What Is the Meaning of Life?

Text and Comment by OM C. Parkin

“To know who you really are.” Know yourSELF. Once and for ever. Many years ago my master gave me this answer. It is the final answer to this question. Whoever receives this answer by from a master of the Path, and can hear it with his heart, has come to the end of the search. Many answers have preceded this final answer, some intelligent and eloquent, many compassionate, warm-hearted and humane. But none has come close to this final answer. It is simple, unconditional, radical. It is Death. The invitation to the death of a separate entity called “I”.
BEING, Consciousness, Bliss (satchitananda). This Trinity in Oneness is the natural state of a human being. The state of a human being knowing him/herSELF. The great spiritual paths of humanity, the Path of Truth and the Path of Love, both end in satchitananda. The meaningless meaning of life.

Comment: The advaitic answer given here is the answer of the royal path to enlightenment. The royal path is for kings. But a student of the Path cannot choose to be a king, just like a small child identifying with a fairy-tale king. For this king, surprisingly, has the appearance of a beggar: humility has taught him to just sit there quietly, to avoid any glorious appearance and to give up any sense of personal importance. Thus, for the soul who is receptive to this royal path, the dethronement of the false king gives birth to that true king and gives him the capacity to walk this royal path. For if only beggars dressed as kings walk the royal path, arrogance will bring in the harvest. Since there are few true kings among the Western disciples of the Path, they also need the modesty of taking small steps. Without losing sight of the absolute answer, modesty also receives relative answers, relative truths on the Path, all of which accompany the Path to some extent. That is why many a student receives the following answer from a master of the Path: “Do your homework. Do your sadhana.”