What is the meaning of life?

A discussion on all aspects of Theravāda Buddhism
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BlueLotus
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What is the meaning of life?

Post by BlueLotus »

What do you think? Did the buddha answer this one?
SarathW
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Re: What is the meaning of life?

Post by SarathW »

This is a very good and intelligent question.
I used to ask the same question in the past.
:sage:
Read the following link to see my point.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meaning_of_life

I think this question is similar to a question asked by a person who accidently fallen to a pit.
"What is the purpose I am in this hole"
I think there is no particular meaning in this life.
Life is an accident.
However, now we are here. Our object is to find a way to get out of this.
Until such time we have to live in harmony with the world.
:thinking:
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
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Aloka
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Re: What is the meaning of life?

Post by Aloka »

BlueLotus wrote:What do you think?
Hi BlueLotus,

When I first read the title of your topic, I remembered that there was an old film with that title! :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monty_Pyth ... ng_of_Life
BlueLotus wrote:Did the buddha answer this one?
I don't know if the Buddha answered it, but Bhikkhu Bodhi had something to say in this short essay "A quest for meaning"

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/auth ... ay_14.html

With kind regards,

Aloka :anjali:
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dhammacoustic
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Re: What is the meaning of life?

Post by dhammacoustic »

No meaning, it's just suffering, and we seek well-being here and there. The Buddha says that true well-being is nibbãna, and the rest is impermanent.

:anjali:
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Anagarika
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Re: What is the meaning of life?

Post by Anagarika »

I'll take a stab at this question. The meaning of life is to understand that mundane life involves dukkha, and that by living a life that is focused correctly on the right goals, by using right effort, having the right intentions in what we do, by acting well and ethically, pursuing a proper livelihood, and meditating to still the mind and advance our wisdom and understanding, we come to free ourselves of greed, aversion, delusion. We find peace and freedom from attachments that cause stress.

Along this path, we cultivate compassion for ourselves and for others. We appreciate that psychologically, by acting selflessly and actually engaging with others and being of help and good counsel to others, we bring great meaning to life and cultivate wellbeing (for ourselves and others). Guided by the Dhamma, inspired by the selfless acts of the Buddha in advocating this Dhamma and being a living example of one who went forth for the benefit of others, and likewise engaging with our communities, we develop a life that is bright, beneficial, and oriented toward a fortunate rebirth.

And, in the end, "the love you take, is equal to the love you make."
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Mkoll
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Re: What is the meaning of life?

Post by Mkoll »

The meaning of life is to ask what the meaning of life is. :tongue:

And hopefully from there to search for and find that meaning. :thumbsup:
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
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Goofaholix
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Re: What is the meaning of life?

Post by Goofaholix »

BlueLotus wrote:What do you think? Did the buddha answer this one?
Life has no meaning, we add meaning to it.
Pronouns (no self / not self)
“Peace is within oneself to be found in the same place as agitation and suffering. It is not found in a forest or on a hilltop, nor is it given by a teacher. Where you experience suffering, you can also find freedom from suffering. Trying to run away from suffering is actually to run toward it.”
― Ajahn Chah
Feathers
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Re: What is the meaning of life?

Post by Feathers »

42 (somebody had to)
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acinteyyo
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Re: What is the meaning of life?

Post by acinteyyo »

BlueLotus wrote:What do you think? Did the buddha answer this one?
I think the Buddha would have altered your question into: "What is the meaning, what is the purpose of the holy life?"
And he probably would have said something similar like Ven. Sariputta said to the Ven. Maha Kotthita (Kotthita Sutta)
So, then, with what purpose is the holy life lived under the Blessed One?"

"The holy life, my friend, is lived under the Blessed One with the purpose of knowing, seeing, attaining, realizing, & breaking through to what has been unknown, unseen, unattained, unrealized, and not broken through to."

"And what, friend Sariputta, is the unknown, unseen, unattained, unrealized and not broken-through-to that the holy life is lived under the Blessed One with the purpose of knowing, seeing, attaining, realizing, & breaking through to?"

"'This is stress,' my friend; 'This is the origination of stress,' my friend; 'This is the cessation of stress,' my friend; 'This is the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress,' my friend, is the unknown, unseen, unattained, unrealized and not broken-through-to that the holy life is lived under the Blessed One with the purpose of knowing, seeing, attaining, realizing, & breaking through to. This is the unknown, unseen, unattained, unrealized and not broken-through-to that the holy life is lived under the Blessed One with the purpose of knowing, seeing, attaining, realizing, & breaking through to."
best wishes, acinteyyo

P.S.
Feathers wrote:42 (somebody had to)
That is the answer to the question of what is the "answer to life, the universe and everything?" so I guess the answer to the the question "What is the meaning of life" is more or less 14 ;)
Thag 1.20. Ajita - I do not fear death; nor do I long for life. I’ll lay down this body, aware and mindful.
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Kusala
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Re: What is the meaning of life?

Post by Kusala »

BlueLotus wrote:What do you think? Did the buddha answer this one?
Listen to Ajahn Sumano Bhikku...

"He, the Blessed One, is indeed the Noble Lord, the Perfectly Enlightened One;
He is impeccable in conduct and understanding, the Serene One, the Knower of the Worlds;
He trains perfectly those who wish to be trained; he is Teacher of gods and men; he is Awake and Holy. "

--------------------------------------------
"The Dhamma is well-expounded by the Blessed One,
Apparent here and now, timeless, encouraging investigation,
Leading to liberation, to be experienced individually by the wise. "
chownah
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Re: What is the meaning of life?

Post by chownah »

According to Gabriel and the Angels, life is a magazine.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfnczwLmzXk
chownah
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DNS
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Re: What is the meaning of life?

Post by DNS »

Feathers wrote:42 (somebody had to)
Some false 42 theories:

The world's first book printed with movable type is the Gutenberg Bible which has 42 lines per page.

The Doctor Who episode entitled "42" lasts for 42 minutes.

Elvis Presley died at the age of 42.

Cricket has 42 laws.

A marathon course is 42km and 195m.

In the Book of Revelation, it is prophesised that the beast will hold dominion over the earth for 42 months.

There are 42 US gallons in a barrel of oil.

And now for the real 42 answer:

The 4 Noble Truths and the 2 types of truths: conventional and ultimate. You can't describe the ultimate with the conventional (at least not very well).
:tongue:
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Alex123
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Re: What is the meaning of life?

Post by Alex123 »

BlueLotus wrote:What do you think? Did the buddha answer this one?
Life is dukkha.
SarathW
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Re: What is the meaning of life?

Post by SarathW »

Are we in this earth to attain Nirvana?

http://dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=16076&hilit
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
Annatar
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Re: What is the meaning of life?

Post by Annatar »

What meaning do you want your life to have?
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