What were the Aztecs’ thoughts on happiness and how can we interpret them today, according to a researcher

It was developed between the 15th and early 16th centuries. he Aztec Empire a society that expressed multiple knowledge and ideas philosophical .

One of the people who has dedicated himself to studying the latter area is the researcher from the State University of New York at Cortland, Lynn Sebastian Purcell, who wrote in an article for the academic journal Infinite time in which he assured that “We have numerous volumes of his texts recorded in his mother tongue, Nahuatl” .

“Although few precolonial hieroglyphic type books survived the Spanish fires, Our main sources of knowledge come from the records made by Catholic priests until the beginning of the 17th century. », explained the specialist on the subject.

In an interview that Purcell gave to American Philosophical Association (APA) in 2017, stated that “It is fascinating that the Nahuas (Aztecs) were another premodern culture with a virtue ethic, although very different from that of Aristotle and Confucius. » .

According to what was saved BBC , One of the best known archives is the Florentine Codex, which brings together much of their knowledge. and was carried out by the Spanish Franciscan missionary Bernardino de Sahagún.

He cites the speech of a leader who, before taking office, declared that a “revered” man is a “defender and support”, “like the cypress in which people take refuge”. .

However, He also mentions that “he weeps and is grieved.” .

Under this line, according to the record, the leader he asks himself: “Is there anyone who does not want happiness? » .

Purcell stated that they “They did not believe that there was a conceptual connection between living the best possible life on the one hand and experiencing pleasure or ‘happiness’ on the other.” .

According to his analysis, this This is a notable difference from the philosophy that predominated in ancient Greece. .

In other words, the Aztecs considered that having a “good life” and “being happy” were not directly linked aspects .

The researcher explained that the tlamatinime (or philosophers) They believed in a saying which can be translated as “the earth is slippery, slippery”. .

They thus referred to the fact that “despite the best intentions, our life on earth is one in which people are prone to error, failure in their goals, and “falling.” as if they were in the mud.

This land was understood as “a place where joys are mixed only with pain and complications” .

Whether you are intelligent, cooperative or talented in something, They were aware that misfortunes could occur in the same way.

The specialist stated that for this reason, Rather than seeking happiness that could be fleeting and dependent on multiple factors, they sought to lead a “grounded” life. or “rooted.”

For the last They considered four levels .

According to Purcell, the first “begins with the body itself something that is often overlooked in the European tradition, concerned with reason and spirit.

This is one of the reasons why They practiced yoga-type exercises daily .

The second level is related to the mind and feelings .

On another side, the third is linked to the community and relationships with loved ones.

The fourth level corresponds to the connection with teotl divinity which can be interpreted as nature as the researcher explains in statements retrieved by the aforementioned media.