Deciphering Metaphysics.
Part 3. What is the Purpose of Life?
Dr Ong Hean Tatt, Ph.D.. 1st January 2020.

Deciphering major metaphysic issues scholars think about.
based on science and ancient texts!

The Profound Issues

This series of expositions aim at answering the alike much inter related issues which often plague the minds of people:

• Is there a God?
• "Finally Science Found the Immortal Soul and God". Amazing Scientific Proof that Man has an Immortal Soul!
• What is the Purpose of Life?
• What is the Purpose of Life? Dilemma of Suffering
• What will happen when a person dies?
• What is Enlightenment?

Here, we will deal with the question "What is the Purpose of Life? "

Some so-called "sages" would exclaim, "Why look for purpose. It can be so confusing. Just live life". They fear that people with a "Purpose in Life" will try to force their own views onto others. However, in spite of the validity of these fears, it is crucial to realise what is the "Purpose of Life".

Okay, let us not forget to understand the practical application of determining our "Purpose of Life".

The Wide Range of Purposes of Life

Behold the vast flowing fields of grains like maize or rice. What is the purpose of these grain plants? Their practical sole purpose is to serve as food for Man. Look at the deer in the open savanna. One of their purposes is to serve as food for the hunting big cats. Of course, these graceful deer would also serve as a beautiful part of Nature. The flowers and bees have a common purpose through pollination of fostering each other's living. A wide range of living things has purposes, both beautiful and ugly, within the cycle of Nature. Even the prey has the purpose of being hunted by the predator. Are you going to quarrel with that? It is sufficient the purposes of these in the cycle of Nature.

What about the gemstones? It is only when the ores were dug out from the earth and then processed that they could serve the purpose of admiration by Man. So, some purposes of existence are natural, others are Man-made and meaningful only within the human context.

Aristotle defined purposes ("Ergon") according to four classes of living things, vis plants, animals, Man and gods. (Monte Johnson. professor university of california, San Diego. Aug 4, 2014. PHILOSOPHY - History: Aristotle on the Purpose of Life [HD]. )

Aristotle regarded Man as a rational being. The Latin term "homo sapiens" means "wise man". Aristotle regarded philosophy as the highest activity, one which concerns both reason and thought, and is godlike in nature. For Aristotle the ultimate purpose of life is to be godlike, i.e. to indulge in philosophy.

However, in deep reflection, it would be realised that such an Aristotelian definition of the "Purpose of Life" will be Spartan in nature. It is the kind of definition puritans and religious extremists would use, including to force their ill definitions onto others. That is, such a definition will stifle human happiness.

The Key Purpose

Only superficial thinkers could not recognise the greatest Purpose of Life which is actually quite evident in humanity.

What would be best things a person could ask for in life? There are many good wonderful things to wish for. The ancient saying is: "Envy not immortality. Envy love"

Is not Love a wonderful thing? Indeed, Love is the greatest thing. Those who experience true Love are said to be willing to do anything for those they love. Is not the saying "I cannot live without you"? Of course, the person has to eat to live and work to obtain resources for living. But, the true Purpose of Life for such a person will be "Serve those whom they love".

Every human has encountered this feeling of Love. For some, it is so great that the Love is like an permanent obsession - I say such people are damn lucky. For many Love is ephemeral. Some feel betrayed and the Love will turn into hatred.

However, think. Are there not times when you are enthralled by something beautiful? Like when you gazed at a wonderful scene in Nature? You felt a great pulsating sense of "Loving Vastness". Well, what the ancient texts say is that even more enthralling will be the manifestations of Love!

The real ultimate purpose of Creation is Manifestation of Love:

• For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16

The Holy Bible put the "Purpose of Life" as one of Love, even for God!

The ancient Hindu philosophy even suggest that the eternal beings were so attracted to mundane earth that they forsake immortality and became mortals. Even the Holy Bible says the same thing:

• Who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
  7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in human likeness.
  8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death — even death on a cross.… Phillippians 2:6-8
  • It is something like the Hindu legend that the gods were attracted by a beautiful but defective world. Waking up to the horrors of the defects in the mortal universe, the gods tried to save it. The ancient gods did not flee and leave the universe in the lurch. No, they, as they loved so much the universe, tried to save the universe!

