Is there life after Death?

Questioner: There is birth after death and death after birth. Why does this cycle continue relentlessly?

Dadashri: It is because of 'causes and effects, and effects and causes' that the cycle perpetuates. If causes were destroyed, effect too would come to an end and another birth would cease to occur.

A person creates causes during his entire life. What becomes of these causes? Once the causes are created, there is no escaping from its ensuing consequences of its effect.

Causes are created in every action. If someone insults you  by saying, 'you are stupid', it is an effect. He has said this within the laws governing the science of karma. It is your past account. During this occurrence of insult, the negative reaction that occurs within you like, 'your father is stupid', is your cause for the next life. This may even spill out in reactionary words. These words are an effect of past life. The deep inner intent in any event is the cause. All else is an effect.

What was dealt to you was well within the laws of karma. Your reaction transgressed that law.

Did you understand this? Why are you silent?

Questioner: Yes, I understand.

Dadashri: So the causes are created in this life, and the effects of these causes will have to be endured in the next life. 

After death, the Soul enters another womb. Until one becomes Self-realized, it continues to wander from womb to womb. One becomes one with the mind, with the intellect and this is the reason why new causes are created and the worldly life continues over and over again. To become one with the mind and the intellect is to plant a seed in a womb. Lord Krishna has said that as the seeds fall into the womb, the worldly life continues. When the sowing of new seeds ceases, the worldly life will cease.

How can the sowing of new seeds stop?

This body is the result and effect of the ignorance of the Self, the Soul. It is the effect of whatever causes that were created. If someone were to give you a lot of respect, you would feel happy and if someone were to insult you, you would become angry. The outward expression of your anger or happiness is not important; it is your internal bhaav (deep inner intent, meditation) that charges or causes new karma, which will then discharge in your next life. The discharge will be in the form of an effect at that time. Your mind, your speech and your body are all an effect. Any suffering or enjoyment experienced during the discharge of an effect, leads to new causes, which in turn will become ‘effective’ in the next life. In this manner, the cycle of ‘cause and effect’, ‘effect and cause’ perpetuates.

Causes of new karma can only be stopped in the human life. There is only effect in all other life forms. In human beings there is both causes and effects. When I give you the knowledge of your real Self, Gnan, new causes will stop, and no new effects will occur.