ABSTRACT
This chapter addresses the question "Is there life after life?" It explains the traditional religious perspectives, starting with ancient Egyptian beliefs. The chapter explores Tibetan Buddhist teachings on the topic, followed by a look at the beliefs that come out of the so-called Abrahamic religious tradition that encompasses Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. It describes contemporary perspectives about life after life, especially the literature on what is often called "the near-death experience," what some survivors of artificial resuscitation tell that they experienced after their hearts stopped beating. The chapter examines scientific and nonscientific explanations for the experience. The beliefs of the ancient Egyptians regarding the afterlife are perhaps the most widely recorded. In ancient Egypt, when the body and organs were fully prepared, they were placed in a coffin with inscriptions believed to have magical powers.
