In the first part of this three-part series we talked about what is right and wrong in absolute sense. We established that there is no meaning and purpose behind the existence, and hence, nothing could be intrinsically right or wrong.
In this part, I am going to talk more about intrinsic meaninglessness of existence and then we will move on to defining and understanding morality.
Part 2
Is Nihilism the Ultimate Truth?
In absolute sense there is no purpose behind the existence. No meaning. No right and wrong. In absolute sense everything is right in its place, always.
This position is very much like nihilism. Or, let’s say nihilism is what it is. But then unlike almost all the people I have seen, I do not see nihilism with negative glasses. I think pure rationality is bound to lead one to this point in one's truth-seeking journey. It is an inevitable point, and very important and crucial, too
It is crucial, because this point is like a razor's edge. It's like when I would realize that there is no right and wrong, no meaning, no purpose, I might lose all motive to live. Then whether I walk this way or that way it won't make a difference. Even if I don't walk and sit under one tree all my life, it is right. I will be totally indifferent to everything. Basically, life will become absolutely blank, dull, without any vitality. Of course, nothing's right or wrong. But I would say that living in this position is very uncreative.
Nihilism is right, and very important, but very uncreative. There’s no point in adhering to it for life, for then life itself becomes pointless. To live with such un-creativeness is akin to insanity. I am doing anything. Nothing makes sense. Like that.
That is not the position I advocate. When I am guiding one towards the highest reality, yes, I am taking one to face the stark meaninglessness of the existence, what you may call nihilism. That’s because as it is the reality it can not be ignored. It is essential for one to acknowledge the reality above all for enlightened living. But this point is a critical juncture, not a final destination. Form what I have understood enlightened living is a “post-nihilism” phenomenon.
Whereas nihilism is uncreative, a spiritually developed person would be creative. After reaching the point of meaninglessness he would not sit still like a statue all his life, or wander about aimless like a madman. He would rather realize absolute freedom. Imagine all burdens lifted. What a joy! And then to live creatively he would self-assign some purpose to life and live for it, fully taking joy of his short existence as a conscious being. After all, nothing is right or wrong, so he need not worry whether what he is doing is right or wrong. He just wants to live creatively.
And what is that self-assigned purpose? It can be anything! If we talk about humanity as a whole then the (self-assigned) purpose which is there to bring meaning to life is translated into what we call “morality”. And what morality is? What could be the most logical aim of any living creature capable of thinking? Survival and wellness. Or happiness, fulfillment, whatever we call it, it’s all the same. We stick to the phrase “survival and wellness” for morality. So, the purpose which is there to bring meaning to life is "survival and wellness". Strive for survival and wellness. The conduct that serves this purpose is moral, and vice versa. Needless to say, the principle behind the morality of a spiritually developed person will be the same. In fact, it will be more accurately so!
The position of nihilism is without morality, the life there is without joy. Where there’s neither meaning nor any value in anything, morality also can’t be. And joy can’t arise where there is no purpose. But a creative person would form his own morality to joyously live by. And he will feel absolute freedom for he knows in the depth that nothing is right or wrong in absolute sense!
It is just to live creatively that we have invented the meaning and purpose, and for smooth functioning it has been generalized as morality for all thinking beings to follow. It’s another thing that intellectually lazy and unenlightened people, instead of striving for the truth, receive morality directly from the self-indulgent authorities (like religions) as God’s word.
With this we are done building the bridge between meaninglessness (nihilism) and morality. In the next, and the last, part I will explain the concept of morality in depth, and we will how it works.
In this part, I am going to talk more about intrinsic meaninglessness of existence and then we will move on to defining and understanding morality.
Nihilism, Morality and Enlightened Living
Part 2
Is Nihilism the Ultimate Truth?
In absolute sense there is no purpose behind the existence. No meaning. No right and wrong. In absolute sense everything is right in its place, always.
This position is very much like nihilism. Or, let’s say nihilism is what it is. But then unlike almost all the people I have seen, I do not see nihilism with negative glasses. I think pure rationality is bound to lead one to this point in one's truth-seeking journey. It is an inevitable point, and very important and crucial, too
It is crucial, because this point is like a razor's edge. It's like when I would realize that there is no right and wrong, no meaning, no purpose, I might lose all motive to live. Then whether I walk this way or that way it won't make a difference. Even if I don't walk and sit under one tree all my life, it is right. I will be totally indifferent to everything. Basically, life will become absolutely blank, dull, without any vitality. Of course, nothing's right or wrong. But I would say that living in this position is very uncreative.
Nihilism is right, and very important, but very uncreative. There’s no point in adhering to it for life, for then life itself becomes pointless. To live with such un-creativeness is akin to insanity. I am doing anything. Nothing makes sense. Like that.
That is not the position I advocate. When I am guiding one towards the highest reality, yes, I am taking one to face the stark meaninglessness of the existence, what you may call nihilism. That’s because as it is the reality it can not be ignored. It is essential for one to acknowledge the reality above all for enlightened living. But this point is a critical juncture, not a final destination. Form what I have understood enlightened living is a “post-nihilism” phenomenon.
Whereas nihilism is uncreative, a spiritually developed person would be creative. After reaching the point of meaninglessness he would not sit still like a statue all his life, or wander about aimless like a madman. He would rather realize absolute freedom. Imagine all burdens lifted. What a joy! And then to live creatively he would self-assign some purpose to life and live for it, fully taking joy of his short existence as a conscious being. After all, nothing is right or wrong, so he need not worry whether what he is doing is right or wrong. He just wants to live creatively.
And what is that self-assigned purpose? It can be anything! If we talk about humanity as a whole then the (self-assigned) purpose which is there to bring meaning to life is translated into what we call “morality”. And what morality is? What could be the most logical aim of any living creature capable of thinking? Survival and wellness. Or happiness, fulfillment, whatever we call it, it’s all the same. We stick to the phrase “survival and wellness” for morality. So, the purpose which is there to bring meaning to life is "survival and wellness". Strive for survival and wellness. The conduct that serves this purpose is moral, and vice versa. Needless to say, the principle behind the morality of a spiritually developed person will be the same. In fact, it will be more accurately so!
The position of nihilism is without morality, the life there is without joy. Where there’s neither meaning nor any value in anything, morality also can’t be. And joy can’t arise where there is no purpose. But a creative person would form his own morality to joyously live by. And he will feel absolute freedom for he knows in the depth that nothing is right or wrong in absolute sense!
It is just to live creatively that we have invented the meaning and purpose, and for smooth functioning it has been generalized as morality for all thinking beings to follow. It’s another thing that intellectually lazy and unenlightened people, instead of striving for the truth, receive morality directly from the self-indulgent authorities (like religions) as God’s word.
With this we are done building the bridge between meaninglessness (nihilism) and morality. In the next, and the last, part I will explain the concept of morality in depth, and we will how it works.
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