Part 1 of Essay
Throughout the history of civilization, there has always been a certain mysticism about what really happens to a newly departed soul. In each of the major religions of the world, there is a certain idea about what happens to the soul after death. Not all religions have the same beliefs about life after death; some do no ....

Part 2 of Essay
.... to talk back to their Creator, worship him, and choose among alternative ideologies (Eerdmans' Handbook 31). Buddhism was founded about 500 B.C. or shortly afterwards. The teacher who founded it was Buddha. The tradition is that he was shocked into seeking the meaning of life by the sight of a leper, an old man and a corpse (Eerdmans' Handbook 43). He practiced austerities for many years until he achieved the illumination he was seeking. Buddha was said to be an atheist, or at least have abandoned the usual wo ....