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A Gift is for Life, not just for Christmas

28 October 2008

With Christmas fast approaching, it's easy to consider the process of giving gifts only within the context of the forthcoming festive season. However, to do so would be to somewhat miss the point. After all, when it comes to gifts, a gift really is for life.

This being the case, it's probably apt to consider the gifts of life itself. From the second we're born, to the moment we die, the purpose of such gifts can remain quite illusive. Thankfully, philosophers, scientists and even the world's religions – both major and minor – have sought to answer the one nagging question that has no doubt plagued each and every one of us at some point in our lives: Why are we here?

For followers of the Hindu faith, an individual's soul – known as the atman – has an existence that will last forever. And, within the context of developing spiritually over a number of different lifetimes, there are a total of four potential reasons for our existence; the most significant reason being Moksha, or liberation from the cycle of reincarnation, although we could also be here because of morality or righteousness, or even wealth.

Buddhist doctrine differs slightly between traditions, but when it comes to the reasoning behind the gifts of life, the answer can be broadly – and simplistically – split into two: the path towards enlightenment, and the escape from the cycle of 'suffering' identified by Buddha in his Four Noble Truths of existence. Essentially, the four truths state that suffering exists, that there is a beginning, an end, and a path that can be followed that can lead to the end.

But what of Christianity? Although the faith has its roots in Judaism – which believes that, in addition to preparing for the world to come after we die, the purpose of life is to serve God – the meaning of life, according to Christian thought, is reportedly to live in a manner similar to Christ, and to serve Him; ultimately to obtain 'salvation' through God.

In more modern times, there are a number of contemporary perspectives on the meaning of life. Indeed, according to Pragmatists, life's meaning can only be ascertained through experience; Existentialists, on the other hand believe that we create our own reasons for living. And, according to Nietzsche, life can only have meaning providing that one is in possession of goals that can be described by oneself as inspirational – our own little gifts if you like.

Returning once again to Buddhism, the Zen school– to paraphrase on famous Zen philosopher – could be said to see human existence in terms of whirlpools. Using this analogy, if we consider ourselves to be the whirlpools within the stream, we might see ourselves – and our energy – to be unique things, but as these pools of energy must ultimately wane and once again form part of the stream, we cannot be said to exist as distinct beings in our own right. In that sense, all of the gifts of life could be said to be illusory, and only a product of the mind, thereby reducing the purpose of life to realising the illusory nature of the sense of self. Once we realise that the self does not exist, it could be argued that life and death are ultimately the same. After all, if one cannot exist without the other, how can they be real things with their own existence? And if all this is ultimately true, there is no existence for us to worry about; as there is no 'I' to be born, it cannot die.

However, no matter what our own philosophical or religious beliefs, life's many unique gifts cannot – or at least should not – be ignored. Rain, wind, snow, and even the sun, are all gifts. And when we wake up in the morning and have food to eat, and things to drink, these are also gifts.

So, maybe we shouldn't spend our time worrying about why we're here, and what life is about – perhaps we should just get on with living instead.
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