Q: What is the purpose of life? Is there a purpose in life? If there is one, then what is the purpose?
Today’s topic is ‘Purpose of Life’. Is there a purpose in life? If there is one, what is the purpose?
I remember one of the stories. There was once a great warrior called Alexander. At a very young age, he started in Greece and conquered half the world. He came all the way up to India. When he was in school, there were two great teachers for him. One is called Lenace, and another one is called Aristotle.
The teacher called Lenace, told Alexander, “Always discover yourself. Go inside. Before conquering anybody, you conquer yourself”. The other teacher Aristotle said, “Alexander, you are very ambitious. Go and conquer the world”. Alexander took the words of Aristotle, and started on a warpath, conquering half the world. So many people were killed. So many kingdoms fell, as he moved from Greece, all the way to India. He acquired a lot of wealth, on the way, from the kingdoms.
As he reached India, he faced very strict resistance. Many of his soldiers fell ill, and he could not continue the march. He had to decide to go back to Greece. On the way back, he fell ill, and he died. Before dying, he had a death wish. The death wish was, “His body has to be taken back to Greece, for burial. And the doctors in his camp, should carry his coffin”. A very strange wish. The second wish is that “He should be buried, with his hands, protruding outside”.
People were wondering, what is this wish all about? Then, Alexander said, “I remember the words of my teacher, Lenace. He asked me to conquer the
Inner Self, to go inside and discover the Self. I didn’t listen to his words. I went on a victory march. I acquired a lot of wealth. Even at the time of death, I am not able to continue my march. So, I am returning, as I am not well. So, at the time of death, Alexander, the Great, who had conquered half the world, went empty-handed. Everybody should know that. That’s why the body should be buried, with hands protruding outside”.
Alexander continued, “The second wish is, the doctors should carry the coffin. Alexander had, the best of the best doctors in the world. Even the best doctors could not save the victorious, Alexander, the Great. This is the message, the world should know.”
His life is a classic example of two purposes of our life. The outer purpose, and inner purpose. The outer purpose is to be successful in life and to be able to compete, to be able to run the business, to be able to manage, to be able to administer, to be able to earn our livelihood. There is an inner purpose, to go deep inside, find peace. In the sense, both are required. Without the outer purpose, you cannot fulfil the inner purpose.
But is there a balance? Is there a limitation? How much we should do and what? Ultimately, what all we are doing, earning money, getting money, getting married, everything is finally for inner peace. So, whatever we do outside, should be supporting inner peace. The inner purpose is of primary importance to us. And everything else is a supplement, supporting.
But we forget that, and we focus totally on the outer. Stress can build up, tension can build up. And we may altogether, forget the inner purpose. So, Atma Jyoti’s, there are two purposes, outer purpose, and inner purpose. The outer purpose is to, make a living. And, the inner purpose is, to understand life, understand your own nature, and to be peaceful.
Pranams
References:
Self Knowledge_T13_PurposeOfLife_Part1_07Apr2016