What happens after death? Some say that we continue to live in a different form; while others say that death is the complete extinction of our existence. Since the beginning of human thought, we have asked ourselves three simple questions: Who am I? Where have I come from? Where am I going?

This book, based on the teachings of Yoga and Vedanta, seeks to answer these questions about death and life after death. The answer to death is Knowledge of the Self--realization of our true identity, our divine existence, our spiritual nature--and to not be afraid of the unknown.

Chapter 1: Is Death the End? by Swami Nikhilananda

Chapter 2: Fear of Death by Swami Adiswarananda

Chapter 3: Sufferings of Life by Swami Adiswarananda

"Life on earth is meant for our soul to journey on towards its freedom. The soul’s three basic desires are immortality, unrestricted awareness, and unbounded joy. These are attained only when the soul discovers its true identity, the all-embracing Self. In search of its identity, the soul changes bodies and places, and finally, knowing the limitations of all pleasures and realizing that everything finite is shadowed by death, it practices detachment and desirelessness and realizes its immortal Self. Immortality is the return of the prodigal son to his all-loving father. It is the return of the reflection of the sun to the sun. It is the river of individual consciousness meeting the infinite ocean of Pure Consciousness. It is the realization that we are like leaves of a tree and that our true identity is the tree. Immortality is our separative existence joining the infinite existence of absolute freedom... The journey to this final freedom is a solitary one; alone a person is born, alone he suffers, and alone he dies. By realizing his true Self, he becomes united with all beings and things and attains to final freedom. Only then comes the end of all sorrow, all fear, all anxiety."

Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Center of New York