¤[Theme music]¤
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¤[Theme music]¤
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¤[Sound of bell ringing]¤
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¤[Sound of bell ringing]¤
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>>John Bradshaw: This is It
Is Written. I'm John Bradshaw.
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Thanks for joining
me in Varanasi, India,
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on the banks of
the Ganges River.
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[Laundry slapping on rocks]
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[Sea gulls]
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It's a bustling city,
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believed to be one of the oldest
inhabited cities in the world.
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It has a population of
over 1.2 million people,
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one of 50 or so Indian cities
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that have a
population of a million or more.
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For centuries it's been
renowned for silk weaving
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and carpet making.
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More than three million
tourists come here every year
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from all over India
and from around the world.
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¤[Music]¤
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[Chanting]
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Varanasi is
considered to be the most sacred
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of Hinduism's
seven sacred cities,
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and it sits on the banks of
Hinduism's most sacred river.
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The city is also
important to Buddhism.
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It is said that Buddha founded
Buddhism here in this place
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about 500 years before Christ.
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In fact, he
delivered his first sermon
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about six miles from here.
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[Sea gulls]
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[Water splashing]
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It's the
spiritual capital of India,
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and it's an
important intellectual
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and theological center.
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And for more
than a billion Hindus,
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if you want to
live for eternity,
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no place matters
more than Varanasi.
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¤[Music]¤
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[Man speaking Hindi]
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In Varanasi we
have an order of monks
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that have been
here since the 1800s.
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I find great peace here.
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I feel like I am at
home when I am here.
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>>John: Hindus
believe the Ganges River,
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Ganga, they call it here,
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came from heaven,
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given by the god Shiva,
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one of the
principal gods of Hinduism.
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[Man speaking Hindi]
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To us monks, the
Ganges River is sacred
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as it came from the
hills of lord Shiva.
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We come here to purify ourselves
and when we take a bath in it,
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we feel rejuvenated.
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Hindu man: It is said that the
lord himself chose this place
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built this place,
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resides in this place,
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and does not leave the place.
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He does not forsake those
destitutes that come to him.
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He's the lord of the destitutes,
the orphans, the widows,
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the persons that
don't have anybody else.
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¤[Music]¤
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>>John: What is it that makes
the Ganges River so special?
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>>Hindu man: So Ganga is
the most holy river in India
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than others
because she is our mother.
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We are calling Ganga Ma.
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Varanasi is a very holy
city and a very powerful city.
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People come for so many things.
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They go to temple,
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pray for family,
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pray for parents,
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bring the ashes.
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Of course, when they come to us,
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we bless them so
they can have a good life.
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They go to the
temple, they have a good life.
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They think it is
the good karma they do.
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¤[Music]¤
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>>John: But it's what
happens here on the ghats,
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these flights of massive
steps leading down to the river,
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that makes
Varanasi so important.
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It's here that
Hindus cremate their dead.
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So many
cremations take place here
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that they happen continually,
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24 hours a day,
seven days a week
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the only place
where that happens.
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It's believed that if
you are cremated on the banks
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of the Ganges River,
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then you receive salvation
as a direct consequence of that.
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There's a story told
about an unrepentant sinner
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who was killed by a
tiger in the forest.
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His soul was on its way to hell.
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At that same time,
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some vultures were picking
away at the remains of his body.
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A vulture took off, flew away,
with a bone of the man's foot.
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As it was flying above
this river, the Ganges,
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it fought off another bird,
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lost its grip on that foot bone,
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the foot bone fell from
the air into the Ganges River,
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and at that moment that
the bone of the man's foot
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made contact with
the water of the Ganges,
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his soul, which was
just about to enter hell,
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was rescued and taken
instead off to heaven.
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So you can see,
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the Ganges River is
very important in the life
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and in the
afterlife of Hindu believers.
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And just behind me,
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there are some
lodgings where people
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will come to live
out their last days.
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They die here,
thanking the gods.
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They're cremated
right about where they died,
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and sure enough,
everlasting life is theirs.
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¤[Music]¤
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The question that motivates
the people who come to Varanasi
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is the same question that
speaks to every human heart:
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what of the afterlife?
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Where will you spend eternity?
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And how do you get there?
