-(THE MEANING OF LIFE):(FOCUS ON « CHRISTIANITY », « HINDUISM » AND « KAMA »)!
1-(« FOLLOW-UP RELATED TO « CHRISTIAN VIEW » OF THE MEANING AND PURPOSE OF LIFE »):
CHRISTIANITY GIVES ONE ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION:THE REASON THAT WE ARE HERE IS THAT « GOD » CREATED US TO HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM.THIS IS WHY GOD CREATED A UNIVERSE FIT FOR HUMAN LIFE,AND WHY HE LAID DOWN GUIDELINES FOR HOW WE LIVE OUR LIVES;DOWN THE LINE, ACCORDING TO CHRISTIANITY,EACH ONE OF US IS CREATED FOR COMMUNION WITH « GOD »; AS A RESULT, « GOD » WANTS TO KNOW US,TO LOVE US,AND TO REJOICE WITH US!FURTHERMORE,CHRISTIANITY CONTINUES TO TELL US THAT THE BARRIER TO THIS RELATIONSHIP IS SIN,BUT THAT IN JESUS GOD HEALS THAT RELATIONSHIP,REMOVES THE BARRIER NO MATTER HOW GREAT IT HAS BECOME,AND RESTORES US.IN THE SAME WAY, FAITH IN « GOD » AND IN « JESUS-CHRIST » IS THE CHRISTIAN CONCEPTION OF THE MEANING OF LIFE AS THE MEANS OF ACHIEVING FULFILMENT!
2-(KAMA): »PLEASURE »!
« KAMA »(SANSKRIT, »DESIRE »)PRIMARLY REFERS TO ROMANTIC LOVE AND SEXUAL PLEASURE,THOUGH IT CAN REFER TO DESIRE IN GENERAL.THE « KAMA »( SUTRA),A MANUAL FOR EROTIC AND OTHER HUMAN PLEASURES(LIKE FLOWER-ARRANGING),IS ATTRIBUTED TO THE « SAGE VATSYAYAMA ».
3-(HINDUISM):
IN « HINDUISM »,THRE IS NOT JUST ONE PURPOSE OF HUMAN LIFE,BUT FOUR: »DHARMA »-DESIRE,SEXUALITY,ENJOYMENT-« MOKSHA »-ENLIGHTENMENT AND THE « SANSKRIT » WORD « DHARMA » MEANS MANY THINGS,INCLUDING « LAW »(TEACHING) AND « RELIGION ».IF A « HINDU » MAN’S FATHER IS A TIRE MAKER,HIS « DHARMA » IS PROBABLY TO MAKE TIRES,TOO.TRADITIONALLY,THE « DHARMA » OF MOST WOMEN HAS BEEN TO BE A HOUSEWIFE AND A MOTHER.
-(ARTHA):(PROSPERITY)
-« ARTHA » IS PROSPERITY OR SUCCESS IN WORLDLY PURSUITS.ALTHOUGH THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF « HINDUISM » IS ENTLIGHTENMENT,THE PURSUIT OF WEALTH AND PROSPERITY IS REGARDED AS AN APPROPRIATE PURSUIT FOR THE HOUSEHOLDER(THE SECOND OF FOUR LIFE STAGES);IT ALSO ENSURES SOCIAL ORDER,FOR THERE WOULD BE NO SOCIETY IF EVERY ONE RENUNCIATED WORLDLY LIFE TO MEDITATE.BUT WHILE « HINDUIS » ARE ENCOURAGED TO MAKE MONEY,IT MUST BE WITHIN THE BOUNDS OF « DHARMA »!
-ANOTHER ASPECT OF « DHARMA » IS PAYING THE FIVE DEBTS. »HINDUS » BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE BORN IN DEBT TO THE GODS AND VARIOUS HUMANS,AND THEY MUST REPAY THOSE KARMIC DEBTS DURING THEIR LIFETIME.THE DEBTS ARE:(1)-DEBTS TO THE GODS FOR THEIR BLESSINGS.(2)-DEBTS TO PARENTS AND TEACHERS-(3)-DEBTS TO GUESTS-(4)-DEBTS TO OTHER HUMAN BEINGS-(5)-DEBTS TO ALL OTHER LIVING BEINGS.
-DEFINETELY, « DHARMA » ALSO MEANS RIGHTEOUSNESS,OR LIVING MORALLY AND ETHICALLY AT ALL TIMES!
(FROM AZUZA STREET WITH « ROLAND JOSEPH TETTEH » FROM « GHANA »)(« EXTRA ADDITIONS » ARE FROM THE STAFF)(« MEDIA MIRROR »)