WHAT DOES A HUMAN BEING WANT ULTIMATELY IN LIFE?

WHAT DOES A HUMAN BEING WANT ULTIMATELY IN LIFE?

        ‘What does a human being require to be contended in his life’ is a million-dollar question. This is a question that has being alluding philosophers and religious thinkers and many theories and narratives abound but none satisfactorily explains it. 

      1) Vitor Frank’s -Pursuit of meaning by finding purpose and meaning

2) Buddhism – Ending suffering through enlightenment and detachment

3) Maslow’s Hierarchy – Self -actualisation and meeting basic needs led to fulfilment

4)Existentialism -Creating one owns meaning and purpose

5) Eudaimonia (Aristotle)-Living a virtuous life and fulfilling one’s potential

6)Hedonism - Pleasure and happiness -the ultimate goal.

7)  Hinduism – The ultimately Goal is Moksha (Liberation from the cycle of rebirth or Kaivalya (Self -realisation). Four Purusharthas (Paths) lead to this goal

1) Dharma (Righteous living), Artha (prosperity and success), Kama (pleasure and desires), Moksha (Liberation) through the key concepts of Atman (True self-realisation), Brahman (ultimate reality and union)

Kama (balance of action and consequences)

8) In Islam, the ultimate goal is Jannah (Paradise) and the avoidance of Jahannam (Hell). Key concepts include: Akhirah – (the hereafter, life after death) Qiyam al -Layh (Accountability for deeds on judgement day), Tawhid (Oneness of God, the foundation of faith)

9)In Christianity, the ultimate goal is Salvation (through Heaven, Faith in Jesus Christ and Kingdom of God)

10)In Judaism, the key concepts include: Olan Haba (The world to come, a spiritual realism), Gan Eden (Garden of Eden, a place of paradise), Gehenna (a place of purification or punishment) and Tikkun Olam (repairing the world)

What is apparent is that there is no single entity, but multiple factors that evolve, that decide it. Further it changes as the situation shapes on its own with time and generations.  It is also decided by the basic personality and trait of the person. The more stable and mature he shapes over time, the more he will understand and appreciate his purpose and goal in life.

Is it important in any way when ultimately one has to leave this world? History will only prove his mettle and contribution to this world before or after his demise. People around him when he was alive who were sycophants and flatters will deride him, but those who journeyed with him throughout his life and attained success together, will eulogize him truly. So, historical interpretations are skewed and reflect the attitude of the writer and his personality. An honest, uncensored factual depiction is seldom possible and if at all, it will not be acclaimed by many as there will be innumerable personal errors in it.  Just read the history of India’s Independence. Even after 77 years there is no conclusive honest history but those derived from verbatim report, newspaper clippings and other famous history writers, with research by reports from different credible sources.  All the writers have their own views derived from their own personal experiences, sometimes authenticated by notes derived from archives but seldom do they depict the whole correct truth. (Peter Robb -History of India, The Discovery of India by Jawaharlal Nehru, India after Gandhi by Ramachandra Guha, Handbook of Indian History by Lavanya Vemsani, and Freedom at midnight by Dominique Lapierre and Larry Collins)

But there are some tell -tale signs that could qualify for a contented life. These, if genuine would possibly denote contentment, but are they stable over time and situation is a moot question?

1.  Does he have an attitude and the right aptitude to lead a contented life?     
2. Does he have the maturity and the resilience to qualify for a contented life?
3.   Is he contented at present with what God had provided him amply or does he want more to satisfy his desire and wishes of his near and dear?
4.  Does he have all the negative thoughts like jealousy, vengeance, bear grudges and does he resort to comparison and plots to over-ride or overthrow others which are all a harbinger of discontentment?
5.  Does he have adequate and ample coping strategies and adaptive functioning and is he able to use them in extenuating circumstances?
6. Does he take life as it comes or desires or wishes to lead his life as he pleases even if it is beyond his expectation and reach and expects others to understand him and help him?
7. Does he have confusions and conflicts that hinder his ability to think clearly and not swayed away by past thoughts and deeds.
8.  Is he ready to change generally when he is convinced to adopt the change?
9. Does he have a positive attitude towards life in general and inclined to change negative thought if any into positive ones?

10)Is he in general willing to accept contentment in life by avoiding all that is an anathema to it or allow everything to proceed according to his desires and live-in materialistic comfort. 

    If we possess all these traits, then there is every chance we will stay contented, unless the person had through long years of his life had faced only disappointments and sadness and continues to be affected by it.

 So ultimately, Purity of thought and action, enjoying our pursuits according to our potential, giving back what God has given us with responsibility and commitment, reflection on the wrong deeds done and amendments, and staying connected and contended should be the ultimate goal in Life