After seeking all the material gains and happiness that it brings with it man eventually turns towards the divine, for something in him tells him that life is not all about family, work and momentary joy. There has to be moments of bliss that we are told happens when we are with the divine. This moments go beyond sensory indulgence that gratifies our needs, alas momentarily only. This bliss is said to be ever lasting, while awake and also asleep, in the midst of company or all alone.
Ted Schmidt in his Advaita Vision at https://www.advaita-vision.org/author/ted-schmidt/, talks about the various pursuit of ours beautifully and the eventual realization of a truth. He begins by listing out the first three pursuits that we seek: "The first thing people seek is security. Once people feel secure, the next thing they go after is pleasure. The third thing people pursue is virtue."
Ted Schmidt in his Advaita Vision at https://www.advaita-vision.org/author/ted-schmidt/, talks about the various pursuit of ours beautifully and the eventual realization of a truth. He begins by listing out the first three pursuits that we seek: "The first thing people seek is security. Once people feel secure, the next thing they go after is pleasure. The third thing people pursue is virtue."
Here are some highlights from his blog that bring us a greater understanding of the purpose of life.
While the desire for objects seems quite natural and essentially harmless, it actually agitates my psyche to a greater or lesser degree depending on the intensity of the desire and directs my attention away from my own inner reservoir of peace and happiness, pointing it outward toward the objective world (which in terms of Vedanta includes the mind) where it hopes to find a source of satisfaction.
Ironically, I, myself, am the source of the happiness I seek to experience through my ceaseless pursuit of both “inner” objects (i.e. emotional and psychological states) and “outer” objects (i.e. relationships, possessions, and experiences). Moreover, following this line of reasoning to its inevitable end, I realize that joy is my true nature. I am joy itself.
So if the joy that I seek through object is actually in me, is indeed my own true nature, then it is only logical that I should pursue joy directly in myself rather than wasting my time and energy scrambling after objects that are ultimately incapable of providing me with any lasting fulfillment.Then he puts forth the fourth pursuit,
This is the realization from which the fourth pursuit – freedom or liberation (i.e. moksha) – takes its cue and enters into the drama of my life. At this point, freedom from limitation becomes my top priority, the guiding goal that gives purpose to all my actions.
Then there has to come a time where our very desire for Erai, that we use to substitute and replace all our other desires with, as Buddha ask to replace all the thousand thoughts with one thought, has to go to.
10ம் திருமுறை
திருமந்திரம் (திருமூலர் அருளியது)
எட்டாம் தந்திரம் (2122 - 2648)
40. அவா அறுத்தல்
2615
ஆசை யறுமின்கள் ஆசை யறுமின்கள்
ஈசனோ டாயினும் ஆசை யறுமின்கள்
ஆசை படப்பட ஆய்வருந் துன்பங்கள்
ஆசை விடவிட ஆனந்த மாமே. 3.
From Advaita Vision, we continue the pursuit,
I already possess that which I am looking to find. My only problem is that I don’t know I have it. In a word, my only problem is ignorance. So what is the solution? What will remove my ignorance and reveal my true identity? Here again, reason rather than faith comes to the rescue. Logical inquiry leads inevitably to the conclusion that only one thing can give me what I’ve already got: knowledge.Taking Jnana as a tool to a better understanding, this divine knowledge draws the final curtain that of ignorance aside, revealing everything as it is, in its exact nature, Vetta Veli, without any assumptions, judgement or veiling.
Only knowledge will liberate me from my erroneous notions of limitation and thus “give” me the freedom that is already mine. Therefore, according to Vedanta, both the point of knowledge and the purpose of life are one and the same.Agathiyar explains the purpose of life in a simple statement to a question by Malarvathy from AVM.
பிறப்பின் நோக்கமே பிறவா தவம் பெறுவது (Pirappin Nokkame Pirava Tavam Peruvathu)
The purpose of taking birth is to be blessed with not taking birth anymore. Revealing this purpose, he then leads us along, pointing out and teaching us how to overcome or put a stop to taking birth, hence breaking the cycle forever.