THE FUNDAMENTALS OF HUMAN LIFE AND ORGANISATION

This world is a beautiful place to live in and the universe a mysterious complex with infinite possibilities. We do not know from where all the matter has originated. Nor do we know where the universe is heading for and where we reach ultimately. Man, as early as the times of the Vedic civilisation, or even before, was very much confronting these puzzles. Reflection of this can be foundin the wel-known concepts of 'anaadi' (that which does not have a beginning) and 'anant' (that which does not have an end) forms of the 'brahmand' (universe). There are also many beliefs and philosophies about life, death and life after death or rebirth. All people and cultures have their own beliefs and understanding of these matters. Over thousands of years these have evolved on their own and also, due to exchanges between them, there have been many give and takes or mutual influences on one another's beliefs. This has lead to several more explanations of the origin of universe or humankind, the 'purpose' of human life, the ways of overcoming the grief or misery in life, and attaining happiness and peace of mind and soul, while still alive or after death. Some began as theories or doctrines or 'revelations' and later were treated as 'religions' with rituals accompanied. Some are more spiritual, some more practical or utilitarian and others various mixes of the two. While some of these philosophies advance the concept of 'god' and 'creation', others deny. In the Indian context, the concepts evolved from Indus Valley practices and the simple yet deep Vedic musings, and evolved into the vast philosophical thought streams. Then there were also the various 'movements' in ancient and medieval times which rejected complex philosophy and theory and preached simplicity, equality, honesty, universal love, and brotherhood as basis of human life and society. These include the teachings of the Buddha, and Mahavira, in older times and the Bhakti and Sufi movements in later times. The different movements in medieval and early modern Europe such as the renaissance and enlightenment enriched human understanding and outlook by principles like reason, liberty of thought, scientific enquiry, humanism, etc. The ‘declaration of the rights of man and the citizen’ proclaiming liberty, equality and justice as the cornerstones of any society, during the French revolution reflects best the thought currents of the early 'modern' era. The principles of brotherhood and equal opportunities of the socialist movement and the like carry forward mankind's quest for an ideal life and society.While the debate over the 'absolute truth' is on, the world over, since the beginning of human civilisations, and still continues, the essentials that these philosophies or doctrines address, remain largely the same. All of them attempt to find the nature of the universe and its functioning; life, and more particularly human life, its purpose and its relation to nature (including fellow human beings); happiness in life and the means to the achievement of happiness; peace of mind and soul; and finally bliss, salvation, moksha, nirvana, heaven, etc. Thus all higher human intellectual endeavour has been undertaken basically with two objectives:

One, to overcome or cope with the misery, and to find happiness and contentment in life; and then, to attain self-realisation and to find peace of mind and soul, together called variously as bliss, salvation, moksha, nirvana, heaven, etc. This is what is generally termed as the spiritual quest of man.

Two, to lay down the basics or fundamentals for the individual and the collection of individuals or in other words for human organisation or society, so as to facilitate material wellbeing of man and the achievement of the first objective.