The answer to the Ultimate Question
If, like me, you were a fan of Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy you’ll have had great fun with Douglas Adams’ humorous yet also insightful exploration of this in his writings. Most folk think it started as a book but I recall it was first a BBC Radio 4 series that then expanded in several directions!
Early on in the unfolding story Adams introduces the Babel Fish which can translate from any universal language into yours. You stick the Babel Fish in your ear and off you go. Adams chose Babel in the name because of the story of the Tower of Babel which was aimed at explaining the origin of different languages.
He then brilliantly uses this metaphor to discuss that some had used its existence to prove the non-existence of God. The idea being that such a mind-boggingly useful instrument had to point to something. The argument went something like this:
I refuse to prove that I exist says God for proof denies faith and without faith I am nothing.
But ah says man the Babel Fish proves you exist therefore you don’t. QED!
Oh says God I hadn’t thought of that and promptly vanishes in a puff of logic.
Man then goes on to prove that black is white and white is black and then gets killed on the next zebra-crossing.
I had a huge laugh out loud moment when I first heard this and it still makes me smile within to this day. I can feel it now as I type.
For me, beyond the brilliant humour, it was something that stepped me out of fear based approach to life that the religion I was brought up in promoted and I’d been conditioned in.
It wasn’t the first time I wondered more deeply if I could laugh at that would God also be laughing. It was, after all, still all part of God’s creation! It wouldn’t have been that long ago in history that people were burnt at the stake or crucified for less.
Developing the theme of: “Life, the Universe and everything” further Adams explores the idea of the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe and everything. Enter into the script the supercomputer: Deep Thought – who introduces itself as the second greatest computer of all time and says it can provide the answer but it will take 7.5 million years!
7.5 million years on much to the dismay of those waiting it provides the answer: 42
42 is actually a very interesting number but that is by the by. See wiki if you like.
Then he goes on to say that to understand the answer you have to know what the question really is for then you will understand the answer. He proposes the creation of his successor a new computer with a 10 million year programme that shall be called the Earth.
I’ll leave the rest of story there for there is much more to it than I’ve shared above but there is a reason I’ve included all this so far.
There is some great pointers to truth in what Adams was sharing and I am sure his writing was more than just great humour.
Take the Babel Fish story and God’s refusal to prove that it exists. Humanity has sought such incontravertable proof since its dawn yet relatively few have seen the blindingly obvious truth.
I’ve shared elsewhere on this site the pointer that:
Truth, as in divine truth, is unbelievable. It can only be experienced.
Do you see a resonance with Adams message here?
No proof required or possible. Faith or more accurately trust in the divine will lead one to the realisation of truth and you will not get there by thought either. Another facet of brilliance in the dialogue.
So if we really do need to know the ultimate question, what is it? Many have gone in the direction of:
“What is the meaning of life?” and this has been debated in the plane of thinking for millennia with nothing conclusive.
Only spiritual experience, the openness to spiritual truth will yield the awareness that:
Nothing has any meaning at all save the meaning you give it!”
Meditate upon this deeply and you will see its truth. It’s not about believing what is written here or anywhere for that matter but about being open to direct insight.
So, if “What is the meaning of life?” is not the ultimate question what is?
Who am I?
Yes, for in the sincere asking of that question with total openness to your innate truth the REALisation will emerge:
That YOU, yes YOU are the answer. YOUR innate truth is the divine essence that is referred to as Infinite Silence on this site.
This, ultimately, is that which has to be realised experientially. It cannot be learned, it cannot be earned for you are already it, it takes no time for it is here now, it has no shape for it is beyond form, it is eternal and Infinite Silence.
It is not a thing, yet gives birth to all and to it all returns.
The answer to the Ultimate Question:
YOU
In your absolute innate essence. Not your identity. Not the body you have. Not even just your spirit. But the source from which all is birthed including spirit:
Infinite Silence.
The question has answered itself. In truth, it will be seen there was never any question in the first place!
It is YOU. YOUR TRUE SELF. YOU are this answer.
Blessings as Infinite Silence,
I repeat once again: “Don’t believe a word I say for truth is an experience not a belief.”
Philip
… and for a bit of fun now you might like to watch an extract from the series on the video link below Copyright the creators not mine!