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How do you have
hope beyond death?
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That's an important question.
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You live your three
score and ten, and then?
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Benjamin Franklin wrote,
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“I look upon
death to be as necessary
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to the constitution as sleep.
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We shall rise
refreshed in the morning.”
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Varanasi, the pathway to
heaven, is well established.
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But how can you
get from here to there?
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I'll have more in a moment.
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¤[Music]¤
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¤[Music]¤
00:10:18.15\00:10:26.02
>>John: Thanks for joining
me today on It Is Written.
00:10:26.05\00:10:28.46
I'm John Bradshaw.
00:10:28.49\00:10:30.23
In Varanasi, India, on
the banks of the Ganges River,
00:10:30.26\00:10:33.40
in Uttar Pradesh State.
00:10:33.43\00:10:35.53
From here it's
only 150 miles to Nepal.
00:10:35.56\00:10:40.07
There are 1.3 billion
people living in India.
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That's more than the United
States and Europe combined.
00:10:43.74\00:10:46.61
There are more people in India
than there are in all of Africa.
00:10:46.64\00:10:51.21
And while not
every Indian is Hindu,
00:10:51.25\00:10:53.65
the vast majority of
people who live in India
00:10:53.68\00:10:56.89
are certainly of
that religious persuasion.
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It's here on the ghats,
00:11:00.19\00:11:03.02
the steps leading
down to the Ganges River,
00:11:03.06\00:11:05.79
that Hindus cremate their dead.
00:11:05.83\00:11:07.50
It is believed
that if you're cremated
00:11:07.50\00:11:09.80
on the banks of the Ganges,
00:11:09.83\00:11:11.77
then you
automatically receive salvation.
00:11:11.80\00:11:14.77
And if you're not, your ashes
are deposited in the river,
00:11:14.80\00:11:18.17
then that's very special.
00:11:18.21\00:11:19.47
Now, it's not always as
simple as it might appear
00:11:19.51\00:11:22.98
for someone to be
cremated here who wants to be.
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Varanasi is in the
north of the country.
00:11:26.41\00:11:29.12
There's logistical factors to
consider, and cost factors too.
00:11:29.15\00:11:34.72
For someone who
doesn't have a lot of money,
00:11:34.76\00:11:36.83
even buying the
wood for a cremation
00:11:36.86\00:11:39.83
can be absolutely
impossible, out of their reach.
00:11:39.86\00:11:43.40
Every cremation requires
more than half a ton of wood.
00:11:43.43\00:11:47.90
And when you multiply that out,
00:11:47.94\00:11:50.34
factoring in how many cremations
take place in India a year,
00:11:50.37\00:11:53.74
that means somewhere
between 50 and 60 million trees
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are used in
cremations in India every year.
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They call this
antyeshti, the last sacrifice.
00:12:05.05\00:12:09.29
It's a detailed ceremony.
00:12:09.32\00:12:11.33
The body is washed,
00:12:11.36\00:12:12.99
wrapped
typically in white cloth,
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carried to the cremation ground,
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and placed with
the feet facing south.
00:12:16.80\00:12:20.27
The body is
washed in the Ganges,
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and Ganges water is placed
in the mouth of the deceased.
00:12:21.94\00:12:26.44
The person leading the ceremony
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walks around the
pyre and the body,
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placing sesame seeds or
rice in the dead person's mouth.
00:12:30.55\00:12:34.88
The body is sprinkled
with ghee, clarified butter.
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The last act of cremation
00:12:38.79\00:12:40.66
is for the skull to
be pierced with a poker,
00:12:40.69\00:12:44.09
so the soul can be let out.
00:12:44.13\00:12:46.13
But one thing's for sure:
00:12:48.90\00:12:51.17
the Hindu wants to make
it to a state called moksha,
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which is essentially the
same as Nirvana in Buddhism.
00:12:55.40\00:12:58.97
Moksha is a state of
oneness with Brahman,
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the One Supreme Self.
00:13:02.31\00:13:04.31
>>Hindu man: When dead
bodies are cremated here,
00:13:08.82\00:13:11.29
they will get moksha
and go directly to God.
00:13:11.32\00:13:15.39
And God, God will
keep them for all time,
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and never send again
to the circle (Samsara).
