Most of humanity rightly believes that our Ultimate Goal is Happiness. Everybody wants to be happy, but unfortunately, not everybody is. We live with the sole purpose of doing things that can put a smile on our face. There are some who just exist, they drag through life. It seems like their life has no meaning, no purpose, and no goal. We all come into this world, live for about 5 to 10 decades and then depart. Very few really stop to nd out what is our true purpose. There are some who feel that they have discovered the secret that the goal of life is not just to be happy, but to make others happy too! Is this true?
Can we be happy all the time? While we all experience pleasure and joy, each one of us suffers misery and pain. We live with stress, fear, worry, anger and anxiety and this seems to be part of the life fabric that we are woven into. While we seek pleasure and shun pain, it seems that there is no way to escape from misery. Very rarely do we nd people who make this their Ultimate Goal, not just to enjoy bouts of happiness, but to achieve the state of Everlasting Peace and Eternal Joy without clouds of negativity spoiling their bright sky.
The most common way people try to achieve this Ultimate Goal of Happiness is through success and achievement. Most people think that success is Happiness because achievement gives them a feeling of exhilaration and excitement. There is no doubt that achievement and success create pleasure and happiness, but the question is - can we be successful all the time? We desire and when the desire is achieved, we become happy. But when it is not, we become disappointed and feel discouraged. It feels like we are defeated. Some people, therefore, stop this mad chase to be an ace in the race of life. Instead of getting caught in the maze, they try to live with grace on the second peak of happiness.
While the rst peak of happiness seems to be Achievement, some people are lucky to take an exit from this highway because they realize that such a peak doesn't exist. They transcend their greed and try to live with contentment, fullling their needs. These are the few lucky people who go beyond pleasure and live with peace on the second peak of happiness, Fulllment. They stop this mad chase of success and achievement and live joyously and peacefully. But less than one-fth of the world is lucky to do so.
While this minority who leaves the rst peak of happiness, Achievement and scales the second peak, Fulllment, lives peacefully and blissfully, is their life free from misery and suffering? Unfortunately, no! Everybody who lives on earth, who has been given this human birth, experiences both joy and sorrow. They are both glad and sad as they live through this journey called 'Life'. Less than one percent of humanity tries to make this their Ultimate Goal, not just to live with Contentment and Fulllment, but to be Liberated from misery and sorrow.
Is there a way to escape misery and suffering? Yes, there is! In fact, this is the Ultimate Goal of every human being, not just to live with pleasure and peace but to be liberated from pain and suffering. The only way to get to this Ultimate Destination is by realizing the true purpose and meaning of life. Only a few are fortunate to go on a quest. They ask questions and investigate their doubts about life to ratify their beliefs. They are the ones who realize the Truth and achieve the Ultimate Goal of life.
Most of humanity suffers misery and pain. Not just the pain of the body which we all have to suffer, we also suffer the misery of the mind. As we age, our body tends to face all kinds of aches and pains. We also experience some diseases and ultimately the body dies. Nobody on earth can escape from this physical pain. Today, the world has advanced and we have medicines that can nullify physical pain. Not just ordinary painkillers, there are advanced opioids and drugs that can kill any kind of pain. If we can't reduce pain with medication, then we can use anesthesia to create an absence of physical pain. But what about mental distress? Who on earth is able to live without worry, stress, regret, anxiety, fear, revenge, guilt, and hate? We all experience such misery of the mind. While we are able to take painkillers to overcome physical suffering, how do we transcend mental pain? Then comes the agony of the ego. We are all subject to the ego making us miserable. We get angry, and upset over so many things just because of the ego - the ego that demands and has expectations. All these together make us suffer the pain of the ego, the body, and the mind.
Seekers of Truth, seeking the Ultimate Goal of life ask questions and investigate how they can achieve this state of Everlasting Peace and Eternal Happiness, where there is no suffering, misery, and pain. Not only do they study all religions, but they also make every attempt to analyze every known philosophy and theology to achieve their Goal. Let us glance at the efforts of seekers who want to realize the Truth, on how they can achieve the Ultimate Goal of life.
Most people don't live through life, they drift!
Alas, they lose the Happiness gift!
But there are a few who go on a quest,
For them, life is at its best!