Are you looking for the Purpose of Life

Are you looking for a purpose in life? 

Have you wondered about the purpose of life? Why must one be born, live a life of ups and downs, start a family and eventually perish? Is this a repetitive cycle and is it ordained? If not, why must all of us go through this? Death seems to be a finality of life. All that one has earned – name, fame, power, money, respect, good deeds – all seem to be powerless at the final step. Upon retrospective evaluation it seems to make one’s accomplishments in life meaningless, entirely. People normally come to this point in their life either having achieved a pinnacle in this life yet feeling a longing or due to a keen observation of their surroundings. If the above resonates with you, read on. 

What is the nature of this inquiry? When one dies does that person take the miseries, sufferings, building, cars, wealth, or any one single accomplishment of their life with them. It would seem that any number of achievements of a person’s life remain here on earth. No one knows if there is a next life or not. Then, what really is REAL? Can we define the essential nature of this REALITY before we find out what it actually is? 

The TEN commandments! 

Let us start to define some of the expectations of this REALITY. What must this "thing" answer to? 

1. It must be true all the time This reality must be such that it should always be true. In the past, in the present and in future too. This is really the litmus test – True under any and all circumstances. Before life and during life and after life (in death too). 

2. It must be infinite It should not be limited. If it is limited in space by its size, then something bigger than it can easily overpower it. Hence it cannot be limited in space either. There are a few other characteristics (not qualities) that come along with this. 

3. Good & bad qualities Should this REALITY have qualities – either good or bad? Consider this, if one did a good job (in my view), it might be harmful to someone else. For example, if a soldier defended the country exceedingly well, that might come at the cost of the lives of the opposing soldiers. Or if one delivered very good healthcare for the members of the community, it is being done by killing other viruses. We build roads but by displacing communities and forests where animals live. You get the point. A good deed must have some negative effect on some others. Hence there is no absolute good or bad. Thus, this REALITY should have NO QUALITIES and which means no opposites in it. 

4. We may not know but can we imagine such a REALITY? Imagination implies that we do not know such a thing at a present time. Hence it requires two things - knowledge and some instrument/s of perception to understand that knowledge. To imagine something requires some past knowledge (even if not directly related) and intense inquiry (in the present) to discover a new order. This is often how new inventions are created. Connecting the dots of the previously known information (knowledge) results in a new discovered. Experiments are then designed to test and eventually prove this imagination or hypothesis. Let us assume that we have imagined this REALITY. 

How do we verify this? By our sense perceptions alone – like seeing (eyes), hearing (ears), smell (nose), taste (tongue) or feeling (touch). Each of these senses of perception, as we know are limited. For example, what a dog can hear or smell, we cannot. Some animals like the eagle have far sharper eyesight that humans and so on. You get the point. 

Our sense organs deliver information according to their respective physical limitations. We can of course design instruments that can magnify or amplify and so on. However, if the REALITY is Infinite, we need an “Infinite PLUS” kind of instrument to magnify it at the very least. Is such an instrument logical? Thus, anything that our senses can perceive cannot be this REALITY. 

5. This REALITY must have everything in its possession. Else, it will have something to desire due to the limitation (of not having everything). Desire is a quality and as we noted before, there cannot be any qualities or shortcomings to this REALITY. Thus, this REALITY must be complete and comprehensive in all respects. Otherwise, it will become a reality with some limitations. That means, not always REAL or True. 

6. There must be only ONE of its kind. If there is more than one, it won’t be REAL. Imagine if you have two oranges – one is bound to differ from the other – in some form or attributes. So, which of the two is really REAL? If there are two realities, there must also be some separation between them. If both are fused (meaning no space between them) it would then be a Singular REALITY. If there was a space between them, then that makes for three realities – two realities and yet another between them!! 

7. It has to be pervasive and all encompassing. This REALITY cannot be something that is available only to a select few or only in a few locations. On what basis is that decided, who decides that? If there is someone else making that decision, then they are of a higher order than this reality. 

8. It should be immortal. Whoever dies or lives, this REALITY should still be there. This would also imply that it has no birth and consequently no death. 

9. Things have birth and death only as a consequence of being a composite (or a collection) of several parts. Even the most fundamental cell in the human body is composed of different proteins and other chemicals. Thus, it follows that this REALITY should not have any variety or parts. It cannot be made of different forms for form implies inconsistency. 

10. This REALITY cannot be destroyed by anyone. An implication of this expectation is the non-effect of Earth, Water, Fire and Wind on such REALITY. It should be indestructible. OK, so who has the answers? If this REALITY cannot be grasped with the aid of human faculties, should we even bother to undertake this journey of discovery? How did some successful wise men all over the world find these answers? These wise men have been reported in history and in the modern times as well. Can we find teachers who can teach this difficult topic? 

when the student is ready, the teacher will appear - Lau Tsu 

One must surrender and say, “I don’t know”. This is a powerful statement and every great secret revealed to humans was due to one individual who said, “I don’t know, let me find out”. However, this admission requires a special person who has the humility but more importantly the perseverance to find out this Truth. This is the only belief needed in this path. 

About the author 

Om Sri Gurbhyoh Namah! The timeless tradition of Advaita continues even today. The author is a follower of that long lineage of teaching that has seen Swami Dayananda Saraswati leading by his thought leadership in recent times – a process which was set in motion by Adi Shankara. The author is an ordinary individual grappling with the very questions described above. This Truth is so commonplace, profound, and yet invisible to the naked eye or the finest intellect even. It is obtainable easily by the one who strives earnestly for it.