Voice of Master Jingzong - Q and A about the Purpose of Life
淨宗之聲 - 人生目的問答
Q10: For what reason do people live? Just to aspire to be reborn in the Land of Bliss? What is the reason for living for an ordinary person?
Answer: That is a very practical and powerful question, but also very serious and deep. Why are we alive? How many people know the answer? When searching for an answer, many people become depressed and may even commit suicide. Not many people even ask this question, because there is no simple answer. It can be an embarrassing and tough question to answer.
If this question is asked of Amitabha-reciters, they will say the purpose of life is “to aspire to be reborn in the Land of Bliss”. Just for that and no other purpose? What about working hard for our children? What is the meaning of that? ”
I think if you are looking for a single purpose for our lives, you should search more deeply. Everyone has different answers for the purpose of life; as does every religion and philosopher .
I think the most common answer for the purpose of life is that everyone should live to receive and share one’s blessings and happiness. No matter what religion or who you are, no one says he is living to experience misfortune and unhappiness. Do you agree?
To pursue blessings and happiness is not a problem, and it is a common life purpose for all. However, we also have to consider, how do we define blessings and happiness? How do we attain blessings and happiness?
(to be continued tomorrow)
問 (10)。人活著到底是為了什麼?難道就是為了求生極樂世界嗎?那現世人
的生活還有什麼意義可言?
淨宗之聲:
我覺得這個問題非常實在,非常有力度,很深沉。人活著到底是為了什麼?
現在那麼多人得抑鬱症、跳樓,多少人都不知道人活著為什麼,也很少有人問這個問題,因為問了也沒答案,問了大家都很難堪。
但是你問出來了,這個問題是要問。接著還反問,“很多念佛人說為了往生西方極樂世界,難道只是為了求生極樂世界嗎?還有沒有點別的目的呢?
如果只是求生西方極樂世界,那忙工作、忙兒忙女地活著還有啥意思呢?”我覺得人要考慮人生的目的,說明你對人生是有思考的,而且考慮得很深沉。可能每個人的答案不一樣,世間每個宗教的答案都不一樣,哲學家的答案也不一樣。
但我想有個最大的公約數,就是每個人活著都是為了幸福和快樂。
不管什麼宗教、什麼人物,沒有哪個說“我活著就是為了追求不幸”,對吧?都是為了追求幸福和快樂,這點是沒問題的,這是所有人共同的答案。
接下來我們就要考慮:什麼是幸福和快樂呢?怎樣才能達到幸福和快樂呢?
Namo Amituofo!
