3 February1 Man uses his reason to ask: what for and why? – applying these questions to his own life and the life of the world. And his reason shows him that there are no answers. What happens is something like nausea and dizziness when faced with these questions. The Indians say in answer to the question ‘why?’: Maya tempted Brahma who existed within herself to create the world; and to the question ‘what for?’ they can’t think up even such a stupid answer. No religion has thought up, and the mind of man cannot think up, answers to these questions. What does this mean?
It means that reason has not been given to man to answer these questions, that the very asking of such questions signifies the delusion of reason. Reason can only solve the basic question ‘how?’ And in order to know how, it tries to solve the questions ‘why?’ and ‘what for’ within finite bounds.
What about ‘how?’ How to live? How not to live? The answer is – blissfully. And the possibility of this has been given to all living creatures and to me too. And this answer excludes the questions ‘why?’ and ‘what for?’
But why and for what reason cannot bliss be found immediately? Again, an error of reason. Bliss is of one’s own making, there is no other kind.
1 The only entry for 1887.