SFJane Posted November 16, 2010 Yes, yes, yes all that is fine. But I believe that we may be missing the obvious here: vis. Q: What is the purpose of life? A: To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of their women. I think that covers it. Cheers Rob You should have added the video! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
exorcist_1699 Posted November 17, 2010 (edited) No matter how messy or fruitless our life is , we always think that a clear-headed "me" is there , finding out solutions for problems in our life, giving meanings to what we did. Descartes's " I think therefore I am " is just too candid / candied not to believe. Hardly do people recognise that when they are asking such a question, they are only talking some kind of somniloquy .A Chinese Taosit saying tells us the status : "There is some possiblity that a sea be dried up and its bottom be seen, yet there is no possiblity that people, before their death, can recognise their Heart " ( "海枯可見底, 人死不知心 " ) Edited November 17, 2010 by exorcist_1699 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gauss Posted November 17, 2010 Is it just to be happy? Short answer: Find the Dao and become a true person, your true self breaks through the shell of your karmic postnatal notions and takes over your whole person. That true self is your main spirit and it is benevolent and has no attachments or notions to anything. It just observes with curiosity like from a child. To achieve this you will need to eliminate your attachments to human matters and your existing karma accumulated over several lifetimes. Not easy but can be done. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jenn992 Posted November 17, 2010 (edited) I think the purpose of life is to live it to it's fullest..to enjoy and explore it..to cherish every moment of it...to focus on the beauty of what is on this planet-- to explore, make relationships, have fun, make friends...bring magic and beauty to every experience, and try to have positive experiences...it's to fulfill your purpose as a human, and realistically, it's to do good, help others, help yourself, the planet and to progress...and I don't mean technologically...life is a gift..and a blessing...the unfortunate reality is that, this planet is full of suffering, negativity, hatred, evil, contempt, misery...that is created mostly through others, oneself, a combination, or external or extenuating circumstances.. so then it becomes a mission to defeat obstacles, overcome challenges, conquer, beat injustice or oppression, do your best to be the best person you can...everyone has a purpose, and then again really, no one has a real purpose...because every person is not only so important, but also so insignificant in the big picture..maybe significant to those closest to a person, but to the planet, doesn't even exist...and contributes what they do to that around them...or in various forms...life isn't despair, bad, it's not supposed to be that..life is the most amazing gift that can be given to anyone and is to be cherished, blessed and loved...people should use their time on this planet to spread love, joy, peace...to others..to help those in need, to stop injustice, wrongdoing, oppression or suffering...to use what they have to give to those who need it...or who might be down etc.. I think a lot about life is helping others...even by being compassionate ,giving, loving, and spreading peace and positivity...at least by doing that...you are contributing to the world in a way that might spread in a positive manner rather than all the negativity that is present and the way that people think about the world...and in general...be of service to the planet...and to God...to youreslf and to others...help others, be compassionate...that is truly what life is about...\ from various religious perspectives...life can be to fulfill karmic purposes, to progress, grow...for those reasons..fulfill soul missions..or choices.. maybe worship or praise God...and be the best person you can be because you might be judged in the end by God...or to do what you can that is good so that in the next lifetime, you can recur good karma, rather than bad...for every belief system there can be various purposes as to what the purpose of being on this planet is... but from a purely spiritual and humanitarian perspective, I think it's to do the most amazing things a person can do...and to make every moment important, special...to not be selfish, and to do good deeds...and so much more...there is so much to explore on this planet...even though society throws people into a drone like state of being robots...which is sad because that isn't life... Edited November 17, 2010 by jenn992 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Peterminator Posted November 17, 2010 i like what Bruce Lee said about it; you don't live -for-, you simply live Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vajrahridaya Posted November 17, 2010 Is it just to be happy? My purpose is freedom from psychological suffering and unconscious rebirth, both moment to moment and within the larger sense of an afterlife. I don't think true and profound happiness can come from being unconscious about the nature of ones life. I think awareness of the nature of things and true and lasting happiness, even beyond the body go hand in hand. In this life though, more money is also a goal to create a more stable living environment in order to do my practice from. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
manitou Posted November 17, 2010 How come there isn't an inner voice whispering "There are poor people living outside in the United States. Tonight you are going to sleep in a bed on warm sheets under a fluffy comforter and there are people sleeping on a cold, concrete sidewalk." Why the focus on starvation and not on housing, jobs, or comprehensive medical care? LOL. This is hysterical, Jane. 26 years ago I met a skid row bum who was sleeping on a cold concrete sidewalk outside of a liquor store. I took him home to feed him. He's still here. He does now have comprehensive medical care and a job. I guess this question has been with me longer than I have realized. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
