Purpose of Life

I asked some of my friends about their purpose of life. Majority said that they don't really have a purpose (or they haven't really thought about it) and they live cos they don't have any other option. Some said, they want to live a happy life with the family without being a burden to anyone or the society. A few had material goals such as earning money or building a nice house.

The Purpose of Life in the Sinhala Buddhist Culture is Nibbana. That is not to say, everybody should become Bikkhus and start meditating in a forest monoastry. The Buddha has laid down to Noble 8 fold path to Nibbana in such a way that it can be practiced both by lay people and Bikkhus. Of course, being a Bikkhu makes it easier to tread on that path. Yet, it may not be possible for everyone to attain Nibbana in this life itself (using the word 'attain' with Nibbana is incorrect cos its not a place or a concept, but there is no option but to use such a word to describe this).

Only a very few people would be able to reach at least the Stream entering (Sowan) state in this life itself. Yet, we recognise that this life is just one phase in Samsara. Therefore, it would be more correct to say the Purpose of Life in the Sinhala Buddhist Culture is to 'use this human existance to get as close to Nibbana as possible, so that it can be attained either in this life or in a next life, whenever all the conditions for Nibbana are satisfied'. In other words, letting go of the notion of 'me' and 'mine' (Sakkaya Ditti) as much as possible during this lifetime. The Purpose of Life differs with culture. In the Jeudo Christian culture, the purpose is to attain 'Individual Freedom' and the 'Pursuit of Happiness' (a.k.a. satisfying the sensual pleasures as much as possible).

As far as I know, the United States constitution defines the 'right for pursuit of happiness' for a human being. Simply put, the purpose of the Jeudo Christian Culture is the 'Freedom OF Desires' and the purpose of Sinhala Buddhist Culture (and other Theravada Buddhist cultures) is the 'Freedom FROM Desires'.