What Is A Life Worth Living?

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The answer to this question varies from individual to individual, depending on the value that one assigns knowingly or unknowingly to a particular aspect of life. Our perception about how we look at life is what determines ‘what life is worth living’ in our eyes; it conveys the important reason to live the life.

For some, life is all about:

Achieving and enjoying materialistic pleasures in this world.

For such a person, following one’s materialistic passions is the sole purpose of life. He cares deeply about luxuries in life and his focus is obsessively riveted on money, social status, dressing style, ornaments, movies, eatables, objects that please the five senses. Running behind worldly pleasures makes one weak-minded, highly-dependant, greedy, impatient and consequently unhappy; and since he is always concerned with material things and least bothered about spiritual values, it not only lands him in a state of stubborn stagnation but also creates future obstructions for him on the path to liberation.

Doing something big in life.

If a person intends doing something for a noble cause, it is okay. But if this desire is to satisfy one’s ego and pride, then his life is a see-saw where success elates him and failure upsets him. The fire to do something big and great is so intensely burning inside such people that no matter what amount of stress they have to undergo in life, they still feel that life is worth living and doing something really big in life. The belief of ‘I am the doer’ is a totally wrong belief, because everything that happens is the result of our past karmas. And also, this belief is in fact one of the root cause of binding new karmas that bring suffering in life. Not aware of this fact, one keeps running all his life, binding himself in the bind of more and more karmas, inviting nothing but suffering in future.

Helping others.

A person having a noble intention to help others, to him, just living for himself and his pleasures is not enough. Helping others gives him enormous satisfaction and inner content. He cannot see others suffering and feels empathetic towards them ‘what if I was in his/her place? I wish I could be of some help to them’. He derives happiness when he becomes instrumental in solving someone’s problems, and this holds a lot of value for him. Nature takes care of all our needs when we aspire to take care of others’ needs. Having a constant pure inner intention of helping others sows the seed of karma that will bear sweet fruits of permanent happiness.

Not hurting others and not feeling hurt by others. Positively put, being happy and keeping all happy.

Such a person feels life is worth living only when everyone is happy in this world. And therefore, at every step, he is found persevering to make sure no pain is inflicted on any living being. His deep inner intent is to not cause hurt to any living being through his thoughts, speech or action and let all be happy. And in parallel, he strives for ultimate happiness that comes by realizing the Pure Soul, which is his real Self!

Attaining Self-Realization.

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One whose prime objective in life is to realize really ‘Who am I?’ is forever in pursuit of knowing the answer. All the scriptures proclaim unanimously, ‘If you desire to realize the Pure Self, go to a Gnani.’ The lighted can kindle light in others. Therefore, such a person is hunting for Gnani, and the day he meets Gnani and with His grace realizes his real Self, he indulges in increasing the awareness of the Pure Self to a point where He can always remain as the Soul and see everyone as a Soul!

Attaining a flawless state.

A life wherein he never sees other’s mistakes, and rather always tries to locate one’s own mistakes and wash them off, is a life worth living in this case. This is an objective of a very high-end and life never gets dull as it always keeps one alert in understanding the science behind any event taking place.

Eg. If someone insults him, he does not get bogged down in such a situation. Rather, he tries to fathom why he was insulted. He tries to study the cause and effect relationship with respect to any event that happens in life – how do causes arise, how do effects come into being, how can causes be stopped, how are effects to be dealt with, etc.

And if he is a Self-realized being, he sorts out the puzzle with right understanding that who am I in this and who is the one who got insulted, who insulted and who is he in real, on what basis did this happen and what the function of Soul is in this entire thing. To him, life is worth it if he can remain in company of Gnani, and attain the flawless vision, whereby the entire world looks naturally innocent.

This was all about our perspective of life, as driven by a mix of worldly and / or spiritual tendencies. Now, let’s take a look at Gnani’s perspective – what is His life all about?

Life of Gnani!!!

Gnani lives a life in state of samadhi i.e. the state of the Pure Self!! He is always actively alert in maintaining constant awareness of the Pure Self. The eternal Soul manifests within a person only when one’s needs and desires have dissolved. Gnani is the Enlightened One who has no worldly desires, has no false pride; He is not allured by any materialistic thing in this world. Neither riches nor the objects that lure the five senses, neither veneration nor any kind of self-worship or self-pride enchant Gnani.

Being liberated, He is the liberator and the beacon light, who is living life to lift and liberate others!!

If one comes to Gnani in perfect humility and with a spirit of ‘I know nothing’, one is sure to be lifted and liberated on the path of salvation. Even once, if without any reservation, one surrenders all his ego in the lotus feet of the Gnani, he undoubtledly gets onto the path of liberation!!

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