ॐ तत् सत् ब्रह्मार्पणमस्तु
Om Tat Sat brahmArpanam astu
ॐ सह नाववतु |
सह नौ भुनक्तु |
सह वीर्यं करवावहै |
तेजस्विनावधीतमस्तु मा विद्विषावहै ||
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ||
saha nAvavatu, saha nau bhunaktu,
saha vIryam karavAvahai,
tejasvinAvadhItamastu, mA vidvishAvahai
Om shAnti, shAnti, shAntih
May He protect us both (the teacher and the taught) together (by revealing knowledge). May He protect us both (by vouchsafing the results of knowledge). May we attain vigour together. Let what we study be invigorating. May we not cavil at each other.
Om Peace! Peace! Peace!
Tr. of SvAmi GambhIrAnanda in Eight Upanishads Vol I. with the Commentary of ShankarAcArya
The Meaning and Purpose of Life: An Invitation to sAdhanA
Why are you here? You may be reading this page because you are searching to find meaning in life at this moment. Even if that is not the case, it is human tendency to want to know why we are living in this world. All of us need to find meaning in our life so that we can discover its true purpose.
What brought you here? In the course of a lifetime we all get several hints that we are not fully aware of our true nature. These hints can be a positive encouragement or a rude negative shock. Sometimes these hints are subtle, and sometimes they are so strong that we may call these turning points in life. Such turning points in life can stem from a significant loss: for instance, the death of a loved one, or a divorce. What we do with these hints and messages from life is extremely important and determines the extent to which we fulfill the true purpose of our lives. Since it is the usual human tendency to ascribe loss and failure is to external factors (random events, luck, Fate or Providence) and rarely to one’s personal agency, it is the negative turning points that are often instrumental in making us turn towards inquiring about our true nature, rather than the positive ones[1].
Often people rationalize these hints or turning points in some incomplete fashion and return to their usual way of life. But the turning point is actually an invitation to a deeper exploration of one’s self. Even if a person gets some temporary relief from a negative turning point by turning their attention to some other new and seemingly attractive option in the external world, this does not really “change the game”. Sooner or later there is a relapse due to the finite and transient nature of that option also. Therefore, the persistent questions of the meaning of life and one’s purpose in it, need to be addressed once and for all.
It is also possible that someone who is otherwise happy and secure in life is drawn to find out more about their true nature out of curiosity. Seekers of the truth in science, art, literature, and human relationships are all drawn eventually to the same questions. Some may also be drawn to this inquiry for a variety of other reasons. Regardless of why one is led to this point, a crucial fork in the road now presents itself.
What are you going to do about it? If the turning point is not a serious crisis, many who are brought to this point will make some rationalization and form a provisionally consistent explanation of their life and move on with their daily activities. Or you may try psychological counseling or a life-coach to discover meaning and purpose in your life. Some others may turn to a religious organization for the answer. A few may also turn to reading books on philosophy. If these have failed to provide you with a meaningful path forward, then you may consider the following approach.
What works? To find meaning and purpose in life one has to take an inward journey. At the end of this inner journey, the answers to questions such as 'Why was I born?', 'What is my purpose on this earth?', and 'Where will I go from here?' become clear.
How to go about it? In order to find meaning and purpose in life, one has to go within, and one has to go alone. The analogy of a rotating wheel is useful to understand the value of seeking within. The periphery of the wheel may be likened to the external world, and the hub to one’s true nature that lies within oneself. Viewed from the periphery of the rotating wheel, things hurtle past very quickly and it seems difficult to maintain balance and find calm in the storm that is the external world. But at the hub, or the eye of the storm, everything is calm.
Popular self-improvement articles in the West talk about various types of wellness: (i) physical, (ii) emotional, (iii) social, (iv) spiritual, (v) intellectual, and (vi) environmental. It can seem daunting to try and balance all these at the same time, while also dealing with daily activities such as sustaining self, work, family and relationships, and recreation. The point that is often missed is that it is the spiritual wellness that forms the base for all other types to thrive. So if one seeks meaning in one’s life that will lead to purpose and balance, the thing to first address is spiritual wellness. Naturally one needs some minimum level of wellness on the other fronts—physical, emotional, social, intellectual, and environmental—in order to move towards the hub. But without the spiritual wellness the others alone do not address the issue of total human wellness in a comprehensive manner.
In the Vedic tradition there is a systematic approach to address all aspects of wellness at different stages in one’s life. Since our external life has changed considerably from Vedic times, this approach does not seem relevant to many people any more. In fact, the basic principles of the approach are as relevant today as they were then, with a few minor adaptations needed to account for present day realities. From those basic principles it is possible to resurrect an approach that is meaningful to our daily lives.
The basic idea is to start with a daily practice that is called sAdhanA. The root of this Sanskrit word is (siddh- to attain): so the aspirant is therefore a sAdhaka, and what he or she seeks is the ultimate siddhi (spiritual attainment). When this daily practice becomes a deep-rooted foundation it starts to transform the human being in very dramatic ways. Through sincere practice, slowly all aspects of the self are examined, understood, and trained. Gradually the practice brings about changes in outlook, lifestyle, and diet.