    So, the divine beings out of great love emptied their divine essence into the universe. One story, that of the "Churning of the Ocean", is that Mahapurusa Shiva out of great compassion swallowed the poison to save the universe. The healing process is not yet over.

    He Ram ... He Ram ...

When you do things for those you love, you will enjoy. There may be other forms of enjoyment, but those connected to Love are the most wonderful. The smile you elicit in your loved one is enough to send you into seventh heaven!

Ladies and gentlemen, this is your real profound purpose in life: to live and enjoy the "Sharing Love".

God only comes in if He can help your Love.

Development of the True Great Purpose of Life

Do not be duped by those self-proclaimed "gurus" who say that one should not be confused with the issue of "Purpose of Life" and abandon it and just go onto live Life. These people failed to recognise that Man is a social animal and the "Purpose of Life" has to be based on social interactions. Man needs to realise Love.

Also, these self-proclaimed "gurus" would urge you to go into "Emptiness" and that sort of things. They will thus try to get you to abandon emotions. This is why these people in trying to wean you away from emotions will fail to recognise the urgency of Love, that greatest of all emotions.

It is the wonderful thing, this Love. Those engaged in the chase of love would know how thrilling it can be. The touch and the eye looks. Then, later, the person may wonder where the Love has gone to. So, the ancient texts say that Love can fade and must be nurtured.

The magnificent ancient Tibetan Buddhist text Bardol Thodol regarded as Buddhism most profound metaphysical text, explains that the Soul of the dead person can enter into one or the other of a number of post-death states. The Bardol Thodol has been badly misunderstood to be about the Hell or Heaven states a person would go to based on their merits, and in this way, has been taken to propound reincarnation. But, read carefully what the Bardo Thodol really says:

• … on the Fourteenth Day, the Four Female Door-Keepers, also issuing from within thine own brain, will come to shine upon thee. Again recognize. From the east [quarter] of thy brain will come to shine the White Tiger-Headed Goad-Holding Goddess, bearing a blood-filled skull-bowl in her left [hand]; from the south, the Yellow Sow-Headed Noose-Holding Goddess; from the west, the Red Lion-Headed Iron-Chain-Holding Goddess; and from the north, the Green Serpent-Headed Bell-Holding Goddess. Thus, issue the Four Female Door-Keepers also from within thine own brain and come to shine upon thee; as tutelary deities, recognize them.
  O nobly-born, on the outer Circle of these thirty wrathful deities, Herukas, the twenty-eight various headed mighty goddesses, bearing various weapons, issuing from within thine own brain, will come to shine upon thee. Fear that not. Recognize whatever shineth to be the thought-forms of thine own intellectual faculties. At this vitally important time, recollect the select teachings of the guru. Bardo Thodol Bk I, Part II The Fourteenth Day p29

What the Bardo Thodol says is that the visions of Hell and Heaven are from your own imagination. There are no real physical Hell or Heaven. You create either the horrors of Hell or the delights of Heaven based on what you are doing. You reap what you sow. Do not blame others - you create your own self and your own future, even unto after death.

The teachings of ancient sacred texts like Bardo Thodol are profound. They are trying to alert you of the need to recognise what causes Hell images to arise. In knowing this we can avoid committing those acts which lead to Hell. It is through studying, prayer and meditation that we can grasp what causes Hell and thus avoid its recurrence in Eternity.

In order to create the correct afterlife state of Mind, Bardo Thodol advises "At this vitally important time, recollect the select teachings of the guru". In short, recognise what the ancient cultures and religions say about developing Love.

Many have stated that Love is a fragile thing. Well, not the obsessive Love. But true of many Loves, which would not be strong enough to last. The sages had tried to show the guidelines whereby you can develop Love to a permanently strong level. To love is natural, but to develop the Love is something you have to do your own self - nobody else can do this for you. This is the real "Self Realisation" the sages are talking about.

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