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If someone dies far away
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and you bring the
dead body to Varanasi,
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also they will have moksha.
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I've seen from France,
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I've seen from Delhi,
00:13:33.21\00:13:34.31
I've seen from Mumbai.
00:13:34.34\00:13:35.58
If they have
enough money to bring,
00:13:35.61\00:13:37.68
of course they try.
00:13:37.71\00:13:38.85
Varanasi is sure.
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Hundred percent sure.
00:13:44.49\00:13:46.59
[Water splashing]
00:13:46.62\00:13:50.59
>>John: In order
to achieve moksha,
00:13:50.63\00:13:52.66
to go to heaven basically,
00:13:52.69\00:13:54.60
a Hindu goes through samsara,
00:13:54.63\00:13:57.23
the cycle of death and rebirth.
00:13:57.27\00:14:00.50
You live, you die, and
you return in another form.
00:14:00.54\00:14:04.87
It might be as a human.
00:14:04.91\00:14:06.71
It might be as an animal.
00:14:06.74\00:14:08.61
Reincarnation is
fundamental to Buddhism.
00:14:08.64\00:14:12.05
You didn't rise
high enough in this life
00:14:12.08\00:14:13.98
to make it to
the ultimate place,
00:14:14.02\00:14:16.18
so you come back again
and repeat the process,
00:14:16.22\00:14:18.92
hopefully having learned
from what you've endured before.
00:14:18.95\00:14:21.92
In common with most
other religious faiths,
00:14:25.86\00:14:28.73
Hinduism concerns itself with
00:14:28.76\00:14:30.60
getting to the
ultimate place in the afterlife.
00:14:30.63\00:14:34.24
So how do you get to
your place in the afterlife?
00:14:34.27\00:14:38.24
How do you receive salvation?
00:14:38.27\00:14:41.28
For the people
who come to Varanasi,
00:14:41.31\00:14:43.61
it's more about
achieving than receiving.
00:14:43.65\00:14:48.08
And a big part of this
is something called karma.
00:14:48.12\00:14:51.25
The western mind has been
conditioned to view karma as,
00:14:53.82\00:14:56.93
you did something bad, and
so now something equally bad
00:14:56.96\00:15:00.13
is going to happen to you.
00:15:00.16\00:15:01.66
Which essentially is
the idea that good actions
00:15:01.70\00:15:03.93
lead to good consequences,
00:15:03.97\00:15:05.07
while bad intentions and
actions contribute to bad karma
00:15:05.10\00:15:08.17
and future suffering.
00:15:08.20\00:15:09.77
Your actions decide your fate.
00:15:09.80\00:15:12.11
If you want a better
outcome, change your actions.
00:15:12.14\00:15:15.64
Which, when you think about it,
00:15:15.68\00:15:17.38
is a tremendously
difficult path to the afterlife.
00:15:17.41\00:15:21.28
How much good is
enough to get to heaven?
00:15:21.32\00:15:24.35
[Water splashing]
00:15:24.39\00:15:27.22
Man speaking Hindi:
Whether I am cremated,
00:15:27.26\00:15:29.79
put into the water or buried,
00:15:29.82\00:15:32.29
is that my salvation?
00:15:32.33\00:15:33.56
No.
00:15:33.60\00:15:35.46
It is by worship.
00:15:35.50\00:15:37.57
My works, writing, charity,
and food is my salvation.
00:15:37.60\00:15:43.27
If I serve the poor or children
it is counted toward salvation.
00:15:43.30\00:15:50.95
Respecting the
saints is my salvation.
00:15:50.98\00:15:53.78
It is not necessary that I
be cremated to get salvation.
00:15:53.82\00:15:55.78
It is by my devotion.
00:15:55.82\00:15:59.02
People come here to
worship and to get salvation.
00:15:59.05\00:16:04.66
The work is to
help the poor and hungry
00:16:04.69\00:16:07.50
who will die without help.
00:16:07.50\00:16:12.50
It is also important to
help the lepers and the lame.
00:16:12.53\00:16:20.04
We need to give
food to the hungry
00:16:20.08\00:16:23.91
and teach love to all.
00:16:23.95\00:16:25.28
Kashi does not
teach to sow thorns.
