Compare the answers Tolstoy and the Dalai Lama offer for the question "What is the meaning of life?" How do each answer the question? In what ways are their answers similar? How are they different? Are they religious answers? Philosophical answers? Do you agree with either answer? Why? Why not?

What do Tolstoy and Dalai Lama think about the meaning of life? Tolstoy analized the reason for living in his spiritual crises and concluded that the rational knowledge of finding the meaning of life was impossible, so irrational knowledge is the true path: a path that led to God and faith. On the other hand, Dalai Lama said that the meaning of life is happiness whose basic conditions are compassion and mental peace which is naturally linked to love.

Explanation:

How are they different? Both differ in the concrete purpose of life in the first place, while one is in search of serenity, mental peace and pure love, the other one connects the meaning of life with irrational knowledge transformed into faith and surrender to God.

Are they religious answers? Philosophical answers? Technically both are religious. One is Buddhist and the other Christian.

Do you agree with either answer? Why? Why not? The perception of life is proper and independent in any human being, so the above definitions can be easily mixed, giving a new version of religiosity without choosing between one or the other.