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The afterlife (also known as life after death) is the notion of something, typically spiritual and experiential, that happens to human beings when they die.

There is no widely agreed-upon scientific evidence for life after death, though some would point to studies of near-death experiences as such evidence. In any case, some -- particularly atheists and agnostics of a scientific, rational, or rationalistic mindset -- hold that we entirely cease to exist. For those who do believe in an afterlife, there are various notions about it. Probably the most common notion (common to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) is that human souls go on for eternity to a place of happiness or torment, such as heaven, hell, or purgatory or limbo. Others, notably Hindus, believe we reincarnate, whether as humans or as animals. Some Neopagans believe in personal reincarnation, whereas some believe that the energy of one's soul reintegrates with a continuum of such energy which is recycled into other living things as they are born.

The study of views of the afterlife is a part of Eschatology, which deals with the soul, the resurrection of the dead, the messianic era, and the end of the world.

Many religions hold that after death people get reward or punishment based on their deeds or faith. The Christian Bible, for example, contains the words of Jesus: "The measure you give will be the measure you get." (from the Sermon on the Mount?). For many, believe in an afterlife is a consolation in connection with death of a beloved one or the prospect of one's own death. On the other hand, fear of hell etc. may make death worse.

In view of the eternity of afterlife, some consider regular life as relatively unimportant, except for determining whether or not afterlife follows, and/or what kind. It is just a provisional situation, and the metaphor of a tent as provisional housing facility is used:

Quote from the bible, Corinthians-2, 5:1: For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

Others, including some Universalists, believe in universalism which holds that all will be rewarded regardless of what they have done or believed.

The question whether or not there is life after death is closely related to the mind-body problem, and like that problem is one of the classic problems of so-called rational psychology and hence of one (now largely outdated) notion of the scope of metaphysics.

The belief in the existence of ghosts and other undead is a reflection of the belief in an afterlife.

See also Eschatology, predestination, Immortality

After life (ワンダフルライフ or Wonderful Life, 1998 by Hirohazu Koreeda 是枝裕和) is an award-winning Japanese movie.

The theme of the movie is individual soul-searching. The way of presentation in the movie is rather unique and to some people humorous.

The whole movie is set in a structure resembling a somewhat decrepit travel lodge. A group of people who have just died check in at the beginning of each week, and the "social workers" resident in the lodge explain to each guest their situation. The newly-dead have until Wednesday to decide what the single happiest or most significant memory from their life is, and then for the rest of the week the workers make short movies to recreate each person's chosen memory.

At the end of the week, the movies are shown in the screening room. As soon as each person sees his or her own memory, he or she vanishes to whatever unknown state of existence lies beyond and takes only that single memory with them into eternity.

The stories of the guests and the workers' past life and how each individual dealt with them in the way-station give the movie a lot of depth. Without reading the subtitles or understanding the dialog, the look and feel of the movie gives absolutely no hint on the serious theme behind it. Perhaps such unexpected and unique story telling technique won the movie its awards.