Abstract
In Western thought the doctrine of the immortality of the soul goes back to Plato (428/7–348/7 bc). Plato speaks of two worlds, one of the senses, the other of the intellect. The body belongs to the sensible world, sharing its changeability and perishability. The intellect is related to a different realm of the universals. In it are to be found the ‘universals’ such as goodness and so on, which are eternal as distinguished from acts of goodness which are fleeting. Now Plato argued that if one was given to the contemplation of eternal truths then, upon death, the body will perish but the soul or intellect will pass on to the eternal realm of the universals.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Notes and References
John H. Hick, Philosophy of Religion, 3rd edn (Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1983) pp. 122–3.
M. Hiriyanna, The Essentials of Indian Philosophy (London: George Allen & Unwin, 1949) p. 94.
M. Hiriyanna, Outlines of Indian Philosophy (London: George Allen & Unwin, 1964 [first published 1932]) p. 233.
T. M. P. Mahadevan, Outlines of Hinduism (Bombay: Chetana, 1971) p. 108.
Jadunath Sinha, A History of Indian Philosophy, vol. I (Calcutta: Sinha Publishing House, 1956) p. 230.
Arthur Berriedale Keith, The Religion and Philosophy of the Veda and the Upanishads (Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1925) p. 580.
Edward Conze, Buddhism: Its Essence and Development (New York: Harper & Row, 1965) p. 24.
S. Radhakrishnan, The Brahma Sūtra: The Philosophy of Spiritual Life (London: George Allen & Unwin, 1960) p. 185.
Heinrich Zimmer, (ed.) Joseph Campbell, Philosophies of India (New York: Meridian Books, 1964) pp. 234–40.
Based on T. M. P. Mahadevan, Outlines of Hinduism, pp. 171–2. Also see Haridas Bhattacharyya (ed.), The Cultural Heritage of India, vol. III (Calcutta: Ramakrishna Mission Insitute of Culture, 1953 [first published 1937]) p. 376
Mariasusai Dhavamony, Love of God According to Śaiva Siddhānta (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1971) pp. 120–1
Benjamin Walker, The Hindu World, vol. I (New York: Frederick A. Praeger, 1968) p. 90.
A. L. Basham, The Wonder That Was India (New York: Grove Press, 1954) p. 333.
R. C. Zaehner, The Bhagavadgītā (London: Oxford University Press, 1969) p. 373.
Raymond A. Moody, Jun., Life After Life (New York: Bantam Books, 1977) pp. 21–3.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Copyright information
© 1990 Arvind Sharma
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Sharma, A. (1990). Human Destiny: Immortality and Resurrection. In: A Hindu Perspective on the Philosophy of Religion. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-20797-8_7
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-20797-8_7
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London
Print ISBN: 978-1-349-20799-2
Online ISBN: 978-1-349-20797-8
eBook Packages: Palgrave Religion & Philosophy CollectionPhilosophy and Religion (R0)