Today (June 27, 2024), I had lunch with my son.
Son: He suddenly asked me: Dad, what is the meaning of life?
I thought he was just asking casually, so I confirmed again: "What did you say?"
After he repeated the question, I told him that it was a very good question, and I would answer it seriously.
I: First, the question of what the meaning of life is, is actually a very important yet difficult question to answer. Second, there are mainly these thoughts regarding the discussion of this question: Taoism believes that the Tao gives birth to one, one gives birth to two, two gives birth to three, and three gives birth to all things; and humans originate from the Tao, so the meaning of life lies in the unity with the Tao, including the pursuit of the Tao and ultimately returning to the Tao.
The Confucian view on this question, although it advocates for the idea that one can hear the Tao in the morning and die in the evening, does not emphasize the pursuit of (metaphysical) abstract Tao like Taoism does, but rather pursues a concrete understanding of the Tao, focusing more on actions that reflect their understanding of the Tao, such as benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trustworthiness, as well as the cultivation of knowledge, self-cultivation, family governance, state governance, and world peace, striving for an inner state of a sage and an outer state of a ruler. That is, when a person has cultivated themselves enough to become a gentleman, they can help manage society and implement benevolent governance (based on benevolence) or moral governance (based on virtue).
The Buddhist perspective on this question might be understood as follows: all things are "empty," and all things are impermanent. Humans, existing in this empty and impermanent world, continuously fall into a state of suffering due to persistent desires and limited understanding; the meaning of life may lie in recognizing the essence of the world and life, ultimately allowing oneself to be in a state of selflessness, nirvana, liberation from suffering, and the cycle of rebirth.
As for the Christian culture, one of the Western civilizations, this question might be understood as follows: the meaning of life lies in knowing the highest God, doing things that glorify God, and ultimately reuniting with God.
Finally, I feel that the most important thing is not the opinions of others, but rather to refer to others' views, choose a perspective that you find reliable to try; to think and experience this world well, and through your own actions and efforts, ultimately make life rich and meaningful.