[Normal] The Question of Immortality By An Arkanian Acolyte

[Sarias]

***A task assigned by Neophyte Khatatas Ronith entailing Acolyte Sovernus’s view and understanding on Immortality.***

Assignment Registry #0295: Update: Subjects of Interest: Ronith, Khatatas; Downloading from Nova, Sovernus <Personal Archive>
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From the dawning of civilizations, immortality has been a constant inquiry since ancient antiquities.

A notion that is defined by the indefinite continuation of a person’s existence, even after death. A state in direct parallel to a Sith’s ultimate pinnacle of existence, to span eternity in perpetuity.

In common parlance, immortality is virtually indistinguishable from afterlife, regardless of whether or not that continuation is indefinite.

From this we can infer that immortality implies a never-ending existence, regardless of whether or not a body dies.

A substantial part of the discussion touches upon the fundamental question: “Does the soul exist?”

From varying witnesses and accounts, the essences of the Force often manifest as Force Ghosts fueled by fathomless depth of dark side emotions, often establishing itself in nexuses of abyssal energy.

This hinges on the theory of a continued existence beyond the afterlife, related to the discussion of personal identity. Any account of immortality must address how the dead person could be identical to the original person that once lived.

Yet historical accounts confirm the possibility from prior existences of eminence such as Marka Ragnos, who unveiled his presence beyond his appointed time, to announce his proclamation to Naga Sadow & Ludo Kreesh. The conduit of which is the usage of the Force, to allow him to manifest in the physical realm, maintaining the same identity as he lived in life.

The semantic difficulty concerning the term ‘death’ arises for classical researchers, such as the common Arkanian. The term is often defined in its physiological state as the cessation of biological functions that allows life to function.

Herein lies the contradiction, if immortality is the continuation of life even after death, it offers no sense to state that someone has died and yet survived death.

One can infer that to be immortal is- to be precisely, not to suffer death. Thus, whoever dies, stops existing; nobody is immortal after death, precisely because death means the end of existence.

For convenience, we may establish that ‘death’ merely implies the decomposition of the body, but not necessarily the end of a person’s existence. Subsequently a person may experience cessation of their biological construct, as their body no longer exists- but may continue to exist either in incorporeal or ethereal bodies. Thus, the focus of immortality lies within the ‘soul’ not the ‘body’.

Consider an existence that achieves immortality contained within a biological construct, while biologically it endures over centuries, the vessel cannot resist wearing down mentally and physically with time. Degradation withers the vessel, ages the mind and ‘stretches’ the limit of one’s physical function.

This form is a stained immortality, a false condition that extends one’s lifespan but neglects other aspects such as sustainability. Whereas an incorporeal form requires no sustenance on a biological level. A misconception arises where one assumes immortality refers to eternal youth whereas these concepts are not mutual.

That which cannot function independently in perpetuity cannot be called eternal.

Therefore, I define immortality in terms of attaining a state of existence that retains non-corporeal or ethereal forms, prior to the cessation of our biological construct.

An inquiry is given:“What is true immortality?"

"For a single individual to transcend life and death?"
"Or is it the immortalization of one’s legacy?”

One’s legacy may refer to the eventual succession of a certain bloodline, as often is the assumption within Pureblooded Houses.

When something has a shape, it cannot help but perish. All living things internalize death the moment they are born. Something without death internalized within them, is something not subjected to the degradation of time.

Yet all life eventually breaks down.

The realization dawns upon everyone, yet they continue to struggle desperately to continue existing. When they judge it is not possible, they continue to reproduce instead. It is obsolete with no recompense, since internally as an individual, they acknowledge their eventual death. Which as aforementioned, is not immortality as it is a pseudo extension of one’s will, beyond the termination of one’s biological construct.

From the inquiry given, I personally view the former statement to be in close alignment to the truth.

To attain a form that has no dependencies, would imply an existence in perpetuity. To exist as a corporeal or ethereal form, without the degradation of time withering cells on a microscopic level. To possess no form that internalizes death. Ascension beyond life and death would allow one to dictate the terms of existence. Therefore, it provides a solution to the previously mentioned contradiction;

“If immortality is the continuation of life even after death, it offers no sense to state that someone has died and yet survived death.”

Eternity can be achieved through perpetual existence even beyond death when one incorporate death within the method of immortality. The only way to escape death is to ‘die’, to preserve one’s essence after death is what would make one truly immortal. Therefore, true immortality is beyond the continuation of life even after death, it is the entire subjugation of the concept.

As stated before, becoming an eternal being living as a singular vessel with immortality is impossible, as long years will destroy the body and wear away the flexibility of the mind. Rather than seeking immortality as a single vessel, one immortalizes one’s soul to exist as multiple vessels.

In order to preserve the purity of essence, a method is devised similar to reincarnation. To be ‘birthed’ into existence within another vessel, to ‘exist’ as that vessel, and finally to ‘die’ as the vessel. From here on is a repetition of cycles, to effectively transfer one’s essence to another.

To internalize death, yet dictate its course, not as an end but rather a transitionary period.

Perhaps that is the core of the clandestine ‘Transfer Essence’ ability, a coveted technique that is utilized by unimaginably powerful Sith Lords in the past. Purported to be in possession of Karness Muur, Darth Andeddu, Exar Kun and the former Emperor. This cycle would preserve one’s identity and purity of essence for generations in perpetuity- to span eternity.

When one states that it is no true immortality, as it is dependent on vessels- it is arbitrarily true. However conceptually, existence only exists when there is an observer. If no observer exists in the universe, there would not be anyone to confirm the universe’s existence. It would make attaining true immortality obsolete, on a conceptual level.

I conclude this by stating the aforementioned statements. Immortality is to transcend into a non-tangible, non-corporeal or ethereal form and true immortality can only be achieved when one subjugates the concepts of life and death. Since time immemorial, the pursuit of immortality is intricately woven within the Sith for millenias.

Perhaps there is certain truth in the term “Darth”, as often historians suggest it derives from the Rakata word ‘darr’ meaning ‘triumph’ and ‘tah’ meaning ‘death’. ‘’Conquest through death’’ may indeed imply immortality. Darth…The embodiment of death. To dictate the terms of death, to subjugate death itself…. Perhaps we’ve lost the true meaning, it may forever be forgotten in the sands of time.

As I bring this to a close, I realize the knowledge I have expressed in this essay brought a new appreciation or interpretation of an age-old wisdom that lingered in my mind.

“It is not death that a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live.”

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