what is the meaning of life.?

Answer 1

The Meaning of life is eternal SPIRITUAL HAPPINESS obtained with love of Godhead and not MATERIAL HAPPINESS which is transitory, flickering and temporary. With spiritual happiness material happiness comes as a byproduct.

In the material world everything is temporary and comes to and end or dies for that which has birth has death also. But,the reason behind birth and death is to learn the lesson that the material world is temporary and miserable as told by Lord Sri Krishna in the Bhagavad-gita(8.15) thus, "After attaining Me, the great souls, who are yogis in devotion, never return to this temporary world, which is full of miseries, because they have attained the highest perfection".

The same question was asked by Mike Robinson of London Broadcasting Company in 1976 while interviewing Prabhupada(Founder of ISKCON).
Mike Robinson: Can you tell me what you believe to be the meaning of life? Why do we exist in the first place?

Srila Prabhupada: The meaning of life is to enjoy. But now you are on a false platform of life, and therefore you are suffering instead of enjoying. Everywhere we see the struggle for existence. Everyone is struggling, but what is their enjoyment in the end? They are simply suffering and dying. Therefore, although life means enjoyment, at the present moment your life is not enjoyment. But if you come to the real, spiritual platform of life, then you'll enjoy.

God does not like to send us to this temporary miserable material world. We want to come here and God sanctions it. Just like if a child wants to touch fire, the parents say no. But when the child wants again and again, the parents say ok. The child touches and burns the fingers and does not touch the fire again.

When we come here in this material world, one is born to die again and again in the mrityu samsara(chain of birth and death) until we learn our lesson(burn our fingers)and go back to God.

But, the reason behind birth and death is to learn the lesson that the material world is temporary and miserable as told by Lord Sri Krishna in the Bhagavad-gita(8.15) thus, "After attaining Me, the great souls, who are yogés in devotion, never return to this temporary world, which is full of miseries, because they have attained the highest perfection".

Just like one goes to school not to stay there permanently or one goes to the hospital not to stay there for over. From the school we learn and go out and from the hospital we get cured and go out. Similarly in this temporary miserable world of repeated birth and death (Mrityu samsara) we learn the lesson and go back to our original home, back to God's abode in the spiritual world.

After God sends us here on the material world due to our will, God gave various scriptures so that human beings can, by reading them lead a peaceful life on earth and understand the purpose of God. Scriptures vary from place to place and are different according the nature of the persons capacityGod Himself comes himself in various avatars like Lord Buddha, Krishna, Chaitanya and sends his different representatives, sons like Jesus and Mohammed. And other preachers of God consciousness appeared in different places and gave different methods of approach to God. Though, all speak about the same God consciousness, the way of approach is different due to difference in language, place and circumstances etc...

The Vedas say three are many ways,viz., Karma yoga, Sankhya youga, Jnana Yoga, Dhyana yoga and ultimately Bhakti yoga for different practitioners.

In the material world, we spirit souls are encaged in a temporary material body and the Lord as supersoul comes along with us and stays in the heart so that again we can go to spiritual world.

Below is some excerpts from Bhagavad-gita-as-it-is, by A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder-Acharya of ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness)
Lord Sri Krishna says in the Bhagavad gita(19.61),
The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone's heart, O Arjuna, and is directing the wanderings of all living entities, who are seated as on a machine, made of the material energy.

Comparing the soul and supersoul sitting on the tree of body,
both the Katha Upanisad and Svetasvatara Upanisad say,
"Although the two birds are in the same tree, the eating bird is fully engrossed with anxiety and moroseness as the enjoyer of the fruits of the tree. But if in some way or other he turns his face to his friend who is the Lord and knows His glories—at once the suffering bird becomes free from all anxieties."

The supersoul is only acting as the witnesser and sanctioner.as mentioned in the Bhagavad gita(13.23),
"Yet in this body there is another, a transcendental enjoyer, who is the Lord, the supreme proprietor, who exists as the overseer and permitter, and who is known as the Supersoul."