In order for the full benefits of such a transformation, an iron determination and regularity in practice are essential. Serious sAdhanA is a lifelong commitment. Prior to starting on the path it is useful for the sAdhaka to have an idea of what his or her intensity of desire for attainment is. Traditionally this is classified into three levels: mild, medium and intense. At the same time it is wise to have an idea of what level of regular practice one can reasonably commit to, given one’s stage in life. Again these practice levels can be classified as mild, medium, and intense. For instance, a mother of two young children may have an intense desire for spiritual attainment, but just may not have the time to commit to anything more than a mild level of practice. There are two key points to keep in mind here. The first is that mild practice with intense conviction over a long period of time is more effective than spending long hours in a cave (intense practice) with mild conviction. The practice is intended for householders as well as ascetics, and it not necessary for one to renounce external life and go off to the mountains in order to pursue spiritual attainment. The second point is that since this is a life-long endeavor, it is better to start right now rather than put it off until later. A sincere sAdhaka’s intensity for spiritual attainment will grow in time and so will the desire to intensify the practice.
Practical details: The first step is to arrange external life and activities related to sustaining self, work, family and relationships, and recreation in such a way that they cause minimum disturbance. For this the system of RAja Yoga gives a code of ethics or observances: the yamas and niyamas. Yamas, or regulations, relate to interactions with others: ahimsA (non-violence), satya (truth), asteya (not stealing), brahmacharya (celibacy or constantly dwelling on Brahman), and aparigraha (non-grasping). The niyamas related to self-regulation: shaucha (purity), santosha (contentment), tapah (austerity), svAdhyAya (self-study), IshvarapraNidhAnam (surrendering to Ishvara, or pure Consciousness who is the Lord within). These need to be practised with sincerity, and one’s daily activities need to be examined with complete honesty at the time of daily practice. Then one has reached the stage of “atha” in the first verse of the Yoga Sutras. Then one can start YogAnushAsanam (the discipline of Yoga).
Why are the ethics useful? They are useful because they teach us to go beyond the limitations of the ego. It is not because I am saying you should desire to be a ‘goody two-shoes’, but because these ethics can serve to remove individuating limitations. By lifting these limitations we open ourselves up to the possibility of understanding our true nature that is Infinite.
The paths of rAja, bhakti, jnAna and karma Yoga, and the systems of Yoga, VedAnta and Tantra, did not evolve separately. They were probably not even practiced separately in the old days. It is in part the modern analysis of these systems in the English language, and the difference in relative emphasis on each in different works, that has led many to think of them as different systems. (Adi ShankarAcArya in fact comments on Yoga in his Aparokshanubhuti, but he just doesn’t want people to get caught up in Hatha Yoga alone). Scholars may debate the definitions of each path of Yoga and the systems and the historical facts. However, what is really important to the sAdhaka is the practical utility that can be derived from these paths and systems. These paths work together forming a four-lane road leading directly to the Self. In the table below I summarize the ways in which these paths train the aspirant.
Characteristics of the aspirant who will benefit most from the different paths of Yoga, and the need for a balanced approach.
When using the table shown above it is important to note that the path that appeals most readily to the aspirant is not the one that most benefits that personality type! Therefore, all four paths should be practiced simultaneously by all aspirants, with some internal calibration as to which path to strengthen as sAdhanA progresses. Each of the four aspects is of vital importance and not one aspect can be neglected. One cannot neglect rAja yoga because it provides the essential discipline that enables the aspirant to go inwards. Without rAja yoga, no amount of reading the scriptures or selfless performance of actions will help. JnAna yoga is of vital importance because it is ultimately jnAna (Gnosis: or wisdom that is not gained through mind or senses) alone that liberates. Karma yoga is an essential and indispensable part of life, but mere actions do not lead to liberation. On the other hand, without Karma yoga the aspirant will not be able to integrate the internal experiences with external life, and may go insane or become very egotistical on attaining spiritual experiences. Bhakti yoga is also very important in cultivating the attitude of surrender, without which true spiritual growth is impossible. The inter-relationship between these four paths--rAja Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, JnAna Yoga and Karma Yoga--and the systems of Yoga, VedAnta and Tantra are given in a separate article.
So what is the answer to the meaning and purpose of life? The purpose of life is to know one’s true self so that one may enjoy life skillfully (this is what is meant by 'yogaha karmasu kaushalam': yoga is skill in action). On this journey one realizes that one’s true self is quite different from what was previously supposed, and some may call this the connection to the Divine. I am neither for religion or against it. The essential point is that our true nature transcends the finitude and transience that we see in the external world, but this Gnosis (often translated as ‘knowledge’) is not gained through our usual ways of knowing through the senses or the mind. Denying the existence of this connection only keeps one ignorant[2]. If it pleases the mind of the reader, one can equate the knowledge of one’s true self to knowing God. So to know one’s true self is to know God. The direct consequence of this knowledge is that one is then impelled to perform selfless action, or to serve man. So the purpose of life is also sometimes presented as “Know God and serve man”, and thereby enjoy life to the fullest. Calling it knowledge of one’s true nature, or knowledge of God, are compatible and acceptable versions of the same Truth.
[1] This is why Sri Krsna in the Bhagavad Gita lists the four kinds of people who turn to God: the one in distress, the seeker of truth, the seeker of wish fulfillment, and the man of true wisdom. BG, Seventh adhyAya, 16.
[2] This is called the fundamental ignorance (avidyA) in Yoga and VedAnta. It is not a derogatory term in the usual sense, but refers to the ability of human beings to ‘ignore’ their true nature. This state of ‘ignoring’ is ignorance.