Life is Not a Question Mark

Written by Naren on February 27, 2009

That’s right. Life is not a question mark. Life is not logic, theory, or some kind of jigsaw puzzle that can be explained, defined, or solved. The more you try to figure it out or solve it, the more confused you will be. Life is simply as it is. Life is a mystery, contradictory, inexplicable, insolvable and baffling. Life is not an object that can be dissected, analyzed, and studied.

Life is to be lived. That’s the simple and straight forward answer. But, no, we cannot embrace this concept because our mind is poisoned by philosophical theories, logics, explanations, myriads of interpretations, thoughts, ideas, doctrines and so on… Isn’t it a pity that life is right here in our hands, and we go on seeking for answers and explanations everywhere possible?

Beyond the Limits of Science

Science cannot explain what life is, no matter how hard it tries. Despite the advancements of science and its sophisticated technologies, still, life is beyond its comprehension. Yes, science can say that water is composed of 2 parts hydrogen and 1 part oxygen. But, water still cannot be defined. For example, let’s say a scientist is stuck in the middle of a desert and he is dying of thirst. He wouldn’t even bother to ask what water is, and certainly his thirst cannot be quenched with 2 hydrogen atoms and 1 atom of oxygen. In the desert, the scientist is more concerned with the water which will be able to quench his thirst, and save his life. If he asks what is water, then he is simply a fool. He would either seek for water or ask, “Where to find water?”

Likewise, by taking life as a question, we are wasting our precious time and energy. We delve into books, and we run around like a chicken with its head cut off, asking gurus, teachers, philosophers, thinkers, logicians, and every other person on the block, for an answer. None of these people have been able to correctly explain or define life. Because, life is simply unanswerable, indefinable. People are fighting and arguing with each other, bragging about their explanations over the others. Everyone thinks their way of explaining life is better than the others. In reality, none of them have been able to come up with the right answer or the solution. Why, because it’s simply an absurd game of gratifying your ego, and nothing more. It is simply your ego that’s interpreting things, and since you have invested so much in strengthening your ego all your life, the answer, the reasoning, the proofs may sound logical and convincing to you, but remember: only to you. The others have their own interpretations. That’s why everybody is trying so hard to prove that their way is better than the others, their arguments are solid, and their logic is unbeatable?

Life has nothing to do with these arguments. Life remains aloof from these stupidities, because let me repeat again, life is not a question that can be solved. It is not a problem that requires a solution. Why are you worried so much about solving life? Life is not arithmetic, where 2 plus 2 equals 4. Remember: life is here, right now at this very, moment. It is available to you at this very moment. In fact, it has been available to you all the time. You were not aware of it. Be aware, be a little alert; life is calling you at every moment. It has been inviting you all the time and you were simply looking for it in the wrong places. You were searching for life, trying to find it as if it’s hidden in some answers. This is where you missed. How can you find life? You can find something which is lost. But life has never been lost in the first place. It has always been with you. You were just asleep. Not only asleep you were also turning a deaf ear. Or perhaps your ears were full of wax; otherwise, how can you not hear life’s open invitation. Just be a visitor, a guest, and enjoy life. Live life, dance, rejoice and celebrate it.

Logical Son

A new graduate from college returns home to his parents. In youth, everyone is inclined to become a philosopher, with so many ideas, and so much knowledge, energy, and ego. This is bound to happen. And moreover, this boy had studied philosophy and logic, so he was quite anxious to display his knowledge.

It is breakfast time, and everybody is in the kitchen. His mother places two oranges on the boy’s plate. The boy lifts his head, and says to his mother, “Mother, I will show you something very interesting that I’ve learned in my college. Tell me, what did you just put on the plate?”

The mother, quite surprised, answers, “Don’t you see, they're oranges.”

The boy answers with a smile, “How many?”

The mother replies, “Two.”

The boy says with pride, “No, it’s three and I can prove with my logic that there are three oranges there."

The mother looks at him perplexed and replies, “But how, all I can see are two oranges.”

Then the boy picks up the first orange and says, "This is one orange.” He picks up another and says, “This is orange number two. Now, tell me how much is one plus two.”

The mother answers, “It’s three.”

And he says, “See, I told you. And I proved it.”

Now, the boy is proud and happy.

The boy’s father who is watching attentively and silently, then replies, “Bravo! Good job my boy. Okay then, I will eat the one orange, your mother will eat the two, and you eat the three.”

Certainly the son has been able to prove two oranges are three with his logic, but his logic has failed, because he cannot eat the third orange. Because, the third orange is an outcome of his logic, and one cannot eat logic, philosophy, science or math.

