What is the purpose of life?

Last Wednesday I attended a funeral with my parents. There was a group of women spoke out loud about the purpose of life. One said the meaning of life is to have money. She continued: “Without money, people can’t buy a good looking coffin like her.” I repeated after her - the meaning of life is to have money. A Chinese Buddhist monk stood beside me and asked: “What?” I repeated again. He gave me a puzzled look. I smiled and said: “It said by one of your members.” He gave me a funny look and walked pass me. The group continued talking and said she must be fulfilled her life because she has more than 50 children, grand children and great grand children. I went close to the coffin and looked at the dead woman. I wonder will she agree.  To me I think she had a hard life to bring up this bunch of people. I only have two children and find difficult at time to bring them up. My parents totally agreed with these people. They think a good looking expensive coffin and a big funeral ceremony is good to end up with. They think to have lots of children, grand children and great grand children are the best status of a family. May be this is the meaning of life for my parents and for some. My father then asked will the funeral people change a lower grade coffin before they cremate. They are afraid people will take away their beautiful coffin. I asked my father: “When a person died, will that person care what happen to his/her dead body let alone his/her coffin?” Well my father said this is for people to see. My sister added what about a good looking expensive ashes urn? (She seems into ashes urn. She got her cat and dog expensive ashes urns and our second brother thought she is crazy.) My father also said filial children will get their parents a good coffin. I asked whether they want someone love them, care for them and listen to them while they are alive or they want someone who won’t care for them, won’t be there with them when they alive but will get them a good coffin after they are dead. It took him so long to think about my question. How sad! Of course he will get what he wishes for but I just wonder is our purpose of life is not to lose faces. Chinese people like to have faces. They scare to lose face. 

I looked close at the dead woman trying to find her purpose of life. Her face was full of wrinkles, couldn’t expect too much from a 99 years old. She looked like she is in peace with her eyes closed. Maybe she had found her purpose of life and fulfilled whatsoever she had fulfilled. I deeply wished her in peace and could be in a better place for her next round.

When they carried her out from the funeral parlous, I felt sad, sad about the Annica, Dukkha and Anatta. But, but…these are the TRUTH that no one could denial. Babies born, people die, people get sick, these are as natural as can be; as natural as spring, summer, autumn and winter; as natural as a flower bloom in the morning and die out in the evening. These are natural things happen around us and within us. We accept this and live a happy life. We know these Truths and so we hope we won’t attach too much into things, words and emotions. So back to purpose of life, what is it? Is it money? Is it expensive coffin? Is it having lots of children, grand children and great grand children? Is it successful in career? Is it fame? Is it good looking? Is it being in love? Is it family? Or is it happiness?