The Gift of Life: Death As Teacher in the Aghori Sect

Authors

Rochelle Suri, California Institute of Integral Studies
Daniel B. Pitchford, Saybrook University

DOI

10.24972/ijts.2010.29.1.128

Abstract

This article utilizes the example of the Aghori, with their radical and unique perspective on death,

as a challenge to the Western world to live an authentic, present life by maintaining awareness of

mortality. Specifically, three main themes are explored: first, a theoretical engagement of the concept

of death based on the (Western) philosophy of existentialism, second, a review of the historical

origins and philosophy of the Aghori sect, and third, a depiction of the Aghoris as a living example

of vigorously accepting death as an inevitability of life. On this basis a brief comparison of Western

and Eastern attitudes towards life and death will be offered.

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.

Recommended Citation

Suri, R., & Pitchford, D. B. (2010). Suri, R., & Pitchford, D. B. (2010). The gift of life: Death as teacher in the Aghori sect. International Journal of Transpersonal Studies, 29(1), 128–134.. International Journal of Transpersonal Studies, 29 (1). https://doi.org/10.24972/ijts.2010.29.1.128