goonis38 Posted November 17, 2010 Hey there, Very good question... wow... I think it is the same but different for everyone... I can't speak of course for everyone, but myself... And the true "purpose of life?" for me is to be happy with the simple things, like baking cookies... Looking at a bird playing in the water... Looking into the face of my little girl and saying to myself wow, that is amazing... Now 98% of the time I am there, but for some reason there is this part that wants to go to Bath & Body and buy my way into my purpose in life...lol, Like thats going to do it... No the little things they are it for me, just need to hang on to those moments and make them who I am, not what others may want me to be. After all who are they anyways?.. My Grandma always said. "They didn't bring you into this world, and they most likley aren't going to take you out of it" Love it... Melanie Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cloudhand Posted November 17, 2010 Life is suffering, so when you have joy make the most of it because suffering will come its part of life. Move Slowly, Cloudhand Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
goonis38 Posted November 17, 2010 Life is suffering, so when you have joy make the most of it because suffering will come its part of life. Move Slowly, Cloudhand Hi Cloudhand, That is so right, that was something, I didn't think about it, like that. My mom is not very heathy right now. I can lose her any time... You are very right... People all over the world suffer more in one day, than I can in my whole life... So you make a not so beautiful important point, but one that needs to me made everything isn't beautiful and nice all the time... Thank you Mel Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Komako Posted November 17, 2010 The purpose that can be reasoned is not the Eternal Purpose The name that can be named is not the Everlasting Name Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gjeken Posted November 17, 2010 "The purpose of life is to give and receive love" Can't remember where I read it but sounds like a good purpose to me Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Birch Posted November 17, 2010 It's to find more answers to the question :-) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LBDaoist Posted November 17, 2010 Life continues itself. Life evolves. The purpose of life revolves around continuity. Beyond that we are simply along for the ride. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
electric gravity Posted November 18, 2010 life does exactly what it is suppose to do. Just imagine if you were just some spirit that had never lived a physical life and what would a spirit tell you that had just finished living a life. You would ask, "What was it like"? and the spirit would say, "Well i got to be born, have parents, be a kid, go to school, learn, fall in love, have sex, graduate from college, eat awesome food, help people, get screwed over by people, fight, work, die and so on". Life it self does a lot for soul experience all life is a gift from god and it greatly enhances soul experience. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dragonfire Posted November 18, 2010 I think the purpose is to make yourself complete. When you do that you will realize your true nature and your natural purity. With that, I think there will no longer be a need to return. Following the ways of Krishna, Dao, Buddha, and christ consciousness will lead you there. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RyanO Posted November 18, 2010 I think the purpose is to make yourself complete. When you do that you will realize your true nature and your natural purity. With that, I think there will no longer be a need to return... I think that even if this completion stage is reached, though there might not be a 'need' to return, beings might still engage with creation and still have some 'substance'. I feel like when I become liberated, I'll still want to have some fun and create some new things every now and then. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vajrahridaya Posted November 18, 2010 I feel like when I become liberated, I'll still want to have some fun and create some new things every now and then. Indeed, but good things, good things only. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mark Foote Posted November 18, 2010 (edited) Is it just to be happy? yeah Edited November 18, 2010 by Mark Foote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dragonfire Posted November 18, 2010 yeah When your true nature and natural purity arises, you will naturally be happy. You will not need external objects to make you happy. This is true happiness and not up and down happiness. This is part of the being complete. When you see your original face, the question of your purpose will then be answered. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
everseeking Posted November 18, 2010 TL;DR To fullfill your dreams, love, be loved, help. To be human. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Thunder_Gooch Posted November 18, 2010 Is it just to be happy? The meaning of life is different for everyone I suppose. I remember hearing somewhere the purpose of life is to discover your life's purpose. Looking to nature I find that the meaning of life is to evolve, to reach a higher level of being. In nature the message is simple, evolve or die. I believe it is our purpose here to take control of our own evolution, to transcend biological limitations and become as Gods. I believe if we do not destroy ourselves one day we will reach a level so advanced people of today couldn't even fathom it. I believe it is our purpose to truly understand what this universe is and how it works and realize what really is going on, the true nature of reality and existence. I think eventually humanity may merge together into a singular consciousness, where each person serves as a single neuron in the neural net, a collective mind yet each part still retaining it's own identity. I think amazing things will happen in the future if we can live to see them. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Thunder_Gooch Posted November 18, 2010 Also if you ask google.com search for this without the quotes: "answer to life the universe and everything" It tells you the answer is 42 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
manitou Posted November 18, 2010 From what everyone is describing here, it sounds like we...are...god. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
