What is the meaning of life?
It's quite a challenge that the LMAC Theme Contest has thrown at us this month. The answer to the question will vary widely, and in many cases be met with silence.
Different belief traditions offer disparate views of life/reality. Even individuals within those belief systems change their view of life as they evolve over the years. This has certainly been true for me.
My collage (at the top of the page) does not necessarily reflect my idea about the meaning of life. It's a question I cannot answer. The collage more accurately reflects my belief that we can derive meaning from life, and can give meaning to it, through our actions. That belief helps get me up in the morning.
Besides illustrating my view about how life can have meaning, I decided for this collage exercise to take an objective view of the question. I looked around the world at several traditional belief systems. What do these systems, from far corners of earth, believe about the meaning of life?
The information provided below was derived from (mostly) scholarly sources. I'm parroting what they say and imagine adherents of those belief systems might have a different view. Leave a comment if you are an adherent of one of those systems and disagree with what I write here. I'd be interested in hearing about it.
Hinduism : Source Ohio State Philosophy Department
This website states: "According to Hinduism, the meaning (purpose) of life is four-fold: to achieve Dharma, Artha, Kama, and Moksha. The first, dharma, means to act virtuously and righteously". Additionally, Dharma has a second requirement: One must repay a debt, owed at birth to the gods and other humans. The following are the debts that must be paid: "debt to the Gods for their blessings, debt to parents and teachers, debt to guests, debt to other human beings, and debt to all other living beings."
Vadtal-temple
Source Dhruv Satani CC-BY-SA-4.0
The Ohio State website further states: "The second meaning of life... is Artha...the pursuit of wealth and prosperity in one’s life." However, in pursuing these goals one must always stay in the bounds of dharma--ethical behavior.
The website goes on: "The third purpose of a Hindu’s life is to seek Kama...obtaining enjoyment from life".
The website describes the fourth meaning of life: "The fourth and final meaning of life..is Moksha, enlightenment".
Zoroastrianism : Source Theosophical Society
Zoroastrians believe in the duality of existence. "...the original duality is not of good and evil, but is of spirit and matter, of reality and non-reality, of light and darkness, of construction and destruction, the two poles between which the universe is woven and without which no universe can be." According to Zoroastrians, good and evil are not part of the essential nature of life. They only came into existence when humans acquired knowledge and choice.
The duality of Zoroastrianism includes two entities, the 'increaser' and the 'destroyer'. Life is always "pouring" from the increaser and the destroyer is always breaking things up so "that life may go on into higher expression".
Aztec : Source Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy
The Aztecs Pyramid at St. Cecilia Acatitlan, Mexico State
Source:Maunus. Public domain
The Aztec view of life is one of balance. In order to keep our balance on earth, the Aztec's believed "that the cosmos and its human inhabitants are constituted by and ultimately identical with a single, vivifying, eternally self-generating and self-regenerating sacred energy." Every aspect of life, whether it be truth, beauty or value, was assessed in terms of the ability to maintain a cosmic balance. "Aztec metaphysicians conceived reality and cosmos as a grand, ongoing process of weaving—theirs was a world in motion".
Inuit : Source University of Washington
The Inuit believe in an interrelated world. All of life, animals, nature, humans, generations are connected and ever evolving. "The Inuit Way of Knowing is over 20,000 years old on the North American continent and has developed through trial and error and through observation".
Sami : Source Sami Treasures
"Sami spirituality is often described as a 'natural religion' because of its deep connection with the forces of nature." In the Sami worldview, nature is not something we live in. It is everything. It is "a collection of living, spiritual entities". Everything in nature, in life, has a soul and spiritual power--including mountains and rivers.Every natural element, from mountains to rivers, animals to plants, possesses a soul and is imbued with spiritual power.
The Sami view of life, therefore is one of harmony. The religion, the worldview, is animistic, and sees "animals as important spiritual beings."
Sources for the collage were Pixabay and the LIL Gallery. Thank you to all the contributors.
Lantern (Statue of Glooscap)
@redheadpei
LIL
I used GIMP and Paint 3D to arrange the elements. I used GIMP to put the layers together in the feature and process GIFs. In the instance of the feature GIF, I used a blend filter on GIMP to give the lantern and steam the impression of continuous motion. I painted (with a GIMP brush) in the steam over the monk's bowl, and shadows under the bottle and child. Also, I added the glow on the child's lantern with a GIMP filter.
Here's a process GIF that shows approximately how I proceeded. Please note, I used a Lunapic filter to add the final finish.
I don't compete in the collage contests, but I do participate because I love to make collages. I find they express ideas and emotions in ways that words do not.
Two contests are underway right now. The LMAC Round #220 will be winding down on December 2. Still time to get a collage in. The Theme Contest #2 will conclude on December 16. Plenty of time to get entries in. Meanwhile, people are welcome to create freestyle collages throughout the month. We will curate any collage that follows the rules spelled out in the contest posts.
LIL is LMAC's unique image gallery. All pictures in the Gallery were contributed by Hive bloggers. I've made a kind of hobby out of taking pictures and adding them to the Gallery. Anyone on Hive may borrow from the Gallery for any reason. Rules and procedures may be found here.
I hope you found this blog interesting and that you found my feature collage relevant to the theme of the contest.
Thank you for reading my blog. Peace.
Hive on!