Answer 2

The ultimate meaning of my life is how much I help my fellow creatures and improve the world for the future generation. The ultimate meaning of my life is how much of a positive difference life has undergone because of me. Can one person change the world? Rarely. My effect on the world is as temporary as the effect of a skywriter on the blue. But I try.

Answer 3

When God made us, he implanted within us a burning desire for his will. Knowing his will and following it will give meaning to our life. This implies that it is our responsibility to give meaning to our life. Our task then is to find out his will for us.

God's plan for our lives is etched in our desires. To discover God's plan we need to have a personal relationship with him. But because he gave us free will, he will not tell us to be a doctor, an engineer or priest. That's up to us. That means we have to pray and reflect on it a bit. Maybe even ask other people to help us discern it. No big deal, really.

All of us have received gifts from God. Our primary gift or best gift is an indication of God's plan for us. We will find in it the handwriting of God. It will point to our life project, our assigned purpose, our God ordained mission. It will also point to our happiness.
Peace and every blessing!

Answer 4

Hello Rinchen,

Life is a classroom where one is given the opportunity for spiritual development. There are no teachers, . . . .only students.

The ones who graduate are the ones who realize the harder they try to find the truth outside themselves, the farther away it becomes.

The ultimate enlightenment is when they realize if the truth does not reside within, it does not reside at all.

Good question,

Darryl S.

Answer 5

As any, well read and educated person knows. The meaning of life is '42'.

Answer 6

Worship of the One True Almighty God of the Universe [Allah in Arabic] as a primary goal or aim in life provides a believer with everything he needs to succeed in both this life and the Next Life.

The word for total surrender, submission, obedience, purity of heart and peace in the Arabic language is "Islam". Those who try to perform these actions are called "MU-slims" [Islam-ERs].

To a Muslim the whole purpose of life is "ibadah" or worship to the One True Almighty God on Terms and under His Conditions.

The term "worship" to a Muslim includes any and all acts of obedience to Almighty Allah.

So his purpose of life is a standing purpose; Worshipping Allah by accepting Allah's Will over his own.
This act of ibadah [worshipping, thanking and extolling the Greatness Almighty Allah on His Terms and Conditions] is for the Muslim, throughout his whole life regardless of the stage. Whether he is a child, adolescent, adult or aged person, he is seeking after the Will of the Almighty in all these stages.
His life here on earth although short, is full of purpose and is totally meaningful within the complete framework of total submission [Islam].

Similarly, in the Next Life as well, his faith, intentions, attitudes and good deeds will all be weighed into his account as favorable putting him in high esteem with his Creator and Sustainer.

Because Islam teaches that this life is only a test or trial for the individual to show him his true nature it is only natural that he would accept death as not so much an ending to everything but more as a beginning of the final and lasting life in the Hereafter.

Before entering into either of the final lodging places i.e.; Heaven or Hell, there must needs be a Day of Judgment or showing of one's true self to make them aware of their own nature and thereby understand what they have sent on ahead during the life here on the earth.

Every person will be rewarded [or punished] according to their attitude, appreciation and efforts during this stay on earth. None will be asked about the actions and beliefs of others, nor will anyone be asked regarding that which he was unaware of or incapable of doing.

As the life here is considered as an examination for the individual, the death stage is considered as a resting period after the test. It could be easy for those who were faithful and dedicated or it could be grueling and horrible for the wicked.

Reward and punishment will be in direct proportion to each person and it is only Allah, alone who will be the Final Judge over us all.

Answer 7

To let the mother nature complete the cycle of life and death, in the process whoever or whatever comes before you try to explain about this cycle and ask / modify them to accept the fact and be acceptable by the system.

Answer 8

Life is greater than meanings.

Answer 9

The purpose of life is to create more life...pass on your genes.

The meaning of life, is whatever you want to make of it. It's wide open, and you control this aspect.

Answer 10

Ecclesiastes 12: 13Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

14For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

Answer 11

It's a movie made by Monty Python