Similarly, life cannot be interpreted or explained using logic or reasoning. It is not possible and to do so is completely pointless, for by doing so you are detaching yourself from the true essence of life. To consider life as a question is absolutely false, and then to squander your energies in solving it is absurdness. It is nothing more than mindless running while achieving nothing in the end.

For example, it’s like running around and around the periphery of the circle, which will keep you only on the circumference. This running won’t take you to the center. Because to reach to the center, you need to delve deeper. You need to stop running around the periphery and simply dive in to the center. That’s it.

Similarly, life is with us all the time, but we are not present. We are not available for it. Instead, we are all running and chasing it all over in the wrong directions. And trust me, everybody is rational, and a philosopher these days. Everyone has their own ways to define things. Some may sound more logical and rational while other may be little less. Now, everyone has become quite skilled in the art of philosophy. Everyone is loaded with some readymade answers that they have borrowed from here and there. Everyone is so ready to give an advice. Yeah! To give advice is easy but to transform someone is difficult.

Logic Trap

So my suggestion is not to be fooled with these questions and answers. Otherwise you may get trapped into this net of theories, logics, and definitions. And as I said people have mastered this art of explaining and defining with their sound arguments and reasoning. Since you are already vulnerable, it’s much easier for you to fall into this trap which has been spun quite effectively. Then what will you do? You will get settled down in one of these definitions that sound logical to you, and you will start clinging to it. You will get so attached to it, you will start spinning your own ideas and knowledge around it. And this is worse. Because, then there will be no growth of your own. You will be so dependent on somebody else’s theories, explanations and ideas, that you have completely stopped your own journey which could take you to the center of your own innermost being. You become completely detached from your life and now have clung into the words of someone else’s woven web of consolation.

And please be aware of these traps, these beautifully woven nets, called logic, arguments, theories, philosophies as they are just a wall between you and your life itself. They are a barrier to you and your reality. They are nothing more than a hindrance to your growth.

And the more you accumulate knowledge, information and interpretation, then the wall will thicken, and one day it will be so thick that you will get buried within this wall, which has been created by yourself. Then what will you do? Well, nothing! Then you will suffocate, and ultimately the wall will turn out to be your own grave.

So, drop all these nonsense philosophies about life. Stop running here and there gathering information, interpretations, and explanations. Because none of these have been able to give any correct solution. Logic cannot explain life. Life is completely illogical, and absolutely irrational. It is a mystery unto itself. Yes, life is a mystery, completely elusive. You don’t know what’s next. It is contradictory. One moment you are happy and another moment you are enveloped in sorrow. Anything is possible in this life, and nobody knows. Life is unpredictable, and uncertain. Such is the way of life.

Quantum Leap

And even science has become aware of this illogical nature of life now, and it is not bothered trying to explain life scientifically. Let me give you an example. You may have heard of quantum leap. What is it? It’s the jumping of an electron from one spot to another within an atom, but it does not exist in between. It is not present on the distance; still, it reaches to the other point. From point A to point B, an electron travels, but it can’t be seen in the middle. It is observed at spot A and then only at spot B. How? How is this possible? Science has given up and named this illogical behavior of electron as “quantum leap.” Science is so baffled with this mysterious behavior, it is absolutely beyond theory. Even electrons can act so illogical, and contradictory. Hence, life is absolutely mysterious. Look at existence. Can anyone explain its vastness? It is inexplicable. It cannot be defined. How can somebody define existence, and who is going to define it? That’s why it is eternal. I would say it is eternally eternal which is always there from the beginningless beginning to the endless ending.

Final Words

So, let’s not get lost in a maze of these questions and interpret life through Q and A. Life is as it is. Life is immediately available. Let’s live and enjoy it. Let’s make each and every available moment joyous and delightful. Life can only be experienced. You should be experiencing, enjoying it at every moment.

Life is real, existential. Life is not to be analyzed, interpreted, or dissected, intellectually. It would be a complete waste. Because intellectual understanding is not total; moreover, it’s not authentic. It’s simply an adaptation of somebody else’s interpretations. That’s why Buddha said, “Be a light unto yourself.”

Life is to be lived in its totality, not intellectually but intelligently, consciously and creatively, in awareness and freedom. Then only life becomes a celebration – a moment to moment celebration – an eternal dance of joy, song and music. Then life becomes a salvation or “moksha” not bondage, or a sad tale of pain and sorrow. Then life becomes a play, festive, or leela (cosmic play), not a theory, goal, purpose or some sort of conclusion or confusion.


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