Jagad Guru Chris Butler - Quotes | The Passing Away of the Body Does Not Mean the End of Your Existence

The body you have at any moment in time does not last long—it is soon replaced by a new body made of new cells, molecules, and atoms. The “baby” body is replaced by the “child” body, which is replaced by the “adolescent” body, which is replaced by the “young adult” body, which is replaced by the “adult” body, which is replaced by the “middle-aged” body, which is replaced by the “old” body. Yet throughout all these complete changes of the body, you—the self—endure. You remain as the unchanged, untouched witness of all the different changes of your body as well as the changes of your mind.

Jagad Guru Chris Butler - Science of Identity Foundation

======

Every one of us continues to live, even though our childhood bodies have long disappeared. Your “baby” body and “childhood” body have ceased existing, but you have not ceased existing.

Jagad Guru Chris Butler - Science of Identity Foundation

======

Those who claim that the self can continue to exist only if the body continues to exist must explain how come they and other selves exist despite the fact that their “baby,” “child,” and “adolescent” bodies no longer exist.

Siddhaswarupananda

======

The fact is that you know you existed five years ago, and you know you exist today. Although you still exist, you know that the body you had five years ago does not exist today. Therefore, you know that your existence is not dependent on the existence of any one body you may have on at any particular moment—whether it is a “baby” body, an “adolescent” body, an “old” body, or whatever.

Jagad Guru Chris Butler - Science of Identity Foundation

======

If the passing away of the body meant the end of your existence, then you, the self who existed along with the “childhood” body, should have ceased existing when that “childhood” body ceased to exist; and you, the self who existed along with the “adolescent” body, should have ceased existing when your “adolescent” body ceased to exist. The fact that you continued to exist, even though your body (bodies) did not, proves that your existence does not depend upon the continuing existence of a body.

Jagad Guru Chris Butler - Science of Identity Foundation