Summary
TheNarutoseries heavily drawsinspiration from Eastern mythologiesfor much of its concepts, and the series' notion of an afterlife is no different. The series calls its version of the afterworld the ‘Pure Land,’ a concept that seems to be derived from Buddhist mythology. However,Narutoadds a few elements of its own to this unique notion, making the afterlife a concrete part of its premise.
The Pure Land serves as a resting place for the souls of the deceased, yet they can be brought back through various techniques. A middle plane of existence also exists, serving as a gateway between the Pure and Impure worlds. While little is known about the intricacies of this afterworld, piecing together details from the series can shed light on this novel concept.
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The Pure Land
Since the Pure Land is depicted as a metaphysical place, little has been shown to the viewers about this world. However, it has been made clear that the Pure Land is the eventual resting place for all human beings that pass away. For a soul to find its way to this world, however, it must be free of any Earthly tethers. This is mostly in the form of sealing techniques that trap the soul inside another entity or regrets that may keep a soul tied to the Impure world.
The Reaper Death Sealis one example as souls that are sealed within this jutsu are eternally bound to the Shinigami’s stomach. For such unfortunate souls, reaching the Pure Land is impossible. Souls of those trapped within sealing tags also suffer a similar fate as the sealing tag bars the soul from escaping to its eventual resting place.
The Pure Land may be the final resting place of the deceased, yet their souls can still be brought back through various techniques.The Impure Reincarnation Jutsuis one example as it summons a soul from the Pure Land and binds it to a human vessel. The Hidden Sand’s Reanimation Technique is also similar in nature, but a human must be sacrificed for the deceased’s soul to come back. The Rinne Rebirth Technique can also pull souls out of the Pure Land, although it requires the caster to die. However, those brought back have no knowledge of their time in the Pure Land.
Purgatory
Purgatory is the middle plane of existence that separates the Pure Land from the Impure World or the world of the living. Souls that have recently departed the Impure World find themselves lingering here, though it’s mostly in the case of those that have regrets of their life on Earth. Some may also wait for their loved ones to reach Purgatory before they move on, as seen inthe case of Sakumo Hatakewho waited for Kakashi.
Souls that are brought back from Purgatory have their memories from this plane of existence intact, unlike those from the Pure Land. Chakra connects this world with the world of the living, andthose with enough Chakracan momentarily make their way back to the living. Obito was able to meet Kakashi once more from Purgatory using every last bit of his Chakra.
The Concept of Hell
The series has constantly reiterated that all souls find their way to the Pure Land, indicating that a place that resembles hell may not exist in the series. Even the most ruthless of Shinobi eventually found their way to the Pure Land, despite several heinous crimes under their belt. However, the Naraka Path ofthe Six Paths of Painis able to summon the King of Hell, which points towards the possible existence of such a place.
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While there’s no concrete answer, it’s likely that theNarutoseries afterworld is entirely based on the Buddhist system of reincarnation. According to this Buddhist system,a soul is reincarnatedbased on its past deeds. The lowest path is akin to the concept of hell, and souls must pass through all lower paths through reincarnation. The soul will eventually reach the highest plane after being reincarnated through several lives, coupled with atonement of past misdeeds.
Mythological Influence
The concept of the Pure Land is directly inspired from Buddhist Mythology, according to which the Pure Land is the celestial realm of Buddha. This plane of existence is considered to be the highest realm, and Buddhists aspire to reach this world. However, the concept of a Pure Land only exists in some sects of Buddhism, specifically those that have a focus on rebirth.
Some would say that the Pure Land is akin to paradise, or the general concept of Heaven. For Buddhists, however, each plane of existence is the same, with each one aiding the soul in its journey of atonement.Author Masashi Kishimotois known for incorporating elements of Buddhist philosophy into his works, and the Pure Land is another example of Eastern mythological Influence on the series.
