharanagathi to their respective god then they are put to heaven on the day of judgement...... There is no moksha for them... Only swargavasam (heaven) is the ultimate goal of their soul......

Welcome to the forum.
Is it not true of some Hindu sect as well?
Do we know the difference between Swarga and Vaikuntam?
 
BTW that every saint had a past and every sinner has a future is not a Hindu notion..is a quote from Oscar Wilde.

Sorry to interject.
That quote is Bible.

Every Saint of God has a Past and Every Sinner a Future
Luke 19:1-10
Introduction: It has been said that every saint of God has a past and likewise every sinner a future. The phrase addresses the fact that every believer in Jesus Christ was saved out of sin and has a past as a sinner. Also every sinner, who has not recognized him/herself as a sinner and by faith repented of their sins and believed in Jesus Christ for their salvation has a certain future.
 
Namsthe!!!
Birth-rebirth-moksha is a unique belief of Hinduism..... It is accepted by both adwaidin or dwaidin irrespective of their philosophy..... We also believe that soul is present in all jivas from grass to brahma...
But
But in Islam and Christianity it is not so....in Christianity soul is only for men... Same belief exist in islam too... But one group of Muslim believe that women have soul...... They do not believe in rebirth..... They believe that when they don't do self surrender for the respective god of their religion I.e Jesus/allah.... They are put to hell... Or if they have done sharanagathi to their respective god then they are put to heaven on the day of judgement...... There is no moksha for them... Only swargavasam (heaven) is the ultimate goal of their soul......

Thank you for this clarification, sorry I just now noticed your reply, so the delay in my response.

BTW: Why only 13 points for you? I'm giving you 200...
 
Sorry to interject.That quote is Bible. Every Saint of God has a Past and Every Sinner a Future Luke 19:1-10 Introduction: It has been said that every saint of God has a past and likewise every sinner a future. The phrase addresses the fact that every believer in Jesus Christ was saved out of sin and has a past as a sinner. Also every sinner, who has not recognized him/herself as a sinner and by faith repented of their sins and believed in Jesus Christ for their salvation has a certain future.
Thanks..for correction.
 
Q3) I heard from someone that saints of Hinduism l(like Kanchi saint) are not cremated but only buried? Why? why focus on the body?

Why Hindu Holy Men and Saints Are Buried and Not Cremated?




The traditional practice in Hinduism is to cremate the body of a dead person. But the dead body of holy men, saints and children below the age of three are buried. In many Hindu communities, the body of a holy person is buried in the Padmasana Posture (Lotus Position).
Arnab Mitra writes about this aspect in Hindu Religion in Hindustan Times


Hindus generally cremate their dead. But there are exceptions: the dead bodies of saints, holy men and children are buried. These practices are based on two related and fundamental tenets of Hinduism — the belief in the transmigration of the soul and reincarnation. The Gita says: “Just as old clothes are cast off and new one worn, the soul leaves the body after death and enters a new one.”


Hindus believe that burning the body, and, hence, destroying it, helps the departed soul get over any residual attachment it may have developed for the deceased person.


Holy men and saints, however, are buried in the lotus position (padmasan) as they are believed to have attained — through piety, penance, rigorous spiritual training, or through good deeds done in previous lives — a level of detachment that makes cremation redundant.


Children, on the other hand, are buried as the soul has not stayed in the body long enough to develop any attachment.


http://www.hindu-blog.com/2011/04/why-hindu-holy-men-and-saints-are.html

Thank you Mr PJ for digging up the right reference and sharing your views
 
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