00:16:25.31\00:16:27.92
In all ghats there is
the presence of the truth
00:16:27.95\00:16:29.25
and the lord.
00:16:29.28\00:16:32.52
>>John: Karma
sounds an awful lot like
00:16:32.89\00:16:35.62
“you reap what you sow.”
00:16:35.66\00:16:37.36
That's what Paul
said to the Galatians:
00:16:37.39\00:16:39.13
“Whatever a man sows,
that shall he also reap.”
00:16:39.16\00:16:42.93
But when you stop
and think about it,
00:16:42.96\00:16:44.50
karma can only be
salvation by works.
00:16:44.53\00:16:48.24
Ultimately, with
karma, your good deeds
00:16:48.27\00:16:51.14
outweigh your bad deeds.
00:16:51.17\00:16:52.81
Now, think about that.
00:16:52.84\00:16:55.44
Think about somebody
like the thief on the cross.
00:16:55.48\00:16:57.48
He was a thief;
00:16:57.51\00:16:58.58
he was unrepentant until
the last moment of his life,
00:16:58.61\00:17:01.98
when on the cross he
cried out to Jesus, and he said,
00:17:02.02\00:17:04.69
“When you come in
your kingdom, remember me.”
00:17:04.72\00:17:07.42
That man, we know, died saved.
00:17:07.46\00:17:10.99
Karma couldn't have helped him,
00:17:11.03\00:17:12.16
because a life of bad deeds
00:17:12.19\00:17:14.86
certainly could
not be outweighed
00:17:14.93\00:17:16.26
by one good deed at the end.
00:17:16.30\00:17:18.87
Now, you've got to be careful
when you talk about karma.
00:17:18.90\00:17:20.57
It's a nuanced thing,
00:17:20.60\00:17:21.84
and Hinduism is a
little bit like there.
00:17:21.87\00:17:23.57
There are lots of
different schools of thoughts,
00:17:23.61\00:17:26.11
lots of different philosophies,
many different interpretations.
00:17:26.14\00:17:28.94
So we must be careful
00:17:28.98\00:17:29.98
that we don't draw
this thing in too tightly.
00:17:30.01\00:17:32.45
But ultimately, karma says
salvation depends upon you,
00:17:32.48\00:17:38.55
what you've done
during your life,
00:17:38.59\00:17:40.16
what you've
managed to accumulate.
00:17:40.19\00:17:42.52
So that in the judgment
there's more to credit you
00:17:42.56\00:17:45.39
than to discredit you,
00:17:45.43\00:17:46.86
and so therefore
you have salvation.
00:17:46.90\00:17:49.13
Christianity teaches that
we're all hopelessly lost,
00:17:49.16\00:17:52.40
that there's no amount
of good that you can do
00:17:52.43\00:17:55.37
to merit salvation in any way.
00:17:55.40\00:17:58.57
Nothing you can
do outweighs the fact
00:17:58.61\00:18:01.78
that you have sinned and
come short of the glory of God.
00:18:01.81\00:18:04.45
Now, of course, that does
not mean we should not do good;
00:18:04.48\00:18:06.88
saved people do good;
00:18:06.92\00:18:08.48
people who have come to faith in
Christ live lives to please God.
00:18:08.52\00:18:13.09
But Christianity
teaches karma cannot help you.
00:18:13.12\00:18:17.86
As a lost person,
salvation is out of your reach.
00:18:17.89\00:18:22.33
The only thing that
can help you to produce
00:18:22.36\00:18:25.43
good deeds in your
life is the power of Christ,
00:18:25.47\00:18:28.10
as the Holy
Spirit works through you.
00:18:28.14\00:18:30.47
Christianity teaches we
are lost and without hope;
00:18:30.51\00:18:34.84
we are saved by grace,
through faith in Jesus Christ.
00:18:34.88\00:18:40.42
Our faith in Jesus lays
hold on the grace of God,
00:18:40.45\00:18:44.95
which gives us the salvation
that we can never deserve,
00:18:44.99\00:18:50.16
never earn,
00:18:50.19\00:18:51.99
and that in no way
could we ever merit.
00:18:52.03\00:18:55.73
I'll be back with
more in just a moment.
