生死之旅．指南

生命是永恆的，愛是不朽的。而死亡，則不過如同黑暗與白晝的一個分界線罷了。
——肯內斯．克拉瑪 《宗教的死亡藝術》

值此戰爭與疫情紛沓而至的時刻，我們同死亡的距離似乎從未如此之近，不幸的是，對於死，恐懼多過於對未知的想像能力。曾經在文明的懵懂時期，自然萬物成為了人對與死亡的認識與想像，之後再由宗教的生死觀，呈現了諸多死後世界的面貌，成為人對生命的完整觀照。

人一方面在宗教的生死觀實踐意義；另一方面又以理性逐步將死亡隔絕在生活之外，並以科技，追求不再有死亡的理想世界。但我們也必須回問，死亡是生命的苦痛？還是展開意義人生的必要？

這正是世界宗教博物館長期所肩負的使命，從世界各宗教的生死觀出發，讓人回到自身與心靈。並透過生命教育系列特展，帶領觀眾進入生命階段的各個篇章，從2019年探討老年的「樂齡天團－老而彌堅的熱力」、2021年的初生與成長階段的「愛與勇氣的冒險之旅」、2022年「神隊友巴士『愛戀婚姻』線—世界愛神請帶隊」進入了壯年階段的愛戀挑戰，而今年度的特展「生死晝夜：與死亡中前行」正是此系列中討論生命中關於「結束」的篇章。

在這個疫情與戰爭改變許多人生命的時刻，我們不妨跟隨前人的腳步行進，透過一場未知的旅程，去想像死後世界的種種可能，如果生命的結束是另一場探索旅程的開始，那麼迎接我們的會是什麼？「生死晝夜」特展正是一趟關於生命的體驗之旅，我們誠摯邀請觀眾一同在知識與體驗的沈浸中想像生與死，這不僅是一趟穿越死亡的旅途，更是在此刻的陰霾中面向新生的契機。

“Life is eternal, love is immortal, and death is only a horizon between dark and light.”
——Kenneth Kramer, The Sacred Art of Dying

During this period marked by war and disease, we have seemingly never been closer to death. Unfortunately, the fear of death far outweighs imaginations about the unknown. While people’s understandings and imaginations of death were shaped by natural phenomena during earlier stages of civilization, concepts for an afterworld were later constructed through religious views on life and death that revealed a more holistic view of life.

On one hand, people seek meaning through religious perspectives on life and death. On the other hand, their rational sides gradually seek to separate death from their daily lives. Through technological means, they pursue an ideal world where death no longer exists. Nevertheless, we must ask this question: Is death a source of suffering in life, or a necessary factor for living a meaningful life?

This is exactly the long-term mission of the Museum of World Religions: enable people to reflect on their inner selves by drawing from the perspectives of life and death of different religions. The Life Education special exhibition takes viewers into the different phases of life. Some examples of the exhibition’s themes include “The Active Ageing Troupe–Lifelong, Intense Passion” in 2019, “Adventure of Love and Courage” about birth and different phases of growth in 2020, and “Love and Marriage–World Gods of Love” about romantic challenges for adults in 2021. This year’s special exhibition series, Bright as Night, Dark as Day–A Walk with the Death, features a discussion about “closure” in life.

As the pandemic and war continues to change lives around the world, why don’t we go on a journey into the unknown and explore the afterlife following the footsteps of those before us? What will be waiting for us on the other side if the end of life actually leads to a new beginning? The special exhibition, Bright as Night, Dark as Day, is an experiential journey through life. We cordially invite viewers to imagine life and death through both knowledge- and experience-based perspectives. This will not only serve as a journey through death, but also a new opportunity for rebirth amid the current darkness.