Question: “So if you don’t achieve your “outer” purpose & achieve your “inner” purpose it’s ok? in other words, in the end whatever we achieve ( as in material things/goals) won’t matter? at all? Want to make sure I’m understanding this right.”
How could it? Or, why would it? All of the material things you accumulate and keep your whole life are just that: things. You can’t take them with you when you die, so why would they matter? I’m not saying you can’t have fancy, expensive things, or things at all, but you can’t become attached to them – you don’t want to be the person who loves their things so much you want to be buried with them!
Some people all they want are things, things, and more things! Whether it’s because they’re hoarders or because they simply think nice things make them happy, popular, or up-to-date. I mean, sure, I want the new iPhone because it’s going to be badass and amazing, but then you just have to realize it’s only going to be badass and amazing until the next iPhone comes out! If there’s anything in the world that’s surely impermanent, it’s the iPhones! Will I be getting it? Eventually. But when I do, I’m not going to cling to the fact that I have an iPhone. I won’t be letting it distract me from finding true, inner happiness. Real happiness isn’t the things you can buy or have. You’re only happy with your new iPhone for as long as you have it in your hand and see it, but when you put it down, take a shower, or go to sleep, you forget about it and the happiness you got from it is gone! Instead, we must find our true, inner happiness, because that happiness WILL be with us when we sit down, take a shower, and go to sleep.
Just remember no matter how happy things might make you, until its death (it gets broken, etc.) or your death, you can’t take it with you into the next life. Instead, acknowledge and tell yourself, “this new iPhone gives me temporary and impermanent happiness. True happiness is finding liberation and my True Buddha Nature.”
Smile and be well!