Is there any Search?

Is there any Search?

We humans often talk about the ‘search for meaning,’ but is this search real, or just another way of distracting ourselves from boredom? We have already invested so much of our time in the accumulation of materialistic knowledge. At various stages of our life, we have questioned ourselves about the meaning of life—or whether whatever we do has any meaning at all.

If such a question has never entered your mind, and you are immersed in enjoyments, living to the fullest of life’s pleasures, then perhaps this does not concern you. But if you have experienced boredom even after all such activities—if you have felt that void within—then you are at the right place.

When Does the Question Arise?

So, is there really any meaning to life, and is there truly any search? This question often arises when we sit idle, with nothing to do, our stomach full, and no worry about the next meal. Do you recall ever having the thirst to search for the truth or the meaning of life when you were hungry? No—at that time, your search is limited only to food, to maintain the status quo of this living organism.

But the interesting point is that man is the creature whose enquiry is not confined to food or shelter. His search goes beyond the skies; it knows no limits—just like this ever-expanding universe. Have you ever seen any animal searching for answers to questions like, “What is the purpose of life?” or “Why am I here?” This kind of enquiry exists only in humans.

The Problem of the Known and the Unknown

Is the human body itself really interested in such questions, or are these merely thoughts trying to explore the unknown with the help of the known? And if there is any “unknown” at all, how will we recognize it using the knowledge of the past?

All the knowledge we have comes from past, accumulated, and often prejudiced understanding. Even what we are thinking right now is inspired by past knowledge. Look at the sky and the trees around you—how do you recognize them? You identify them through the names and labels given to you in the past. Sky is “blue,” the mountain is “solid,” that is a “chair.” Is there anything we can recognize without this accumulated knowledge? No, we can’t.

Can you describe something in the present without using knowledge of the past? No, isn’t it? What will you say now about the furniture in front of you? All the words arise from memory. Can we say we are more than a memory? You may answer, “Yes, I have emotions, love, bliss—things that make me different from others.” But don’t you think love, bliss, and emotions are also creations born out of the boredom of life? Does the body really care that you love someone? Or are these just chemical and hormonal responses to the stimulus of thoughts you deliberately create in your thought-sphere?

Where Does the Search End?

If we somehow come to understand the “unknown,” will it not immediately become part of the “known” and be added to our heap of accumulated knowledge? And then, will we not start chasing the next “unknown”? Where does this search end?

Are we truly interested in the unknown—or do we simply want to fill the void with other forms of materialistic or spiritual knowledge, which are still products of thought? Perhaps we only replace one thought with another, suppressing one desire to create another in the name of truth-seeking.

The Void and Our Attempts to Fill It

Now we are trying to analyze the meaninglessness of everything we do apart from maintaining the body’s survival. Does the body ever ask for anything more than food, shelter, and clothing? No—nothing.

It is we who try to fill the void—with materialism and luxury to entertain ourselves or as a reaction to boredom. We wear expensive clothes, jewellery, spend nights in pubs—and yet the boredom remains. Then we try to escape it with drugs. I am not against the materialistic world; without it, what else would there be? Even what we call “spirituality” is often just another form of pleasure-seeking. Look at the vast market of meditation and yoga.

Living Without the Past

So, how do we enquire into the “unknown” without the “known” (past accumulated knowledge)? To do so is to live completely in the present. By looking at things with complete awareness and without judgement, we can truly live in the moment.

You may explore the article illusion of self to understand how to live in the present and avoid being trapped in the worries of the future or the memories of the past.