Aim of Life
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Several people have asked me if there is any aim in life. This aim has to be irrespective
of the concept of rebirth and God. Any aim in life must be achievable here and now.
Let me question myself: ``What is that I want in life? Even if I say that I donot have
any aim in life, the very fact that I am moving around doing so many things show that I
AM looking for something. What do I want in life? I go to work everyday. Why? What do I
want from it? I go to movies. I go to my friend's house. I go to places of worship. Why?
What do I expect from all these things? Nature shows me a beautiful scenery and says,
``Look" and I stand awestruck. Why? Nature shows me a starving child. I feel a pang. I
drop a coin into her bowl. Why? What do I expect from the act?" The answer to all the
questions I ask myself is the same : ``If I donot do it, I will feel unsatisfied." This
makes me look as if I am very selfish. Even my act of dropping a coin into the beggar's
bowl is for self-gratification; but this is the fact.
That leaves me with this : ``Everything I do is to make me feel more satisfied, complete
and perfect." This I find is the driving force behind all my actions. This, consciously
or unconsciously, is the driving force behind the actions of everyone. A thief steals to
be more complete. A labourer works to feel more complete. A person gives money in charity
to feel more complete. The whole world is driven by a craze for perfection and
completeness.
Man is a multi-faceted being. We see him as a physical, intellectual and emotional being.
Let us see what ``perfection" means in these different facets. What do I mean by
perfection at the physical level? The first thing that comes to our mind is a healthy
body. The body must be free from diseases. The sense organs must be sensitive for the body
to maintain itself and to enjoy the sense objects. The organs of action must be strong
and dextrous. Then, body must be pleasing to look at. At the intellectual level, the
memory must be good. The power of discrimination must be sharp.
Before we step into the emotional plane, let us see if perfection is possible at these
planes. How perfect can the physical body be? How much can a person take care to keep
away from diseases? Even if that is possible, the body will be subjected to infirmity,
old-age and death. Who can escape them? So, perfection at the physical level is a myth.
How perfect can man be in the intellectual plane? How much can one remember? How sharp
can the discriminating capacity be? To what level can logical thinking reach? The inherent
limitations of logic and rational thinking have been realised and expressed by both
Western and Eastern thinkers.
Now let us look into the emotional side of man. Let me portray my idea of a man who
is emotionally strong. He has tremendous faith in what he is doing. This results in
perseverance. He faces the obstacles that stand in his path with courage and confidence.
He is able to take decisions quickly. He is fearless. He has mastery over his feelings.
He is not carried away by sentiments. He can face any situation in life with a cool
head. Elbowing down others is irrelevant to him. His strength does not depend on anything
external. He is totally self-contained. He is emotionally stable.
Now, can a person be absolutely stable? What can move a man who does not depend on
anything external to himself? What can touch him? Nothing. He is absolutely stable. This
is perfection. This is completeness. So, perfection in the emotional level is possible.
Now let us see what perfection at the emotional level means at the other two levels.
How does a man who is emotionally perfect look at his physical and intellectual planes.
Based on our previous arguments, even the body of the ``perfect" man cannot be perfect.
How will that affect him? If he is bothered about it, he is not emotionally perfect
because he is not satisfied. So, the imperfection of the body makes no difference to
him. Similarly with the intellect. Satisfaction is a concept in the emotional plane.
So perfection there reflects at all the planes. Thus we find that the emotional plane
holds the key to all the other planes.
So, the only thing worth striving for is emotional stability. Man's pursuit of happiness
can be fulfilled only by his emotional development. This perfection can be achieved here,
in this body itself. One need not think of any heaven or future birth. There is an aim
in life, and it is as real as one's own existence.
(
geocities.com/athens/acropolis) (
geocities.com/athens)