Why are we born?

[Ebonon]

Why do we take refuge in existentialism where life is Absurd, Nothingness is disappointing?
Why do we seek for the creator to consider life to be meaningful?
If GOD was there and tangible, would it have been meaningful, the life?

I feel, if there would have been an authority, who would be judging our behaviours and will have rigid parameters to judge them, we would havebeen nothing but slaves.

The life has given us complete autonomy. I think thats the most fascinating thing. We have a right to do anything and everything, the only thing that stops us from doing anything is ourselves and nobody else...

For example, human can decide to be saint or devil, a killer or a savior, completely on his own. And he faces the consequences of the path s/he chooses. And these consequences niether have pattern nor parameters.
So its an unending exploration, which can keep the life intersting.

Wont you suicide, if somebody drwas a amap of your life and gives it to you?

[MarkC]

First of all, is this question a significant one for the average man? I think we can take it that this question is one that everyone is interested in and puzzled over. There may, however, be some who will raise an objection.

"The Buddha taught the non-existence of 'the being', 'the individual', 'the self', 'you' and 'me'. He taught that there is no self to be born. So the problem 'Why were we born?' does not arise! "

This sort of objection is valid only at the very highest mental level, for someone who himself knows Freedom but for the ordinary man who does not yet know Freedom it is not a valid objection since it is not relevant, not to the point. A person who does not as yet know Dhamma thoroughly is bound to feel himself involved in the process of birth and to have a great many problems and questions. He has no idea for what purpose he has been born.

Thanks.

[Neo_Sephiroth]

Maybe this should be in the religion thread?

[Boo Radley]

Do not ask the question, don't waste time with it. Live in the "Now", do good deeds and follow your conscience.

[virginiawang]

I think factually you are correct, however I think we all have a responsibilty to apply ethics to our lives.

I don't believe in ethics as much as I believe in feelings and a heart that produces them. A heart must be noble to produce fantastic feelings, which will then guide a person through the path he takes.In fact, I consider ethics as rubbish, because so many people commit befouled deeds with a sententious ethical excuse.
Only a heart that creates beautiful sensations stands out.

Well yes indeed, I certainly hope I never live to see the necessity of measures such as sterilization but if the theory is correct (and it hasn't been proven correct) then something like that would be needed.

Should Man have the given right to procreate?

Sterilization is almost a crime against humanity. As I read through several of your posts under this thread, I wondered at your assumed knowledge of the development of human beings since thousands of years ago. I have no idea how you've managed to acquire such generalization of the pernicious effects of moden medicine on human race. Please allow me a question. How do you know your theory is correct? Do you have eyes that penetrate into all cornors on earth from above?
I do not know whether you're right or not, because I am too small. However, to hurt people you don't know because you think they are not good enough by birth, and to make them childless is against nature. It is an ugly idea.

[JuniperWoolf]

We are born because of the result of a difficult biological process instigated by the sexual intercourse of two human beings.

That's not why, it's how.

to the extent that we trust our sense organs and extensions there of, biology answers the "why are we born" question.

No, it doesn't.

No one knows why we're born. To chop it all down to a simple scientific or religious explanation is silly.

Do not ask the question, don't waste time with it. Live in the "Now", do good deeds and follow your conscience.

True that.

[Maryd.]

We are all put on this earth for a reason. The clue is to find our purpose and stick to it. The only reason people become unhappy, angry, violent, etc... is because we stray from our purpose in life. Once we reconnect with who we are, we can continue to go on with life and the reason we were born in the first place.

[Dinkleberry2010]

I found out why I am here forty-one years ago. I can only speak for myself. I can't speak for anyone else, and I certainly can't speak for wo/mankind.

It's a different matter I suppose if we are discussing why the human race is here. If we are discussing that, my thought is there is no answer. We can speculate, wonder, question, but in the end, I simply think there is no answer to the question.

[Acro iris]

You know what, I don't see why humans worry so much about having a purpose in life.

I think that the concept of having a purpose is set up to combat the one thing that humans fear more than death....boredom.
While most of the human race don't see it like that, history in a slight way showed that we create and destroy things to avoid boredom. Some examples are:
-Creating the concept of money so that higher powers control what the rest of the average population get from life
-Destroying indigenous communities so that people can acquire the ability to decide a person's fate itself