there’s only one certainty in life since birth — death.
but the time in-between birth to death is unknown to the individual (while some pple may argue that some higher beings/deities know/control/pre-determined it).
what would then one need to do to pass the time in-between?
ironically, the first thing is to find sustenance, to sustain the ever-dying shell; regardless if you are humans or prokaryotes, you do the same. in the grown up world context, it would mean “earning a living”, for most is to find a job(s) to earn an income to find sustenance and obtain things, to prevent the shell from dying too fast.
when one is able to find sustenance, and there’s still energy and time and not yet time to rest/sleep to regain energy for finding sustenance, pple begin to choose things to do (e.g., entertainment, interests, hobbies).
and life goes on like that, day in day out, excluding ‘sudden death’ events, the shell slowly crawls towards the certainty.
so back to the question, 芸芸众生，日日忙忙碌碌何为？the answer is perhaps 为了不死，或知道会死但不要想太多？
so what’s death? would death means ‘nothing’ at t+1? i wouldnt know for sure, but perhaps ‘nothing’ is the conception for those who seek early ‘termination’ on the journey to certainty?
different religions (generally defined as a set of beliefs, practices, and moral codes that relate to the nature of the universe and the place of individuals within it) would have shed different lights on the question of “芸芸众生，日日忙忙碌碌何为？”. from a buddhist perspective, one is trapped in the worldly cycle of death and rebirth (aka samsara). and one truth in this trap is suffering (dukkha), which can refer to “direct suffering, being liable to suffering, a bodily painful feeling, or unsatisfactoriness, deficiency, insufficiency.” not sure if there’s another religion where suffering is absent, not there at all?
how to attain the end of suffering, the end of the cycle, and thus the 芸芸众生，日日忙忙碌碌? it would be to work towards enlightenment through eliminating ignorance and craving. the method is to follow the eightfold path (八正道): right understanding, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration.
so if you are a 芸芸众生 like me reading this in the midst of 日日忙忙碌碌, perhaps you can find a way in your (religious) beliefs to explain the purpose of your 日日忙忙碌碌 and if there’s a way to seek an end to it, of cos unless you love work so much and also there’s no ‘suffering’ in life. for me, the eightfold path (八正道) would be a good start, if not a reminder (:
references:
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Buddhism/The-Four-Noble-Truths
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zg7297h/revision/3
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zyhmk2p/revision/1
After reading your piece – aren’t there three certainties – Birth-Suffering-Death? Haha
A rather bleak picture being painted about life, I feel. Yes, sustenance is needed, and most call this work. But some people enjoy what they do. However, yes, they may suffer in other ways, which may not be linked to another kind of sustenance: being at peace. Being pain-free?
So, I agree that life is not without suffering. But suffering is necessary to make life worth living? From life experiences, journey through suffering often brings much learning, camaraderie, and even joy (be it at the end). It may be strange to say that suffering gives life meaning.
Now, where does religion fit in? I believe that every religion is for good – I cannot find a religion that teaches one to be bad and evil – those are cults. However, religion and what it is is often filtered through the minds of human…who often err. So what is region, then? I feel that religion is what one finds from within after one has been exposed to particular texts, or some call them scriptures. Again, scriptures need to be interpreted, and by whom – humans. So, I am not under any illusions that my interpretation of my faith may be flawed – but who is another to judge?
So, with all these frailties of human life, the impending suffering and the unpredictability between birth and death – we need a higher being (or what I call in my religion – God) as a guide. God never promised that there would be no suffering. The Bible is full of suffering and stories of pain. God promises he will be there during those hard times to provide us strength in the belief that not all ‘the pieces’ of our lives are ready. So, for example, to bake a delicious cake, you need many ingredients – however, if you try tasting the butter alone, the flour alone – it tastes horrible. Why? Because the final product is not ready. Suffering is something like that. We need all the ‘ingredients’ to come together – for many of us, they are still in progress – maybe my salt is missing, perhaps the eggs – I don’t know. But religion provides me with hope, and I must have faith that between birth and death – God will be there with me in those sufferings that matter.
Motivated to write this after reading yours :).
yes, could be 3 certainties. but birth & suffering (in next cycle(s)) need not be certainties if one works towards attaining enlightenment or some other ways different religions may offer (:
yes yes, life could be bleak, esp. if the feel is “there’s no end to the 忙碌” for a 忙忙碌碌的众生, and one cannot find a way to convince the mind otherwise (it’s all in the mind one may argue, and so ‘enjoying work’ is actually a way out of ‘suffering’). one ‘problem’ here is the impermanence state of things – the cycling between joy, happiness, sadness, moody, anger, and so on and repeat, is neverending, and this brings about suffering from moments to moments.
where you see bleak, i see hope — the possibility to end sufferings (as a result of impermanence) permanently, through working towards enlightenment. and the motivation to do this interestingly originated from the bleakness observed. reminds me of 成语 —— 绝处逢生、一线希望 hahaha
where there’s hope, ‘suffering’ lessens 🥂