The meaning of life

In the Power of Myth, Bill Moyers interviews Joseph Campbell. On one occasion he asks him what the meaning of life is, but Campbell doesn’t answer, instead he continues to talk about other things. But Moyers doesn’t let go and asks the question once more, telling Campbell that people are interested in that important question. Little irritated Campbell answers:

“People don’t want to understand the meaning of life. The want to experience life. The rapture of life.”

Bob,
As far as I can see, Bill Moyers is well and truly stuck in ruts of other peoples`making, whereas, Joseph Cambell ploughs his own furrow, and appears to be a true Master of his craft. Probably not above stopping the plough for a while, and scooping up a hand full of earth into his hands, and marveling at the wondrous, miraculous properties of that hand full.

In my cursory investigation of Cambell`s life and work, I came across this:
[quoteland.com/author.asp?AUTHOR_ID=1417]
(http://www.quoteland.com/author.asp?AUTHOR_ID=1417) on which I discovered:

“Anyone who has had an experience of mystery knows that there is a dimension of the universe that is not that which is available to his senses. There is a pertinent saying in one of the Upanishads: When before the beauty of a sunset or of a mountain you pause and exclaim, ‘Ah,’ you are participating in divinity. Such a moment of participation involves a realization of the wonder and sheer beauty of existence. People living in the world of nature experience such moments every day. They live in the recognition of something there that is much greater than the human dimension.”
66.221.137.212/smedberg/cauldron/p50.html

I discovered a great affinity for or with the guy. I think I`ll be investigating further .
Take care Old Pal :wink:
Vic

Thanks for the web page vic. On that page there is a quote that gives a beautiful image from Hindu mythology of the universes. According to that image the universes, their heavens, hells, and everything else, is a great dream dreamed by a single being in which all the dream characters are dreaming too. The ultimate dreamer is Vishnu floating on the cosmic Milky Ocean, couched upon the coils of the abyssal serpent Ananta, the serpent of eternity (Ananta means “Unending”). From the navel of Vishnu springs a lotus stalk, and on the top of the lotus, Brahma sits. When Brahma opens his eyes a universe is created. When he closes his eyes that universe is destroyed. So our universe is just a day in Brahmas life.

Taking a lunch, I was sitting to a guy who said he was from India. I was excited to hear that he came from the country where the spiritual teaching was born and told him about the image of Vishnu, Ananata and Brahma. He looked at me little embarrassed and said with a typical Indian accent “Yes, we used to believe that long time ago, but not any longer”.