The Meaning of Life
The meaning of life is independent of religion, nationality, level of education or whatsoever.
What do I live for?
Depending on age or life situation, the answer is given quickly: For my boyfriend or my girlfriend: “Without my friend life does not make any sense.” Later may be the steady partnership, the marriage or the family gives us the meaning of life. Maybe also the profession, where in we blossom. – What if/when marriage breaks? When our children leave house? What if business goes bankrupt?
This apparent meaning of life depends on external (life) situations and depends on the constant changes of our thinking and reasoning as well. Therefore this apparent meaning of life is like the world, a subject of changes. It is relative. How can it be that the meaning of the whole life constantly has to be adjusted to the actual life situation?
The Meaning Must be Unshakable
Only a meaning of life that is absolute (steady) gives us stability and direction for the whole life, even when the world around us seems to collapse. On the other hand when we adjust the meaning of life to every new life situation, we put the cart before the horse!
In one's mature years one does not rate the things of life as high anymore; at least one no longer considers the things of the world to have the same importance. One knows that all and everything is relative: there are highs and downs, nothing satisfies forever, all and everything has an end. Thus are the qualities of the world.
The meaning of life is to understand that the world cannot bring about constant joy because of its constant change, and therefore we are requested to search for the Absolute.
What is the Absolute?
The Absolute is peacefully underlying all that is agitated and in motion. Anything that is changing is not the Absolute. The goal of life (if possible) is to experience the Absolute. Experience, how? It is with our sense organs that we experience the gross and subtle world and the universe. The Absolute behind these empirical worlds we experience in silence, outside sense perception.
What do we experience behind these empirical worlds? In the beginning a deep contentedness. It is written in the holy scriptures of the Hindus: “sat, chit, ananda”. Absolute, eternal existence – absolute, complete knowledge – absolute bliss. So the definition of the Absolute.
by the way ...
PD 1:
Live life as it unfolds, with all its tasks and duties. At the same time be aware of the Absolute hidden behind the relative. Time will come definitely and with certainty when you have nothing more to do and nothing more to attain. Then you will focus only on the Absolute; the empirical worlds will no longer really touch you. (And people will give you a list of all your responsibilities. But only you will know that you are no longer responsible.)
PD 2:
A complete guidance as to how the Absolute – or in religious terms God – can be recognized and realized have been given by Jesus Christ in the four Gospels, by Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita or by Lord Buddha who set an example of how to live life. To understand these instructions we have to see through the overlaying religious systems.