meaning of life
TRANSCRIPT
WHERE HAVE I COME FROM ?
WHY AM I HERE?WHERE DO I GO FROM
HERE?WHAT IS LIFE ALL
ABOUT?WHAT IS THE PURPOSE
OF EXISTeNCE?WHY LIFE???
WHY SEEK A PURPOSE?? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
LIFE AND ITS MYSTERY HAS BEEN A MATTER OF
SPECULATION SINCE THE BEGINNING OF TIME…
PHILOSOPHICAL..SCIENTIFIC..THEOLOGICAL.
ANSWERS DEPEND ON CULTURAL AND IDEOLOGICAL
BACKGROUND..ONTOLOGY..ETHICS,,
VALUES....FREE WILL..CONCEPT OF GOD..SOUL..AFTERLIFE…etc.
PHILOSOPHICAL
Socrates,,,pupil ::Plato::
the meaning of life is attaining the highest form of knowledge…which is the idea of good., from which all good things and just things derive their value.
cYREANAICIUS::STUDENT OF SOCRATES.
HAPPINESS IS ONE OF THE AIMS OF MORAL ACTION ..
PLEASURE IS THE SUPREME GOOD.THIS IS A HEDONISTIC WORLD
VIEW..WHEREIN BODILY GRATIFICATION IS
MORE INTENSE THAN MENTAL PLEASURE.
DENIAL IS UNPLEASANT
HAPPINESS.
EPICUREANISM
GREATEST GOOD IS IN SEEKING MODEST PLEASURE… TO ATTAIN TRANQUILITY AND FREEDOM FROM FEAR VIA KNOWLEDGE, FRIENDSHIP, AND VIRTUOUS TEMPERATE
LIVING…BODILY PAIN IS ABSENT WHEN THERE IS FREEDOM FROM FEAR….AND HAPPINESS In ITS HIGHEST
FORM IS THE RESULT….
EPICUREANISM..
REJECTS IMMORTALITY AND MYSTICISM…THERE IS A SOUL BUT IT IS AS MORTAL AS THE
BODY.THERE IS NO AFTERLIFE..ONE
NEED NOT FEAR DEATH..BECAUSE IN DEATH
THERE IS NO SENSATION ::AND THAT WHICH LACKS SENSATION
IS NOTHING TO US.
STOICISM
LIVING ACCORDING TO REASON AND VIRTUES IS TO BE IN
HARMONY WITH THE DIVINE ORDER OF THE UNIVERSE.
MEANING OF LIFE IS FREEDOM FROM SUFFERING…BY BEING
OBJECTIVE,,AND HAVING CLEAR JUDGEMENT..NOT INFERENCE.
ENLIGHTENMENT PHILOSOPHYDEVOTION AND SUBSERVIENCE TO GOD WERE LARGELY REPLACED BY NOTIONS
OF INALIENABLE NATURAL RIGHTS AND POTENTALITIES OF REASON.UNIVERSAL IDEAS OF LOVE AND
COMPASSION GAVE WAY TO NOTIONS OF FREEDOM, EQUALITY AND
CITIZENSHIP.FOCUS OF HUMANITY CHANGED FROM
RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD TO RELATIONSHIP
BETwEEN
INDIVIDUALS AND SOCIeTY.
Classical liberalism
individual liberty is the most important goal, because only through
ensured liberty are the other inherent rights
protected.
Kantanism
the physical world is outside of one’s full control & thus one
cannot be held responsible for the events that occur in it.
All actions are performed in accordance with some underlying
principle or maxim- and for action to be ethical , they must
adhere to the ‘’categorical imperative’’ of duty.
Utalitarianism
nature has placed mankind under two sovreign
masters :‘pain & pleasure’.
That is good which brings the greatest
happiness to the greatest number of people.
Albert camus people search for external
values & meaning in a world which has none.
“people should live with dignity in the face of absurdity… live with
secular saintliness, fraternal solidarity, transcending the
worlds indifference.”
Pragtamism
concerns itself with truth.Practical , useful
understanding of life is more important than
seeking for an impractical abstract truth about life.The meaning of life is
discoverable only through experience.
Theists
god created the universe and he had a purpose in
doing so. Humans find their purpose and meaning for
life in god.If there were no god to give life an ultimate meaning , values and purpose…life will
be an absurdity.
Existentialismeach man and woman creates the essence &
meaning of his and her life.Life is not determined by a
supernatural god or an earthly authority…
“you are absolutely free.”you have total rights to
“ action , freedom ,& decision’’.
Keirkegard
life is full of absurdity and one must make his and her own values in
an indifferent world.
Schopenheur
one’s life reflects ones will ..and is aimless, irrational & painful.Salvation lies in
aesthetic contemplation – sympathy for others and
ascetism.
Absurdism
thereIn is a fundamental disharmony between the
individual search for meaning and apparent
meaningless of the universe.
We are looking for a meaning in a meaningless
universe.
Secular humanismthe human species came about
by successive reproducing generations in a progression of
unguided evolution as an integral expression of nature ,
which is self existing.People determine human
purpose without supernatural influence.
…… 2
Humanism affirms our responsibility to lead ethical lives of personal fulfillment that aspire to the greater
good of humanity…it aims to promote
enlightened self interest & common good of all people. It is based on the premise that the happiness of an
individual is inextricably linked to the well being of all
humanity.
Christianity
to seek divine salvation through the grace of god &
intercession of christ.Humankind was made in
the image of god & perfect- fall of man was caused by
the original sin of first parents.
Islam
man’s ultimate life objective is to worship the
creator..allah… by abiding to the guidelines revealed in
the quran & the traditions of the prophet.
Earthly life is a test , determining one’s afterlife::
jannat or jahannum.
Confuscious
we can realize the ultimate meaning of life
in ordinary human existence.
Love should be unconditional, but it
should not be indiscriminate.
Taoism
need for all sentient beings and man to return to the primordial to rejoin with the oneness of the universe by way of self cultivation and
self realization.Only introspection can help
us find our innermost reason for living.
Shintolife is a creative process.
Shinto wants all human life to be prolonged forever on earth as a victory of the divine spirit …in
preserving its ‘ objective personality ‘ in its highest form.
The suffering of life is the suffering of the divine spirit in
search of progress in the objective world.
Zorashtrianismthe universe was created by a
transcendental god , ‘’ahura mazda’’….
To whom all worship is directed.Ahura mazda’S creation is in truth & order (asha)..and its antithesis is falsehood and disorder (druj)
Buddhismthe buddhist sutras and
tantras do not speak about the meaning or purpose of life…
but they talk about the potential of human life to end
suffering .. Attaining nirvana..
:: Freedom from both suffering and rebirth.
Jainism
following the ascetic teachings of jina..a human achieves enlightenment . All living beings have an
eternal soul…. Strict adherence to
ahimsa.
Hinduismis all about beliefs and
traditions.The ‘atman’ – the soul- the persons true self
is eternal.Spiritual development
occurs across many life times.
Four possibilities of human life :(1) purushartha..progression from least to greater.(2)kama..wish..Desire..love..sensual pleasures.(3)artha…wealth..prosperity…glory.(4)dharma..righteousness..duty….morality…virtue…ethics.
Hinduism… encompasses :
ahimsa..satya…moksha .
In short the goal of life is to realize the fundamental truth
about oneself.
EKAM DHYANAM
Celebrate lifeWith music.. songs and dance.
Meditate…be meditative..live a life of awareness.
Stay blessed..stay happy..spread joy..stay inspired..
serve others..the other is an extension of you and me.
We are all one.
Strive to be a homo luminousbe a man of awareness..let this be your
realization…let this be your eureka moment.