What is the purpose of Human Life?

Answer 1

"The purpose of life, is a life of purpose"

-Ghandi.

Answer 2

In my perception, this question can be answered only with respect to individual level and not at a general level.

Why dont we ask what is the purpose of life (of all beings). We know that each living being is different and has different purposes. If considered similarly then each human being different, should have different purposes in life suiting his aspirations.

Normally "Purpose" is defined as some utility of something we have. The purpose of our car is to facilitate us travel.

So the question of purpose of life means what use it has to be put to.

Now, anything that is to be put to be use has to be known. So what is life. We cannot say it is our body, our thoughts or our actions. The convincing possible definition of life would be "A series of experiences between the womb and the tomb".

So the purpose of life is the purpose of these experiences. What is the purpose of our experience. If you could answer this, your question is answered. If we could not answer this, can we assume that we have no purpose in life and can indulge in whatever way our likes guide us.

If that is the case, then we must be ready to accept the outcomes. The same questioner in us who questioned the purpose of life, the same liker in us who asked us to indulge would most of the times feel uncomfortable after indulgence even if it derived joy.

Summarising to make it short, even this question of us is just a thought that passes through us. That is all its importance.

Marcus Allus said "Everything is a perception not the truth". I would see it with a slight modification "Everything is a perception of the truth".

So everything including this question is a thought passing through us. Let us try watching these thoughts parade in our presence just like the dream happening in our presence when we are in bed.

If this could be carried out, we could realise that all these (except the witness) are thoughts and the we are separate from the thoughts that pass through us. This would help us understand our real nature and thereby not worry about finding answers for our thoughts (which are temporary and changing without any validity).

I think this exercise would help us more in achieving the real implied purpose that we intend to attain (our true Nature) and which has raised this question in us.

Answer 3

If you mean why are we here, we're here because we have the best survival equipment in the animal kingdom - intelligence.

If you mean are we here for a greater purpose, I think it would have been revealed during the past 10000 years of our civilisations don't you think?

In all likeliness, our greater purpose will be defined by us - my opinion is that a greater purpose for the human race should be to protect the planet and it's inhabitants (that includes non-human species). There's no better natural defense for a planet than an intelligent species with decent technology and compassion.

Answer 4

If I may contribute as a Buddhist perhaps my answer can be seen and used as comparison with the other fine responses already posited.

For me as a Buddhist...the purpose of Life...that being the human Life as well other Life Forms is to evolve.... sounds simplistic I know. Bear with me as I explain....

Human Life from a Buddhist perspective is refered to as the human condition. This is an important concept because on examination of our 'condition' we can see from experiencing that it is characterised by suffering. This includes physical, mental, emotional and spiritual suffering.

Buddhists consider this 'condition' under which we exist intolerable and are determined to be rid of it. For this reason suffering and its causes are examined and each cause is systematically eliminated from our lives through various methods and practices. These practices are known as the Noble Eightfold Path and we as Buddhists strive to incorporate the methods known as the 5 Noble Precepts into the Path to enable us to properly examine the causes of suffering and be rid of it. Suffering...to Buddhists has only one root cause, that is self serving and impermanent human desire and craving. Once this cause is removed then suffering ceases.

It is not for selfish reasons that we do this at all. If it were then it would seriously negate the entire purpose. Instead we strive for this purpose and in the process we cause positive consequences for the other Life forms with which we interact. Please let me explain Action and consequence...for the benefit of clarity.

All Actions (this is a Buddhist term meaning but is not limited to thought, speech and deed) result from our mind set at the time of the moment we choose the action...how we think. The purpose of the Path and the Precepts is to guide us in the proper way to Act in order to ensure a positive consequence. Buddhists believe that for every Action no matter how insignificant there is a consequence and that that consequence begets other consequences...do you follow...? We therefore strive so that all our actions then have only positive consequences. These consequences then result only in happiness for the other Life Forms we encounter therefore ultimately there can only be happiness for all Life Forms ...follow...?

All human Beings have or rather are a conglomerate of 5 Aggregates or parts in various measure all of which are impermanent...this is just a Buddhist concept you understand.... but there is a 6th Aggregate mentioned by the Lord Buddha which is permanent, elusive and insubstantial but vital and that is known as the Buddha Nature, we all have it according to the Lord Buddha. It is this essence, the Lord Buddha said, which all Buddhists should acknowledge in all humans.

This essence is affected by all our experiences and it is this which evolves as all else is transitory and impermanent.

Buddhas message to us was that we should strive for the betterment of all Life but in particular other human Life so that when suffering is finally eliminated the Buddha Nature in us all can strive forward and evolve each in our individual ways.

This then is my purpose as a Buddhist and as a human Being on my own Path....I hope this doesn't cause any offence, this subject can be a sensitive one for some. Please don't infer that my Path is any better than another's or that I infer that anothers Faith is in question. On the contrary, other Faiths also have this purpose in mind and are far more noteworthy, this one is just an illustration for comparison and discussion of the difference in methodology and is written from a Buddhist perspective.

Peace my friends in this the season of Joy

From a Buddhist

Answer 5

The purpose of human life is just to experience everything there is to experience. To know what we are...experientially...by experiencing what we are not. You can not know what up is unless you experience down, you can not know what hot is unless you experience cold...and so on. God created this world of relativity so that we can experience everything and so that God can experience everything through us. God IS us and we ARE him/her. There is no separation of God from us, or of us from each other. All separation is an illusion.

Answer 6

to exist. we are a strand of 23 paired chromosones, nothing more. The world is what you make it. Every thing that exists always has. The carbon and other atoms that make up your body has been around for ever because nothing is created or destroyed but just changes form.

Or maybee its to party. There both resaonable answers.

Answer 7

the purpose of the human life is in my openion that play all role of your life, and do any thing, but use your all part of body

Answer 8

to learn, love, create, and die

Our goals is to increase the value of humanity as a whole, thus by adding to the better meant of everyone we have left our mark.

Of course there is much more to it, but in a nut shell...

Answer 9

The same purpose as death! Unknown!!

Answer 10

And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

Mark 12:30
King James Version