What is the purpose of our life ?
Some people might say "We are a cosmic
accident." Others would say "We don't have any purpose. We were
thrust into this world through our parents' decision."
I would say
that there is a very definite purpose to our life. We all know it. We all are
striving to achieve it. But we don't know how to put our finger on it and say
"This is the purpose of life. In fact,we all have one purpose in life. I
have asked many people, what do you want in your life ? Money ? Wealth? Status
? Education? Sex? Recognition? What?
None of them
is the answer.
All of us, all
living beings, want to live in peace and happiness. How do we accomplish that ?
Everybody loves being happy IF you are peaceful and happy, would you hate
yourself? Definitely not. When you hate yourself, are you happy? Not at all.
Then why do you hate yourself ? The very moment you hate yourself, you suffer.
Don't use
anger as a defense mechanism. It makes you more miserable. When you use it to
defend yourself, your happiness runs million miles away from you. When you hate
yourself, not only do you suffer, you inflict suffering on others as well. By
the same token, if you love yourself, you wish to bring happiness to others.
Read Dhamma
books with skillful intention. Read with the intention of helping yourself.
Then think of others whom you can help with your Dhamma knowledge. That is how
you read Dhamma teachings, with loving- friendliness. With loving friendliness
in mind, learn a skill to help yourself and help others. It is always best to
not think of money when you learn or do a job. Think of loving-friendly ways of
helping yourself and others when you do any kind of job.
Speak with the
intention of filling your mind with loving friendliness and sharing that
feeling with other people. Let go of lustful thoughts because these inevitably
end up in suffering.
Remember that
lust or greed is a primary cause of suffering. Because of lust, you will blind
yourself to your actions and not notice that you are sowing the seeds of
suffering in your mind and in the minds of other people.
When you talk
with loving-friendliness you sow the seeds of happiness in your mind and in the
minds of other persons. IF you need a purpose in life, practice
loving-friendliness. Live in a way that brings peace and happiness to yourself
and others.
WHAT, WHY, HOW by Bhante Gunaratana
https://wisdomexperience.org/product/what-why-how/
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