00:18:55.76\00:18:57.40
¤[Music]¤
00:18:57.43\00:19:05.24
¤[Music]¤
00:19:07.01\00:19:10.45
Today I'd like to ask
you to help It Is Written
00:19:10.48\00:19:12.68
open the eyes of the blind.
00:19:12.71\00:19:15.08
India has more blind people
than any country on Earth,
00:19:15.12\00:19:18.12
but simple cataract
surgery can make the difference
00:19:18.15\00:19:20.82
between seeing and not seeing.
00:19:20.86\00:19:22.92
Eyes for India is a project
thats providing cataract surgery
00:19:22.96\00:19:26.23
for people in desperate
need of the gift of sight.
00:19:26.26\00:19:29.46
Please help today.
00:19:29.50\00:19:30.77
Call 800-253-3000
00:19:30.80\00:19:34.20
Or visit ItIsWritten.com
00:19:34.24\00:19:36.97
>>John: Thanks for joining
me today on It Is Written.
00:19:37.94\00:19:40.51
More than one billion
people around the world
00:19:40.54\00:19:42.98
consider Varanasi
in northeastern India
00:19:43.01\00:19:46.01
to be the
world's most sacred city.
00:19:46.05\00:19:48.52
People come here from all over
the planet in search of hope.
00:19:48.55\00:19:54.32
Hindus believe that death is
a doorway to another existence.
00:19:54.36\00:19:59.43
The goal for
the Hindu is moksha,
00:19:59.46\00:20:02.13
what Buddhists
would call nirvana.
00:20:02.16\00:20:05.13
Devoted Hindus try
to live virtuous lives
00:20:05.17\00:20:07.67
so they can finally make it out
of the cycle of life and death.
00:20:07.70\00:20:14.34
And all day, every day,
00:20:14.38\00:20:16.85
the dead are cremated here on
the banks of the Ganges River.
00:20:16.88\00:20:21.55
And that's really
what Varanasi is all about.
00:20:21.58\00:20:24.49
People come here to die.
00:20:24.52\00:20:26.55
They'll take up residence here,
00:20:26.59\00:20:28.46
because if you
die here in Varanasi,
00:20:28.49\00:20:31.19
you get moksha,
00:20:31.23\00:20:32.36
salvation, just like that.
00:20:32.39\00:20:34.56
If you're cremated here: moksha.
00:20:34.56\00:20:38.10
People have been brought
here from all over the world
00:20:38.13\00:20:40.17
to be cremated, because
if you're cremated here,
00:20:40.20\00:20:43.07
you go to heaven.
00:20:43.10\00:20:45.57
Man speaking Hindi:
Ganga is a salvation giver.
00:20:50.81\00:20:53.18
It resides in
the feet of Narayan.
00:20:53.21\00:20:56.48
It starts from
the wheel of Bharma
00:20:56.52\00:20:59.32
and falls in
the feet of Narayan.
00:20:59.35\00:21:02.09
From Narayan it goes to the sea.
00:21:02.12\00:21:06.03
Ganga is important and vital.
00:21:06.06\00:21:08.26
Man will understand
when Ganga is taken away.
00:21:08.30\00:21:11.60
¤[Music]¤
00:21:11.70\00:21:16.74
>>John: And all of this
represents a couple of things.
00:21:16.77\00:21:19.24
One: billions of
people in the world,
00:21:19.27\00:21:21.81
in various religious traditions,
believe in salvation by works.
00:21:21.84\00:21:27.45
By just do this, or that,
00:21:27.48\00:21:30.09
make this pilgrimage,
00:21:30.12\00:21:31.55
say this prayer,
00:21:31.59\00:21:33.12
die here,
00:21:33.15\00:21:34.22
visit this priest,
00:21:34.26\00:21:36.19
if I do these things
I'll find favor with God
00:21:36.22\00:21:39.23
and I'll be given salvation.
00:21:39.26\00:21:41.43
That's salvation dependent
entirely upon what you do.
00:21:41.46\00:21:45.97
Salvation by works.
00:21:46.00\00:21:48.47
But the Bible is clear
that salvation is a gift of God.
00:21:48.50\00:21:52.47
God grants it by grace.
00:21:52.51\00:21:55.18
Good works are a response
to the gift of salvation.
