Question: What is the purpose of human life?
Answer: There could be various
purposes of human life, depending upon the propensities and cravings of the
individual.
What are they?
For
some, the purpose of life is enjoyment (Kàma). Others are interested in
earning money and riches. Still others give scant importance to enjoyment and
wealth, and consider leading a righteous and virtuous life (Dharma) as
the chief purpose of life. Finally, there are those who want to attain
salvation or Mokäa—absolute liberation from the suffering of repeated
births.
This
can be seen differently also. Some have to struggle for existence, and the only
purpose of their life is survival. There are others who live for enjoyment.
Still others wish to do lot of things. The fourth type of people are seekers of
knowledge, are researchers and thinkers. Finally, there are a rare few who
aspire for final emancipation.
But, what is the ultimate goal of life or purpose of life?
According
to Hinduism, it is Moksäa or freedom.
Has
not Swami Vivekananda and Sri Ramakrishna said anything about the purpose of
life?
Yes.
According to Sri Ramakrishna, the purpose of human life is God-realisation.
And according to Swami Vivekananda?
Swamiji
says that the goal of life is the manifestation of the potential of the soul.
These two appear different…
No.
God-realisation and the manifestation of the divinity of the soul are one and
the same thing.
But,
I do not believe in God and I do not know what the soul is. What should be or
could be the purpose of life?
Everyone wants absolute happiness and total extinction of
suffering. Buddha has also emphasised that destruction of suffering is the goal
of life. So also, in Patanjali’s Yoga Sùtra, destruction of suffering yet to
come has been suggested as the purpose of life. This is called Kaivalya
in Yoga and Nirvana in Buddhism.
So, what should I set as the purpose of my life?
God-realisation,
manifestation of divinity of the soul, Nirvana, and knowledge are different
names of the same state. Choose whatever you like.
