What is purpose of life?

I would like to contend that the purpose of the human form of life is self-realization. What makes a human beings distinct from animals is our capability for rational thought. Human beings are meant to use our intelligence to inquire about the absolute Truth. Like who am I? who is God? why am I here? why am I suffering? etc. Animals do not have this facility.

Animals are engaged in four activities eating, sleeping, mating and defending. If as human beings our lives also revolve primarily around these four activities then we are not taking full advantage of our human form. Even our science and technology about which we are so proud are primarily to help us in these four activities. This is not the proper utilization of the human form.

[psychoslice]

There is no purpose to life, to make a purpose is to destroy the beauty of life, when you make a purpose you then believe hat you must work to reach that purpose, life is to be simply lived, to be lived in the Now, not trying to reach somewhere better, you are always going to be where you are, no matter what you do you will be always where you are, here, Now, no regrets for a so called past, no regrets for a dream't future, forget about trying to be something else, just be who you truly are.

I would go beyond self-realization to self-actualization as the purpose of life. It isn't just inquiring about truth, but living one's truth and growing in truth that is the purpose. And, psychoslice, that may involve living in the Now.


eudaimonia,

Mark

[ROM]

The purpose is whatever you wish to make it, not anyone else's.

I agree, technology is meant to serve not dominate.

We need the balance between the intellect and the heart.

[psychoslice]

Originally Posted by Eudaimonist

I would go beyond self-realization to self-actualization as the purpose of life. It isn't just inquiring about truth, but living one's truth and growing in truth that is the purpose. And, psychoslice, that may involve living in the Now.


eudaimonia,

Mark

Yes I agree, after all there is only the NOW, where else could you be ?.

Originally Posted by psychoslice

There is no purpose to life, to make a purpose is to destroy the beauty of life, when you make a purpose you then believe hat you must work to reach that purpose, life is to be simply lived,

Well then I think my dog has already prefected your philosophy. He also has no higher purpose and just lives.

Originally Posted by psychoslice

to be lived in the Now, not trying to reach somewhere better, you are always going to be where you are, no matter what you do you will be always where you are, here, Now, no regrets for a so called past, no regrets for a dream't future, forget about trying to be something else, just be who you truly are.

It is not possible to live in the now unless you understand that you are an eternal being. As long as you are in the illusion of bodily identification you will always be on the platform of the temporary, aspiring for some happiness in the future. Self-realization is the only way that you can attain a state of being in the now.

[Emmalevine]

I believe we make our own purpose, which changes as we do. Nothing stays the same, not even our bodies, so it wouldn't make sense that life has one ultimate purpose. I think we are here to experience and create our purpose. I'm not discounting the notion that we are learning lessons from past lives or pre-determined fate but I don't worry about these and, as others have said, live in the now.

Originally Posted by Starbuck

I believe we make our own purpose, which changes as we do. Nothing stays the same, not even our bodies, so it wouldn't make sense that life has one ultimate purpose. I think we are here to experience and create our purpose. I'm not discounting the notion that we are learning lessons from past lives or pre-determined fate but I don't worry about these and, as others have said, live in the now.

Originally Posted by ROM

The purpose is whatever you wish to make it, not anyone else's.

You first have to know who you are before you can know your purpose. If you just whimsically concoct a purpose then you will not be happy, because you will inaccurate.

Originally Posted by psychoslice

Yes I agree, after all there is only the NOW, where else could you be ?.

Living in the past would be dwelling on memories, and living in the future would be anticipating (perhaps dreading) the future. Personally, I think we should live in the present, past, and future as is beneficial.

Normally, we should live 90%+ of our time in the present, and live in the past or future only for the amount of time that is needed, and only in a useful way. This means that we should establish a proper "relationship" to the past and to the future, making sure that it doesn't turn into a bad relationship. For example, not worrying about the future, but rather making one's plans in response to any anticipated difficulties, and then letting the future attend to itself.


eudaimonia,

Mark

Originally Posted by Eudaimonist

Living in the past would be dwelling on memories, and living in the future would be anticipating (perhaps dreading) the future. Personally, I think we should live in the present, past, and future as is beneficial.

Normally, we should live 90%+ of our time in the present, and live in the past or future only for the amount of time that is needed, and only in a useful way. This means that we should establish a proper "relationship" to the past and to the future, making sure that it doesn't turn into a bad relationship. For example, not worrying about the future, but rather making one's plans in response to any anticipated difficulties, and then letting the future attend to itself.

Until you realize that you are eternal you will always be on the platform of the temporary.