While every human being seeks to be happy and hates to be unhappy and while it is a universal principle that humanity seeks pleasure and shuns pain, it is also a known fact that a life without sorrow and unhappiness doesn't exist. It's like a mirage in the desert, an illusion. Since all of humanity is seeking this Ultimate Goal of everlasting Bliss, the entire world is lled with options and possibilities and claims to have the solution to achieve this ultimate state of happiness.
Manufacturers of beauty creams and luxury soaps call out to women to use their product and become more beautiful so they can have happiness. The world has countless brands offering jewellery, clothes, and accessories for the same reason. Men are attracted by success, money and even erotic pleasure. Kids are offered toys to make them happy, just like senior citizens are given options that can ensure a secure and healthy life.
But man is intelligent. Man doesn't get carried away by these transitory solutions. Man knows that his ultimate happiness comes from God, the Creator of this universe. Therefore, most of humanity has a religion. A small minority is either atheist or agnostic. The others go to temples, mosques, churches, synagogues or monasteries. The names are endless. Man is constantly going to God for his happiness.
Why do we fold our hands in prayer? Most of humanity prays because they seek happiness, peace of mind and a life free of problems. We pray because we believe that God is a solution to our pain and misery and the giver of peace and joy. Still, we are unhappy! Although the promise from our religions is broadcasted on loudspeakers, the common man has not found a solution to this problem of suffering and pain. If we study the history of religion, God, and prayer, what do we nd? It is very ambiguous as the written records available are less than 5000 years old. And we cannot just presume anything to be true.
A peek into history reveals some strange beliefs of ancient man. An Egyptian script discovered recently by archaeologists and said to be over 4500 years old, reveals that the ancient Egyptians believed in over 700 Gods. They used to worship the God they needed help from. In the East, the Hindu Faith or Sanatana Dharma – the Eternal Religion without a beginning, started with the belief that God had no name and form. Later it transformed to Hinduism, a religion that believes in thousands of Gods. The Abrahamic religion which led to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, believed in one God and that their God was the only God. These advocated that we would go to heaven or hell after death.
The challenge with the monotheistic religions is not their belief in heaven and hell based on our actions, good or bad, but the question - who will go to heaven or hell as we clearly see that a person who dies is cremated or buried here on earth. Who will suffer or be rewarded if the body lies below the earth and becomes one with it? If we try to go deeper into the Truth, we realize that even if there is a day of judgement and we will face our good deeds and sins, it has to be through some kind of rebirth or resurrection.
Ancient history is based on presumptions and assumptions. Some historians talk of people praying to Gods of nature - the Sun God, the Wind God, the Water God and so on. There were other ancient religions that were practised in the far East, but many of these were wiped out due to the cultural and political circumstances that existed then. In many cases people were forced not to believe in God.
History across the globe, by and large, reveals that people went to their God for happiness, just as they prayed when they suffered in misery and pain. It hardly matters which religion started rst, but this gives us an idea of how man has been praying for the last 4000 to 5000 years and why. It hasn't changed till date with people continuing to ock to religious institutions for the sake of peace and happiness, just as we pray to be protected from sorrow and problems. Scriptures of all religions reveal the ultimate promise - that their God will shower happiness just as their God will protect His people from suffering and pain.
In the Eastern world, because Hinduism became full of rituals and superstitions, it led to Hinduism branching out into Buddhism and Jainism which gained popularity amongst followers. While we are not really concerned about how many people follow each religion, we are more interested in the concepts religions advocate.
All religions believe in God. But the fact is, God is not made of skin and bone. God is a power beyond human comprehension. God is a power that is Omnipresent, Omniscient and Omnipotent. This is accepted by most religions. But people do not go beyond religion to realize the Truth about God. Probably, it would be better to use the word 'Creator' rather than use the term 'God' which gets humanity even further confused about who, where, and what God is.
Today's Hindu concepts seem untenable with there being three primary Gods, the Creator, the Preserver, and the Destroyer. It becomes further untenable with the number of Gods that people believe in – a God of Wealth, a God of Wisdom and so on. Unfortunately, God has become some kind of a magician rather than being the Divine Creator, a Power unknown to man.
While the current Hindu beliefs do not offer a solution to the Ultimate Goal of life, the ancient Hindu Faith, the Sanantana Dharma, speaks of Liberation, often known as Moksha. It inspires followers to delve deep and realize the truth about life.
While the Hindu concept of Moksha continues to exist in all branches of Hinduism today, it has been diluted by idol worship, rituals, and superstitions. Of course, children need a God with name and form to understand the powerful Creator, but we must learn to grow up. Instead, Ancient Hinduism transformed over the centuries and made religious priests even more powerful than kings and these “god-men” manipulated the spiritual concept of Moksha that led to its decline. We shall get into the details of Moksha a little later in this book.
Due to such beliefs in Hinduism, one rich Hindu prince – Siddhartha Gautama, left his palace and wandered amongst genuine Hindu mystics who lived up in the mountains. He sat in deep meditation until he realized the Truth. He founded Buddhism and concept of Nirvana, our Ultimate Goal which will be described in detail later.
Since Buddhism offered people a simpler and practical way to attain peace and happiness, it gained popularity. If one studies world religions, one will realize how the entire world seemed to decline in religion as humanity got caught in living a life of myth and superstition. In Europe, this period was known as the 'Dark Ages'. But in reality, the Dark Ages was a global phenomenon with a gradual decline of religion as people started asking questions objecting to illogical rituals and meaningless superstitions and dogmas.
One may come across the term Enlightenment. A detailed study of Enlightenment follows, but this concept of Enlightenment as the name suggests is about being Enlightened. It seemed that the world was living in dark ignorance, and thus people were suffering. It was important to overcome ignorance and to be Enlightened with the truth.
Although Enlightenment is a very recent global concept, it offers a practical solution as it questions every ritual and every superstition, demanding an explanation before accepting anything. No doubt, followers of such a philosophy do not accept any theology, just because it is a family tradition. In the quest of happiness, the modern world is not willing to accept anything other than the truth. However, has such questioning led to the realization of the truth? The world and its pleasures, as well as our own mind and ego, create a barrier. One cannot reach the Ultimate Goal, without the Realization of the Truth.
While MEN, Moksha, Enlightenment, and Nirvana, are the 3 major roads leading to the Ultimate Goal, we may investigate other options, but we should not get carried away or be lost in them. Our life is short and before the journey is over, we must realize the Truth, no matter which religion we follow.
Religion is just the kindergarten to spirituality. If we study the scriptures of all religions, we will nd evidence of the Ultimate Truth. The Truth is one, though it may be spoken off in many ways, expressed through many languages or advocated by many religions.
As a seeker seeking the Ultimate Goal of life, let us study MEN, the 3 most popular solutions, Moksha, Enlightenment, Nirvana that can lead us to a life of Ultimate Bliss, Peace and Joy without any misery and sorrow.
Religion doesn't matter in the search for Truth, Nor
does it matter if one is aged or a youth.
What matters is the achievement of Joy and
Peace, And that life's misery and suffering cease! 