I honestly regret being late for this trip. It was fascinating being able to compare the religions of the west with those of the east, especially when it comes to death. The journey that a person after death takes is so much more detailed in Buddhism than it is in many other western religions. For example, there is what’s called The Tibetan Book of the Dead that describes the steps between when a person has passed until the next rebirth. To people who are prepared, it’s a way of discovering who they are and what they want to be. For the unprepared, they are riddled with temptations and hallucinations that may cause a undesirable rebirth. You don’t really have this detailed of an explanation of death in many western religions. However, it is interesting to note the similarities religions have when it comes to the overseer of death. Western Religions like Christianity there’s the Devil who resides in Hell, while in Buddhism there’s Yama the god of the underworld, and punishes people who have done wrong. This trip has made me appreciate different religions and how they can shape people’s beliefs.
