Life is a meditation
What is life and its purpose? What are human beings? What is God? What is good and what is evil? These questions are the core of philosophy. Volumes have been written to answer them. Sects, religions and many other forms of organisations have found the day to debate over the nature of the soul, creation and other such issues. It is not possible for human beings to evade such types of questions. However, it is a different matter altogether that very rarely do a few people embark in their depth to find an answer.
Amongst those who delve deeply, most of them abandon. "It's all mystery," they say. But there has always been a few from this very planet who have dedicated themselves absolutely to know the truth. Fortunately for us, they have come back to give a few hints that have always been of great help. What people call religion is also a hint given by those who have been enlightened in regard to the above-mentioned questions.
Is it possible to really know without first being curious, then starting to question and to seek? But where and how to seek? Study, which to my mind means to observe and to reflect deeply, is the best way to start the journey onto the real nature of life. Belief or disbelief is a barrier and should therefore be shunned. Curiosity, doubt, seeking and observation are independent tools. Whatever has been achieved till now, be it on the material or the spiritual level, is the consequence of the above virtues.
The very nature of life pulls us towards meditation. By meditation, I mean curiosity, enquiry, observation, wonder and reflection. How can one remain insensible to the glittering stars in the firmament, the laws of physics, the masterpiece of nature on the biological and other levels! Do not the exploitation of humans and atrocities perpetrated on them by their own kind create a shivering sensation in our fibres? If Mother Parvati seated on the lap of Shiva cannot resist asking questions like "What is this wonderful Universe?", then can we remain deaf and blind to the marvel and stunning design of the cosmos? Certainly, we are not all blind, cold-hearted and insensible.
Science is born out of awe, wonder, curiosity and need. The same applies to religion too. But while science is a pilgrimage for knowledge of the external world, religion is a pilgrimage for the essence of the world via the human being himself. The result of scientific research is knowledge and technology, whereas the fruit of religion is bliss, peace, eternal life, transcendence, God-realisation and innumerable other virtues. Both are a science and both are important, but only a few undertake the inner journey. Before one is urged into taking the journey towards the Ultimate Truth, much reflection on the different aspects of life is needed. The amount of time allotted to us in one incarnation is just the amount we need for meditation and realisation of the purpose of our human life. The sages rightly say not to lose time in vain pursuits as time waits for no man. Every moment is to be used wisely. Every action conceals a great amount of knowledge that may be helpful to us for the inner journey. Even our basic instincts can be used as fuel for the mind to attain deep meditation.
Life is like a university. Here one incarnation represents one stage, the subjects of study are Man, God and Universe. Learning can be done joyously or seriously depending on a number of factors like temperament, karma and other dispositions. We always have to learn about new technologies in order to survive and to live comfortably. We have to face natural calamities like drought, famine, earthquake and so on. Thus our learning never ceases. Without a solid material background, it may not be possible to seek and experience the bliss, peace and immortality of the soul. This is the ultimate aim of human life.
Remember the adage: learning never ends. Indeed, life is a great subject of meditation. Poor are those who do not have any interest in learning the lessons of life. One is old when, though possessing a young body, has stopped learning and is not curious about the nature of life. On the other hand, one is indeed young when one is always ready to learn and is seeking to know more about life.
