SOULSPACE

SELF DISCOVERY: PURPOSE OF EXISTENCE

By K.V.A.Kutty


We cannot see our face except by reflection in a mirror or some smooth surface. A game needs two sides, one playing against the other. In solitaire though one plays against oneself, the presence of another side is imagined, the same person playing seriously for both sides strictly in accordance with the pre-determined rules of the game. These days one can play many games, with a computer playing for the other side. Here an artificial intelligence is created in the machine by loading an appropriate software.

There is no way other than actual play to know the nuances of a game, to discover our skills and to experience the thrills and trials during the game. It is a way knowing oneself.
Life is similar to a play in many ways.

Imagine a time when the earth including the life on it did not exist. In other words God alone existed as always. God is Consciousness. It is in the nature of consciousness to seek to know itself not just once but continuously. For this God creates and maintains a replica of Himself so the play can go on. This replica is a reflection of God within Himself. Duality arises out of this reflection. Duality creates multiplicity. The reflection being within God the duality is only an illusion.

Human being is comparable to a machine with intelligence, so far as the body-mind configuration is concerned. But it is Consciousness residing in man’s intelligence that enables him to create the intelligent machine. Man transfers a minute part of his intelligence to the machine. The human being is similarly created and enabled to function by a far superior power or intelligence with a will of its own. This hidden power is Consciousness. This power creates and activates everything. Hence it is infinite. This infinite Consciousness is God (or Supreme Soul). A minute part of God or a unit of consciousness exists everywhere and in everything. Being infinite it is One without a second.
In its absolute aspect Infinite Consciousness is God and in its relative (or multiple) aspect consciousness is the individual soul.

In the case of human (and other living) beings death and birth have meaning only with reference to body and not soul. On death soul discards the worn out body and accepts another body to continue on its long journey. An inert object is a unit of consciousness at a low level.

God sees himself in every part of his creation. But being only a part of the created universe man cannot know God, with his limited intelligence. Man tries to describe God in many ways. But he realizes that this is beyond him. In wonder man proclaims: “God is Great”.

Man does not know the measure of His greatness. Can it be that even God is not fully aware of His greatness! Perhaps. Hence He is always engaged in the process of Self Discovery. Life or Existence is the process of discovery of the Infinite Consciousness by Infinite Consciousness, a play in which every unit of creation is involved. We are all participants in this adventure.

Man becomes great through realizing his humble share in the Greatness of God. If he cannot do so his intelligence and life go waste.
The manifested universe, which is God’s reflection within Him, is permeated with consciousness and is the medium through which self discovery is made possible.

Self Discovery is the true nature of God, man, and all forms of life and non-life in the created universe. Man thinks only he has the need and capacity for self discovery. In the case of other species and non-living matter man is not equipped to know what is going on. For them self discovery may be going on at another level of consciousness. It seems proper to assume that God has given this capacity to his entire creation. Wherever consciousness is, the process of self discovery goes on perennially.

If there be species of life, other than human, gifted with a superior level of consciousness than man’s, their life would be far more complicated than man’s and self discovery could be more difficult for them, but the effort would be amply compensated by the thrill of enquiry and discovery.

In the lower species intensity of feelings would be less, but not totally absent. To them identity with God and Nature comes more easily. But the joy of knowledge is denied to them.

If we go by numbers, human species is insignificant compared to the millions of species of life and fairly large numbers in most of them. But the capacity for higher levels of knowledge is unique to human life. No wonder getting human birth is regarded as a rare good fortune. Those who are spiritually enlightened agree that human birth is rare and is due to good deeds performed in previous lives. They caution if such a rare gift is not dedicated to the noble duty of self discovery it will be a colossal loss.

If this advice is followed man will see himself in others too. The world will then be a better place for all.