Finding the "What" in Life

I was just sipping my cup of tea in that night tea shop. Time is about 10 PM. I from my college days started enjoying this tea at night, in a calm serene, but sultry with city's own polluted environment. There was this boy who always put a lot of questions to me. A junior of about 5 to 6 years younger than me. Only such discussions have made my mind more brighter. It is not just the human psychology which we have to learn, It is human himself. I was too late when I realized things as it is. What is life? 


Many people are running behind something. Call it money, love, sex, a deity or the truth itself. Many are ambitious, but others are not. They are happy within their petty life. Many find it happy to have a routine 9 to 5 office environment, then spending time within their family. These people don't strive to be famous or something, while there is another group which needs money, name and fame, say a celebrity. It is another kind of life set. So what is the exact life's content? I am still searching. Here is a discussion about the same with that boy - A seeker.


Seeker : Anna, you always talk philosophies and also say they are used in our day to day life. Many people, including big religious leaders, have had their own way of answering about the life. What you have in store about life?

A.V.R. : So what is your question? Are you trying to find the answers from the answers of others. Then I can say only you are walking the wrong path. How can I know if you feel hungry? It is you who can feel it and then comes the question. But when we know there are plenty of food available outside, the idea of that it would be tasty and spicy, stops the mind from consuming what is exactly necessary at the moment to stop the real hunger.

Seeker : Those are just ideas of them isn't it, We get the glimpse of that Idea, But what matters is "We need food" isn't it?

A.V.R. : Of course my friend. But my question is are you going to feel the same taste as their tastebuds felt. No. Your toungue is different. You have different body structure and your tastebuds may feel it different. Though a sweet will remain sweet to everybody, what about a sick person who cannot realize the sweetness or bitterness in his tongue. So all is with you.

Seeker : Ok. Anna. I'm hungry now. That's why I came to you.  Because you are easily accessible. What do I have to do to get my food? Tell me, What is the exact necessity of life?

A.V.R. : What you want from life is the exact necessity. If you seek money, you are trying to get that. Then that becomes necessity. If you seek Love, then again it becomes necessity. As I said the necessities comes out of your desires and only out of your desires you seek. Finally what you seek you get. I mean if you want to eat food of certain kind, it is your desire, to have a fried chicken or just some peanuts. Won't you try to get what you want?

Seeker : I dont know whether I am putting my question in the right way. I mean what everyone needs or will be needing according to you in life? Today we see there is an increase in surplus population and everyone born and everyone die, why this is happening and what is the exact purpose they have to have in their life?

A.V.R. : The answer remains the same for everyone, whether it is single or millions and billions. I will put it simple, the answer lies in my previous answer itself. Everyone seeks something.  We run after it. It is the purpose which makes us seek whatever we seek. Then my question is why we seek something? The purpose of seeking becomes essential in this discussion, to know the "What" in life. Then again I will ask "Why is that purpose; to get what out of it?" Why we seek money, to live happily will be the answer from most. Why we seek love? To feel happy, secured and cared. Why we seek recognition from somebody? To feel pleased. Why we seek money? To feel financially sound in living.

Did you notice, some of the terms which I use are just different words of same meaning. A dog's instinct is to get food, if it get that food from a man, call its owner, then it is pleased. This pleasing is a kind of happiness. We humans, of sixth sense, a step ahead of dog also needs this kind of something. First of all we seek happiness. Will you seek what is called sadness in life. Will you ever forget to smile ever in your life? When you smile you become pleasant. Pleasantness is an outcome of what created that pleasing.

Lets take the next one. We need recognition. Recognition from ourselves, from others, from society, from the opposite sex etc., the words "hey, you look good", "you are doing things better, keep it up", is often necessary to create that, what we called as pleasantness before. If somebody have to recognize you then, they have to feel happy with your activities. Don't take everybody. Just take up your family members, you father and mother, don't you remember the time, when your father bought you chocolates or bought you a cricket bat or something like that when you scored more in your school examinations. It comes out of happiness and shall we name it as harmony. This harmonious living is necessary with the real people we see.

Then comes the question on how to get this recongition in such a kind of materialistic society. "I need wealth" might be your answer. Then to get the so called wealth what else you need. Good physical and mental health, Good surroundings, Good people around you, to buy the right things whenever you need it. Is that all? There is somemore. It is not only wealth creation, for wealth in its actual sense is not only money, but sound health too. I am naming this as prosperity.

So securing necessary wealth and health as an outcome of deeds is essential  as prosperity for getting that needed recognition, this recognition gives you harmony in family, living surroundings, working environment etc., In turn we get happiness out of this harmony. Finally there comes a question why exactly we need this all?

Then "Peace" will be my prompt answer. We seek all these things to get "peace", or proper proportions mixed in the right way will lead to "peace".

So lets get the derivation my friend Peace, Prosperity, Happiness and Harmony. Or simply put it P2H2(P square H square). Are you getting clear?

Seeker: Anna, yeah I can understand. But you said wealth creation and recognition. And also you say money making alone is not success. I am confused at this point. Then are you saying  real money makers, like millionaires and film celebrities have attained the purpose of life?

A.V.R.: Have you noticed that I said mixture of proper proportions of P2H2 is needed. If one is missing out of this, then how come they attained the purpose of life?

A millionaire may have millions of money and what I called as prosperity. But what if he don't have peace or happiness. We have lot of live examples in our today's world. Why not, take the POP King, Michael Jackson, he had whatever he needed in life, but why he had to be a drug addict. Notice the word addiction here. Addiction will happen only when something is in excess, as an outcome to get relieved from something else. I will discuss about it later. The mere idea is there is a greatest chance of imbalance in what I have said above. Am I right?

Do all the people have this P2H2 in right proportions. But for those who mix it in right proportions, that life will be as gifted elixir.

I said only 'Money making alone' is not success. So there itself it means, it is also needed. But for rightful needs. You people always tallk about Bill Gates, then my question is how much money he can spend within a day maximum, provided he is not donating or sponsoring something to anyone or anybody. The expense have to be only for himself. I mean only for his needs. His needs alone. A concept is underlying there. Aren't you seeing it?

Money can buy you good food, good dress, good shelter, good travel etc., but there are more things which cannot be bought for money. I am saying make money only to the needed extent. If you make in excess, give it to the needy. Again happiness will be the byproduct of that action.

Seeker : Yes, Anna. I am getting somewhat clear now.

A.V.R. : But don't stop there. These are only my views. You have to initiate your inner quest there. Because only you can feed your hunger. What I said is not the actual purpose of Life, but why that purpose is sought by everyone, as you said, the whole millions are seeking some purpose, but it can be mainly based on this P2H2.