Do you believe in the afterlife?
In many animations, games, or museums, there are often things from other eras, such as the Lion King's treasure or King Goujian's long sword... I call these things from other eras and worlds "relics." Like a bright moon, it brings tears when seen together. Like a familiar accent, the sound of aging remains unchanged. Like Tang and Song poetry, reading them today still exudes elegance... "Relics" are not necessarily sacred things, but rather different from the surrounding world, containing vast information from another world.
I once read a plot in an online novel where an advanced civilization crashed on a primitive planet and accelerated the development and rise of that planet. It's a bit like the Journey to the West.
After talking about these "relics," what does it have to do with the afterlife?
I'm not concerned about the logical relationship between the two, I'm just thinking, did we bring any "relics" with us?
Some people say that birthmarks on our bodies are scars from past lives. There are many examples throughout history, like Tang Jiangshan. Remembering memories from past lives. Of course, many people may think these are fabrications, but is there a scientific possibility for one person's memories and thoughts to be transmitted to another person? I remember discussing a similar viewpoint in a previous article, "Piercing the Human Veil," that human thoughts can be explained. Just like AI systems like ChatGPT, human thought processes can be replicated to a certain extent. This is something I have always wanted to say, "The Dilemma of Creation."
Aside from this tangible "evidence," are there any metaphysical "relics"?
Actually, let's take the example of ChatGPT. The novelty of the prompt determines the novelty of the AI's output. I have always questioned whether humans can truly create new things, or if there is truly nothing new under the sun. But one thing can be certain, things that truly resemble creations are often simple, like a line of poetry "The moon rises over the sea," or a certain idea. Non-action? Benevolence? Law? I suspect that they are not creating a new theory, but rather discovering it.
As the saying goes, "The article is naturally created, and the skillful hand occasionally obtains it."
So, which deep parts of a person could be considered "relics"? Can they prove that something is not from this current world, but from a previous life? If there is indeed an afterlife, what would be the unique soul identifier? If a person can be reincarnated as an animal, would this soul identifier be universal between humans and all living beings?
I don't know. But maybe it's that state of forgetting everything. Shakespeare once said, "When I first came to this stage of fools, I began to weep." From childhood to adulthood, there has always been something that has followed us like a shadow, and that is ourselves. Trying hard to recall, experiencing the continuity of memories across time and space, do we feel a hint of our past lives? It's like I've always stared at the patterns on the walls, like I've blown dandelions on the way home from school, like I've had a secret base in the attic, a small garden in the air that was less than a square meter...
The "relic" from my past life is myself. Although I may have drunk a lot of "Meng Po's soup," that sudden recollection of memories makes us feel the magic and uniqueness of the creation of the self. In the pursuit of wisdom, we can explore outwardly, but we can also inquire inwardly. I suddenly remembered Wang Yangming's philosophy, "I think, therefore I am." Although I don't understand what these people are saying, our "relics" are right in front of us.
I am not a religious person, and the belief I hold is not about gods or spirits. If someone believes they have past lives and future lives, I don't think it's a ridiculous thing. In our idioms, phrases like "What sins did I commit in my past life?" or "In my next life, I'll be a cow or a horse" frequently appear. In a country without a so-called "faith," there are actually various symbols. You could also call them "relics." Just like the word "apostle," if you look closely and think quietly, you will discover these "relics."
Humans are not single-celled organisms. Some people say that the afterlife can instill awe in people and have a positive impact on rulers or society. This statement is also true. However, the original meaning of past lives and future lives is not focused on the present world. Don't forget to look at these two terms from their original intentions.
This article is a tribute to my sudden belief in past lives and future lives. I have actually believed in the possibility of past lives and future lives in my understanding of life and death. Simply put, this scene and situation are unique, relying on certain things to exist. So when these things that the unique scene relies on are present, the unique scene will reappear. Everything spiritual is imperishable. Because it is spiritual, because it is illusory, because this illusion is connected to the objective, when the objective is present, the illusion will reappear. See "The Momentum of Life and Death." This article only represents my thoughts and is not discussing religion or anything like that. I hope you all understand. As Qingming Festival approaches, a person from the same village will be buried tomorrow, and due to mental stress and punishment, they committed suicide by hanging.
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