Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
When it comes to mental life, there is no more of an ultimate goal than realizing one’s own self-potential. Buddha called it the Enlightenment. Abraham Maslow called it Self-actualization. Truly, they are the same concept.
To be enlightened is to free oneself of his own self-caused immaturity. It is the liberation from negative emotions and the rebirth of mental clarity and love. In the above diagram, Maslow illustrates the path to self-actualization starting from the bottom. In order to climb to the top, one must satisfy all the lower needs on the bottom. For example, one can not satisfy his need for love if he has not satisfied his need for safety. Similarly, one can not satisfy his need for safety without first satisfying the basic physiological needs of food and water. This path is perhaps the greatest challenge of mental life. Although the climb may take anywhere from weeks to years, the achievement of self-actualization is eternally and blissfully rewarding.