00:21:55.21\00:21:58.58
They don't merit salvation.
00:21:58.61\00:22:03.02
And now think of this:
00:22:03.05\00:22:04.62
it's obvious that
people want hope in death,
00:22:04.65\00:22:08.02
to the extent that
they'll spend as much money
00:22:08.06\00:22:10.73
as it takes to live or die here,
00:22:10.76\00:22:14.00
to be cremated here.
00:22:14.00\00:22:16.13
I met a man here who told
me he has come to Varanasi
00:22:16.16\00:22:18.63
to “wait for my
liberation,” as he put it.
00:22:18.67\00:22:22.20
He can't get that in any
other city, so he's here.
00:22:22.24\00:22:26.64
If he dies here,
eternal life, right place.
00:22:26.68\00:22:33.31
The afterlife matters.
00:22:34.25\00:22:35.52
If this life was all you had,
00:22:35.55\00:22:37.45
then you would have something
that's painfully small.
00:22:37.49\00:22:39.79
God wants you to live forever.
00:22:39.82\00:22:41.66
But, of course,
the question is, how?
00:22:41.69\00:22:44.79
Now, if you were
looking to make a pilgrimage
00:22:44.83\00:22:47.20
to somehow merit favor with God,
00:22:47.23\00:22:49.23
let me save you a
whole lot of money.
00:22:49.26\00:22:51.67
In John 14, verse 6, Jesus said,
00:22:51.70\00:22:54.97
“I am the way, the
truth, and the life.”
00:22:55.00\00:22:59.01
According to the
Bible, salvation is free.
00:22:59.04\00:23:01.98
Your passport to
the afterlife is free,
00:23:02.01\00:23:04.31
and it comes
through Jesus Christ.
00:23:04.35\00:23:06.55
If you know Christ Jesus,
00:23:06.58\00:23:08.92
then you have what the
people who come here to Varanasi
00:23:08.95\00:23:11.12
would refer to as
moksha: salvation.
00:23:11.15\00:23:13.69
¤[Music]¤
00:23:13.72\00:23:17.13
Getting out of this
world and into the next world
00:23:17.16\00:23:19.69
is totally dependent
upon faith in Jesus Christ.
00:23:19.73\00:23:23.53
Here's what happens
at the end of this age.
00:23:23.57\00:23:25.90
First
Thessalonians 4:16 and 17 say,
00:23:25.93\00:23:28.60
“For the Lord Himself
will descend from heaven
00:23:28.64\00:23:31.37
with a shout, with
the voice of an archangel,
00:23:31.41\00:23:34.04
and with the trumpet of God.
00:23:34.08\00:23:35.94
And the dead in
Christ will rise first.
00:23:35.98\00:23:40.08
Then we who are alive and remain
shall be caught up together
00:23:40.12\00:23:42.85
with them in the clouds
to meet the Lord in the air.
00:23:42.88\00:23:46.25
And thus we shall
always be with the Lord.”
00:23:46.29\00:23:50.03
John wrote in First John 5:12:
00:23:50.06\00:23:53.19
“He who has the Son has life;
00:23:53.23\00:23:55.96
he who does not have the
Son of God does not have life.”
00:23:56.00\00:24:00.37
And there's salvation.
00:24:00.40\00:24:02.14
In Jesus Christ.
00:24:02.17\00:24:04.84
You know, there's something
attractive to the human heart
00:24:04.87\00:24:07.78
about the idea that you
can actually do something
00:24:07.81\00:24:10.91
to merit salvation.
00:24:10.95\00:24:12.75
But it's the absolute antithesis
of the message of the gospel.
00:24:12.78\00:24:17.79
Now, let me ask you,
00:24:17.82\00:24:19.39
where is your hope?
00:24:19.42\00:24:20.92
Do you have hope right now?
00:24:20.96\00:24:23.63
I'll bet so many
people, living without hope,
00:24:23.66\00:24:25.79
they feel like for some reason
eternity is closed off to them.
00:24:25.83\00:24:30.87
You'd be surprised how
many people wander through life
00:24:30.90\00:24:34.10
feeling like they're just
not good enough to go to heaven.
