The Four-Way Path

Book excerpt: An inspiring guide to achieving happiness through purushartha (pronounced poo-roo-shar-tuh), or the four ultimate goals of human life, by the bestselling authors of Ikigai and The Book of Ichigo Ichie In our complex modern world, it can be easy to doubt we’re living the life we’re meant to be living. But the authors of the global bestseller Ikigai, about the Japanese concept that has helped millions of people discover their reason for being, are now on a mission to show how the ancient Hindu concept of purushartha provides a powerful framework for charting a path toward a life of purpose and fulfillment . Having spent a great deal of time in India, the authors were inspired to write a book honoring the culture they came to appreciate. In The Four-Way Path, they draw on practices from India’s numerous spiritual traditions to show how to foster happiness and achievement by cultivating the four components of purushartha: your kama, or what you love doing your dharma, or what the world needs from you your artha, or what you need to sustain your life your moksha, or your truest, most actualized self If you already know what your purpose in life is, then this book provides a blueprint for living in accordance with your purushartha. If you don’t yet know, then it will give you the tools to start the adventure of understanding yourself better, and to bring inspiration, beauty, peace, and purpose to your daily life.