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------- Frequently Asked Questions about Physical Transiency and the Fear of Death Why does a baby cry when it is born? A baby cries upon entering the world because it is abruptly transported from the familiar environment of the womb to a completely new and seeminglyempty space. This transition evokes a profound sense of aloneness and fear, similar to how an adult might feel when facing complete loss and isolation. The fear is not necessarily of something present, but rather the absence of anything familiar. How does the initial experience of a baby relate to the fears we experience as adults? The fear of isolation and nothingness experienced by a newborn continues to influence us throughout our lives. As we grow, this basic fear manifests in more complex ways. When we lose important aspects of our lives such as relationships, possessions, or status, we regress to the same feelings of helplessness and fear experienced in infancy. The artificial sense of security created by social relations is fragile and can easily be disrupted, leaving us feeling like a vulnerable child again. What is the illusion of life that is being described and how is it a “magical show“? The illusion of life, as presented in this context, refers to our attachment to social roles, possessions, and relationships, which are all transient and ultimately don’t define our core existence. These things, which seem so important to us, are part of a “magical show“ because they give us a false sense of security and worth, distracting us from our true, temporary nature. Like a magician’s trick, the material world is a distraction, that is not permanent. What are the key differences between Buddha’s and Sankaracharya’s views on existence? Buddha proposes that nothing exists in a permanent sense, emphasizing the constant flow of events rather than static things. He argues that our perception of solidity is an illusion. He sees the world as suffering and advocates for removing the cause of that suffering. Sankaracharya, while acknowledging Buddha’s points about suffering and impermanence, raises the question: how can a non-existent entity be aware of non-existence? He introduces the concept of the Atman, a knowing principle that must exist to perceive the non-existence of other things, suggesting that there is a core Self which is permanent and knowing. How does the concept of “finitude“ contribute to our worldly pursuits? Our awareness of our limited, finite nature, the sense that our individual existence is bound by limits, creates a discomfort within us. We seek to alleviate this feeling of limitation by acquiring external things, such as possessions, relationships and status. However, these external acquisitions do not actually diminish our inherent finitude; instead, they provide a temporary illusion of expansion or significance. Why do we try to find “beautiful“ things, and how does this pursuit connect to our sense of self? We pursue beautiful things in the world to compensate for the sense of ugliness, wretchedness or lack we feel about our finite selves. By associating with or possessing such objects or experiences, we transfer their perceived beauty onto ourselves, giving the illusion that we, too, are beautiful, or that we are enhanced through their proximity. This is an attempt to escape from our perception of finitude by attaching to external stimuli. How does the idea of “universal movement“ affect our sense of desires and needs? The constant evolution of the universe is reflected in the continuous movement and change within us. Like passengers on a moving train, we are also constantly changing, and thus, our desires and perceptions are in flux. This explains why our wants and needs are not constant, we are constantly changing. The interplay between the universal movement and our individual existence creates an inconsistency, or raga-dvesha because our needs keep changing and we are always dissatisfied. What is the conflict between our sense of eternity and our physical transiency? We have an innate, eternal feeling that we will live forever, while at the same time our physical body experiences the reality that we are not permanent. This conflict between our belief in our own eternity and the fear of physical death causes anxiety and fear. The awareness of transience often leads to a frantic attempt to achieve lasting things while ignoring the temporary nature of life.