00:24:34.14\00:24:38.11
And then there are
those people who feel like
00:24:38.14\00:24:39.57
they are good
enough to go to heaven.
00:24:39.61\00:24:40.91
That might be an
even bigger problem.
00:24:40.94\00:24:44.28
Our salvation is
found in Jesus Christ.
00:24:44.31\00:24:46.72
It's not through
what we have done,
00:24:46.75\00:24:48.05
not through
anything that we deserve;
00:24:48.08\00:24:49.88
it's not by
something we can earn;
00:24:49.92\00:24:51.62
there's no ritual we can perform
that, by performing that ritual,
00:24:51.65\00:24:56.02
somehow turns the frown
of God into the smile of God.
00:24:56.06\00:25:00.30
Salvation just
doesn't work like that.
00:25:00.33\00:25:02.43
No, we don't deserve it.
00:25:02.46\00:25:03.97
But it's free to us.
00:25:04.00\00:25:05.27
It's a gift, a gift given to
us when we possess Jesus Christ.
00:25:05.30\00:25:08.74
I want you to know,
and God wants you to know,
00:25:08.77\00:25:10.64
that God so loved the
world that He gave Jesus Christ,
00:25:10.67\00:25:14.24
so that by believing in
Him, you might have salvation.
00:25:14.28\00:25:17.81
Hope now in this world,
00:25:17.85\00:25:20.55
and hope for the world to come.
00:25:20.58\00:25:22.15
Salvation because of
what God has done for you.
00:25:22.18\00:25:26.15
And when you accept
Jesus Christ into your life,
00:25:26.19\00:25:28.42
He will do in you,
00:25:28.46\00:25:30.26
if you'll allow Him to,
00:25:30.29\00:25:31.79
everything that
needs to be done.
00:25:31.83\00:25:33.90
Remember Second
Corinthians 12, verses 9 and 10.
00:25:33.93\00:25:36.46
Paul wrote:
00:25:36.50\00:25:37.53
“And He said to me,
00:25:37.57\00:25:39.10
‘My grace is sufficient for you,
00:25:39.13\00:25:41.57
for My strength is
made perfect in weakness.'
00:25:41.60\00:25:46.14
Therefore most gladly I will
rather boast in my infirmities,
00:25:46.17\00:25:49.61
that the power of
Christ may rest upon me.
00:25:49.64\00:25:53.88
Therefore I take
pleasure in infirmities,
00:25:53.92\00:25:56.55
in reproaches,
00:25:56.58\00:25:57.45
in needs,
00:25:57.49\00:25:58.35
in persecutions,
00:25:58.39\00:25:59.82
in distresses,
00:25:59.85\00:26:00.79
for Christ's sake.
00:26:00.82\00:26:03.22
For when I am
weak, then I'm strong.”
00:26:03.26\00:26:07.76
[Sound of motor]
00:26:08.06\00:26:09.03
We're people.
00:26:09.06\00:26:10.13
We want hope,
00:26:10.17\00:26:11.23
hope in this world and
hope for the world to come.
00:26:11.27\00:26:13.80
Now, it would be something,
00:26:13.84\00:26:15.10
if you could just do
a certain thing and know
00:26:15.14\00:26:17.91
that on the basis
of that one thing,
00:26:17.94\00:26:20.88
everlasting life is yours.
00:26:20.91\00:26:22.74
Well, salvation
is not like that.
00:26:22.78\00:26:26.25
We receive it when
we don't deserve it,
00:26:26.28\00:26:30.19
through faith in Jesus Christ,
00:26:30.22\00:26:32.09
who said in
John 11 and verse 25,
00:26:32.12\00:26:35.19
“I am the
resurrection and the life.
00:26:35.22\00:26:38.26
He who believes in
Me, though he may die,
00:26:38.29\00:26:40.93
yet shall he live.”
00:26:40.96\00:26:44.70
If you choose to
believe in Jesus today,
00:26:44.73\00:26:46.77
you have salvation.
00:26:46.80\00:26:49.30
It's free.
00:26:49.34\00:26:50.71
No, you don't deserve it,
00:26:50.74\00:26:52.71
but you receive it as a
gift from a gracious God.
