Does Life Have A Purpose?
Questioner:
Why do you maintain that Life has no purpose? If Life has no purpose, the individual life, even in pure being, can have no purpose either; because individual perfection can have a meaning only when there is a purpose in creation.
KRISHNAMURTI:
Life by which I mean, that life which is truth, in which there is no division, in which all things consummate, on which all things depend, in which all things exist that life has no purpose, because it is.
For that which is, there cannot be a purpose, because it is all inclusive. In that exist both time and space, and individual existence; but individual existence, in which totality is not yet realized, has a purpose. That purpose is the realization of this totality.
Individuality is not an end in itself because individuality is imperfection. It is burdened with incompleteness; and so the magnification of that individuality, to however great a degree, will still remain individuality. That which is imperfect cannot by magnification or multiplication be made perfect.
So the true purpose of individual existence is to realize this unity of things, this reality, in which there is no sense of object and subject, “you” and “I”, in which there are no reactions, but only the sense of pure being which is positive, dynamic. (When I use the word “positive”, I do not exclude the negative). This life is in all things in this table, as in the most highly cultured (hu)man.
But the individual in whom there is separation, in whom there is distinction of object and subject, in whom there is division, because of his limitation, his imperfection, must fulfill himself in perfection, in incorruptibility.
Therefore individual existence has a purpose, but life has no purpose.
by J. Krishnamurti, from a gathering at Oomen, Holland, 1930
SEED QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION: How do you relate to the directive to fulfill oneself in perfection? Can you share a personal story of a time you felt life in all things? What helps you include the negative in your conception of the positive?
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8 Past Reflections
On Jun 24, 2020 Palash Roy wrote :
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On Jan 23, 2018 Sylvia Blackwell wrote :
I am the a proud 89 year African-American family Matriarch,,,,four children, 9 grandchildren, and 6 great-grand children! My progeny has met challenges, overcome disappointments and rejoiced with successes.
My being is manifested in their beings --morally, spiritually and physically.
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On Jan 22, 2018 Prasad wrote :
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On Jan 19, 2018 david doane wrote :
To fulfill oneself in perfection means to fulfill myself in being all of what I am, being total and whole, being all of me present and manifesting. I think I never felt life in all things, unless it was somewhere between conception and about age two. I have come to think that there is life in all things, and that awareness has been enlivening for me and has helped me feel more one with all resulting in increased compassion for and with all. What helps me include the negative in my conception of the positive is considering and believing that there is no negative and positive in nature, they are only in my perception. There is one nature/reality that I am part of -- some of it I like and some I don't, some I agree with and some I don't, some of which I embrace and some of which I fear, but I know I and it are really all part of the one.
1 reply: James | Post Your Reply