The Value, Meaning & Purpose of Life: A Study of Lifechanyuan's Philosophy of Human Existence (Academic Edition)¶
Abstract¶
"The value, meaning, and purpose of life" is the central proposition of Lifechanyuan's philosophy of human existence, forming the coordinate foundation of its cultivation framework. Guide Xuefeng, across essays including The Value of Human Life, The Meaning of Human Life, The Purpose of Human Life, The Value and Meaning of Human Life, The Value and Meaning of Human Life and LIFE, How to Realize the Value of Human Life, and Effort That Forgets Its Purpose Is Wasted Effort, establishes a three-dimensional framework that strictly distinguishes value, meaning, and purpose, and grounds this framework in the cosmological distinction between "human life" (人生) and "LIFE" (生命). This article provides conceptual analysis, textual source mapping, and cross-cultural comparison with Western existentialism.
I. Scope and Research Questions¶
1.1 Research Object¶
- The definitional structure and interrelationship of "value," "meaning," and "purpose"
- The essential distinction between "human life" (人生) and "LIFE" (生命), and their respective value-meaning systems
- The two purposes of life: present joy, happiness, freedom, and bliss + future LIFE extension
- The epistemological predicament of life's meaning: lower LIFE cannot self-know its own meaning
- The path to realizing life's value: the natural Tao, dissolving karma, seeking the Tao
1.2 Core Questions¶
- Are "value," "meaning," and "purpose" strictly distinguished in the system? What is the theoretical basis for that distinction?
- How does the "human life vs. LIFE" distinction serve as an epistemological prerequisite for understanding this proposition?
- Is there tension between the two purposes (present joy vs. LIFE extension)? How does the system reconcile them?
- What is the fundamental divergence between "lower LIFE cannot self-know meaning" and existentialism's claim that "humans bestow meaning on existence"?
- How do the realization path (following the natural Tao) and "effort that forgets its purpose is wasted effort" cohere within the system's cultivation theory?
1.3 Methodology¶
- Conceptual Structure Analysis: Extract the core elements and boundary conditions of the three-dimensional framework
- Textual Source Mapping: Establish a citation-to-source correspondence table
- Comparative Analysis: Cross-traditional comparison with Western existentialism (Sartre, Camus) and Confucian life philosophy
II. Textual Source Table¶
| # | Essay | Author | Key Content |
|---|---|---|---|
| S1 | Lifechanyuan Corpus · Human Life Essays · The Value of Human Life | Xuefeng | Life determines future LIFE trajectory; transform decay into wonder |
| S2 | Lifechanyuan Corpus · Human Life Essays · The Meaning of Human Life | Xuefeng | Seek the Tao, become a Celestial; energy conservation; all things have spirituality; quality of spirituality determines destination |
| S3 | Lifechanyuan Corpus · Human Life Essays · The Purpose of Human Life | Xuefeng | Dissolve karma and transform; three-stage destination (Thousand-Year / Ten-Thousand-Year / Elysium) |
| S4 | Lifechanyuan Corpus · Human Life Essays · Further Discourse on Life Values | Xuefeng | Values determine direction; eight factors; Harvard study |
| S5 | Lifechanyuan Corpus · Human Life Essays · The Meaning of Human Life | Hundun Yuanchu | Lower LIFE's meaning is defined by higher LIFE |
| S6 | Lifechanyuan Corpus · Human Life Essays · Does Human Life Have Meaning? | Xuefeng | Pigsty parable; humans do not know their own meaning |
| S7 | Lifechanyuan Corpus · LIFE Essays · The Meaning of LIFE | Xuefeng | Universe exists for LIFE; cosmic LIFE hierarchy chain |
| S8 | Xuefeng Corpus · Mind Essays · The Value and Meaning of Human Life | Xuefeng | Value = seek the Tao; meaning = express original nature; eight investment directions |
| S9 | Xuefeng Corpus · Mind Essays · How to Realize the Value of Human Life | Xuefeng | Follow the natural Tao; violating nature prevents value realization |
| S10 | Xuefeng Corpus · Miscellaneous Essays · The Value and Meaning of Human Life and LIFE | Xuefeng | Four paired definitions for human life vs. LIFE |
| S11 | Xuefeng Corpus · Miscellaneous Essays · The Meaning of Being Alive | Hundun Grass | Must possess the thinking of the LIFE-keeper; opening spiritual sensing is prerequisite |
| S12 | Xuefeng Corpus · Inspirational Essays · Effort That Forgets Its Purpose Is Wasted Effort | Xuefeng | Fundamental purpose; two stages of life view |
| S13 | Xuefeng Corpus · Chanyuan Essays · A Brief Discussion of Chanyuan Celestials' Life Values | Xuefeng | Chanyuan Celestials' value ranking (Greatest Creator first) |
| S14 | New Era Human 800 Concepts, 4th Edition | Xuefeng | Articles 28, 29, 35, 44, 49, 52, 60 |
III. Conceptual Structure Analysis¶
3.1 The Value–Meaning–Purpose Three-Dimensional Framework¶
The system's distinction among the three terms constitutes a strict three-dimensional philosophy of life:
| Dimension | Human Life Level | LIFE Level |
|---|---|---|
| Value | Serving LIFE; repaying debt; perfecting LIFE structure; extending LIFE to higher spaces | Serving the Greatest Creator; serving nature; maintaining the dynamic balance of cosmic LIFE |
| Meaning | Creating wealth and joy; serving oneself, others, and society | The universe exists for LIFE; LIFE exists for the universe |
| Purpose | Dissolving karma and transforming; living with joy, happiness, freedom, and bliss | Serving the Greatest Creator (as all created things do) |
The three are hierarchically oriented: purpose is present-directed, meaning is process-directed, and value is outcome-directed. "Purpose" answers "why am I living this way today"; "meaning" answers "how should my life unfold"; "value" answers "what is the weight of my life in the cosmos."