00:26:52.74\00:26:56.88
¤[Music]¤
00:26:56.91\00:27:05.05
>>John: Today
our free book offer
00:27:07.79\00:27:09.62
is for one of my
very favorite books,
00:27:09.66\00:27:11.89
“Steps to Christ.”
00:27:11.93\00:27:13.53
Please call or write
us, and “Steps to Christ”
00:27:13.56\00:27:16.40
will be on its way to you.
00:27:16.43\00:27:18.10
There's no cost
and no obligation.
00:27:18.13\00:27:20.20
Just call 1-800-253-3000,
00:27:20.24\00:27:24.24
and ask for the
book “Steps to Christ.”
00:27:24.27\00:27:27.44
You may also request
this free book by writing to
00:27:27.48\00:27:30.11
It Is Written, P O Box 6,
Chattanooga, Tennessee 37401,
00:27:30.15\00:27:36.02
and we'll mail a copy to
your address in North America.
00:27:36.05\00:27:39.52
For immediate
access you can download
00:27:39.55\00:27:41.36
a free electronic
version of the book
00:27:41.39\00:27:43.22
“Steps to Christ”
00:27:43.26\00:27:44.03
from our
website, itiswritten.com.
00:27:44.06\00:27:46.93
It Is Written is a
faith-based ministry
00:27:46.96\00:27:50.53
made possible by
viewers like you.
00:27:50.57\00:27:53.90
If you wish to help
the worldwide outreach of
00:27:53.94\00:27:56.17
It Is Written,
your tax-deductible gift
00:27:56.20\00:27:58.74
may be sent to the same address.
00:27:58.77\00:28:00.91
Or you can make a gift online at
00:28:00.94\00:28:02.78
itiswritten.com.
00:28:02.81\00:28:06.61
>>John: So how is
it with you today?
00:28:07.75\00:28:09.68
If you have
hope in Jesus Christ,
00:28:09.72\00:28:11.22
I want to encourage you to
rededicate your life to him now.
00:28:11.25\00:28:14.79
If you've not chosen
Jesus as your Lord and Savior,
00:28:14.82\00:28:17.96
you can do so now and face
the future with confidence.
00:28:17.99\00:28:22.00
You can know that
through Jesus eternity is yours.
00:28:22.03\00:28:24.43
Why don't we pray
together to that end?
00:28:24.47\00:28:26.74
Come on, let's pray.
00:28:26.77\00:28:28.54
Our Father in Heaven,
00:28:28.57\00:28:29.37
we thank You
today for hope in Jesus.
00:28:29.40\00:28:31.74
We know there's nothing
we can do to merit salvation,
00:28:31.77\00:28:34.24
to earn Your favor.
00:28:34.28\00:28:35.98
You've already
demonstrated Your love for us
00:28:36.01\00:28:37.85
by having Jesus
die for our eternity.
00:28:37.88\00:28:42.08
So now we choose to accept Him.
00:28:42.12\00:28:43.39
Friend, would you do that?
00:28:43.42\00:28:45.72
Jesus, come into our hearts.
00:28:45.75\00:28:47.09
Take them and make them Yours.
00:28:47.12\00:28:50.13
And we choose now to
believe that through Christ
00:28:50.16\00:28:51.89
we have salvation,
00:28:51.93\00:28:53.43
now and forever.
00:28:53.46\00:28:55.80
And Lord, work in us, please,
00:28:55.83\00:28:58.10
both to will and to do
for Your good pleasure.
00:28:58.13\00:29:01.67
We've accepted
You, and we thank You,
00:29:01.70\00:29:03.24
and we praise
you, with confidence,
00:29:03.27\00:29:05.11
in Jesus' name.
00:29:05.14\00:29:07.61
Amen.
00:29:07.64\00:29:09.54
Thanks so much
for joining me today.
00:29:09.58\00:29:11.28
I'm looking forward to
seeing you again next time.
00:29:11.31\00:29:14.18
Until then, remember:
00:29:14.22\00:29:15.55
It Is Written.
00:29:15.58\00:29:17.09
Man shall not
live by bread alone,
00:29:17.12\00:29:18.75
but by every word that
proceeds from the mouth of God.
00:29:18.79\00:29:22.49
¤[Theme music]¤
00:29:22.52\00:29:37.51