3.2 The Epistemological Function of the Human Life vs. LIFE Distinction¶
The system explicitly states that confusing the value of human life with the value of LIFE makes "human life prone to confusion." The epistemological function of this distinction is:
- Anchoring the time scale: human life is finite (one journey in the human world); LIFE is infinite (a cosmic serial)
- Calibrating behavioral orientation: the unit of value assessment for actions in life is not worldly achievement but impact on LIFE's future
- Diagnosing the root of confusion: most people's confusion stems from measuring LIFE's value with the ruler of human life
3.3 Tension and Reconciliation between the Two Purposes¶
The system appears to contain tension: it simultaneously emphasizes "live for joy, happiness, freedom, and bliss" (present purpose) and "extend LIFE to higher spaces" (future purpose). The system's reconciliation is progressive unification:
When a person achieves joy, happiness, freedom, and bliss in life, they naturally begin to consider where they go after death, and exploring the mysteries of LIFE and space-time becomes the main theme of their life. When the mysteries of LIFE and space-time are discovered, the depth and breadth of joy, happiness, freedom, and bliss deepen further — and one becomes a Celestial Being.
Present joy → naturally triggers inquiry into LIFE's mysteries → inquiry deepens joy further → becoming a Celestial Being. The two purposes are not competing but are two aspects of a single ascending spiral.
IV. The Epistemological Predicament of Life's Meaning¶
4.1 The Proposition: "Lower LIFE Cannot Self-Know Its Meaning"¶
The system advances a strong epistemological proposition: no LIFE can self-know its own meaning — only a higher-level LIFE can define the meaning of a lower-level one.
This proposition has its internal logic: meaning is a relational concept — "the value of something to some other." Pigs have meaning for humans, but pigs cannot self-know this; humans have meaning for the Greatest Creator, but humans cannot self-know this. To "self-know one's own meaning" already implies possessing a higher-level perspective — which is what it means to become a Celestial Being.
4.2 Fundamental Divergence from Western Existentialism¶
| Dimension | Existentialism (Sartre) | Lifechanyuan System |
|---|---|---|
| Source of meaning | Self-bestowed by humans; "existence precedes essence" | Defined by a higher-level LIFE (the Greatest Creator); not self-determined |
| Objectivity of meaning | Subjective construction; no objective meaning | Objectively real; humans simply have not yet cognized it |
| Response to absurdity | Revolt (Camus) or choice (Sartre) | Open spiritual sensing; ascend to the life level where meaning becomes visible |
| Resolution path | Philosophical reflection and action | Cultivation and awakening; seek the Tao, become a Celestial Being |
The key divergence: existentialism treats the absence of meaning as a constitutive feature of the human condition; the Lifechanyuan system treats the absence of meaning as an epistemological limitation of insufficient life level — once one becomes a Celestial Being, meaning is "self-evident."
V. Pathway Analysis¶
5.1 The Priority of the Natural Tao¶
The system places "following the natural Tao" as the primary path to realizing life's value. The theoretical basis is the relationship between the Creator and the created: created things that operate according to the Creator's original intent realize their value. Fruit trees bearing fruit, flowers blooming, hens laying eggs — all realize their value. The human is no different.
Typical violations of the natural Tao: striving to accomplish great things, bringing glory to ancestors, excelling above others, possessing more than natural needs require — all are characterized by the system as "the greed and desire of demons" rather than value realization.
5.2 The Dual Mechanism of Dissolving Karma and Transforming¶
"Dissolving karma" (eliminating past-life transgressions) and "transforming" (ceasing to create new karma) constitute the dual mechanism of life's purpose:
- Dissolving karma: enduring suffering is repaying debt; enemies and oppressors are "great benefactors who help us dissolve karma"
- Transforming: no karma → Thousand-Year World; no karma + merit → Ten-Thousand-Year World; no karma + merit + proclaiming the Greatest Creator → Elysium World
5.3 The Investment Theory of Life Value¶
The system compares human life to "an investment" and lists eight investment directions (from the circular shepherding life to a life of joy, happiness, freedom, and bliss), concluding that the eighth direction yields the greatest return. The core insight of this framework: the value of a life is not determined by the height of worldly achievement, but by whether the investment direction is aligned with the cosmic coordinates.
VI. Comparison with Confucian Life Philosophy¶
Confucianism takes "cultivating the self, regulating the family, governing the state, bringing peace to all under heaven" as the path to life value realization, with the highest state being the unity of personal moral perfection and social contribution. The Lifechanyuan system shares surface similarities with Confucianism (both emphasize moral cultivation and service to others), but differs fundamentally in orientation:
| Dimension | Confucianism | Lifechanyuan System |
|---|---|---|
| Terminal point of value | This-life moral perfection and social contribution | Post-death LIFE destination (higher life spaces) |
| Reference frame | Human relationships and social order | Cosmic LIFE hierarchy and the Greatest Creator's will |
| Core driver | Humaneness, righteousness, ritual propriety, wisdom | Reverence for the Greatest Creator; opening spirituality |
| Attitude toward death | "Not knowing life, how can one know death?" (Confucius) | Post-death destination is the ultimate criterion for judging life's value |