What is the purpose of my existence on earth?

Hello var-ga,

As per your comment, here is a summary.

There is a split in opinion between those who believe there is a
particular purpose and those who believe that the search for purpose
is misguided.

Among those who believe in a purpose, there is a wide variety of
suggestions as to what the purpose is:

- to help others
- to fulfill God's purpose
- to take care of the animals
- to give one's genes one more generation to live
- to play a particular part in the redeeming of the world
- to conduct good deeds and redeem oneself and eventually go back to heaven
- to give reason to one's being

A couple of those opinions (to play a part in redeeming the world, to
give reason to one's being) explicitly state that it is up to each
person to figure out how to fulfill that purpose.  A couple of other
opinions (to help others, to conduct good deeds) might imply likewise
that the manner of fulfilling this purpose is up to the individual,
though perhaps these commenters would say instead that there is a
standard for measuring whether the purpose has been fulfilled.

As for those who do not appear to believe in a particular purpose, the
suggestions are more philosophical:

- "Since the existence, or lack existence of one individual, or even a
planet full, will probably not have an effect on the grand picture,
does life need to have any meaning at all?"
- "Stop talking and thinking, and there is nothing you will not be able to know."
- "Your search for purpose comes probably from the need for happiness.
 Happiness does not necessarily comes from fulfillment of purposes but
rather from clear consciousness and meditative mind."

The first of these comments can be compared with the purpose of give
your genes one more generation to live.  The purpose of propagating
one's genes suggests that the next generation is what is important. 
However, this may be meant ironically, suggesting that it is not
important.  Indeed, it is possible that one's own existence, one's
descendants' existence, or humanity's existence is not important in
the overall existence of the universe.

The remaining two comments can be compared with the statements that it
is up to the individual.  The differing philosophies are: each person
should find his or her purpose; or the person should stop looking for
a purpose, and then true knowledge or happiness will follow.

There is no one unifying theme.  If there were, then we might have
resolved an age-old question!

- justaskscott-ga

P.S.: I apologize to any of the commenters if I have misconstrued
their opinions.  Any clarifications will be welcome, both by me and
presumably by var-ga.

The poet W. H Auden is quoted as having said this: 

"We are all here on earth to help others. What the others are here
for, I do not know."

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Thanks! :)

I believe we were put on this earth to take care of the animals.  Just my opinion.

Best regards,
tlspiegel

That question has been asked as long as there has been sentient life on the planet.

The question which needs to be answered before the "meaning of life"
is even considered is one that is seldom, if ever, asked.

"Does life even need to have a meaning?"  Is the search for "meaning"
no more than an ego driven quest for self validation?

It could very well be that the life of a sentient being, in reality,
has no more meaning than the existence of a rock has a meaning.

Both the being and the rock have a "history."  But to have a "meaning"
in addition to that history signifies that such an existence is
somehow a necessity to the continuation of the universe.

Will the universe continue if you are no longer a part of it?  Probably so.

Would the universe have continued if you never had been a part of it?  Probably so.

Will the universe cease to exist because of any action or lack of
action taken on your part?  Probably not.

So, since the existence, or lack existence of one individual, or even
a planet full, will probably not have an effect on the grand picture,
does life need to have any meaning at all?

To give your genes one more generation to live. 

-K~

var...

"...The more you talk and think......the further astray you
 wander from the truth. Stop talking and thinking, and there is
 nothing you will not be able to know..."

...an excerpt from "The Book of Nothing" authored by Tsin Tsin
Mingh, the 3rd Chinese Patriarch of Zen, some 10,000 years ago.

More of the text is on this page:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TantraTeachers/message/741?source=1

sublime1-ga

From my understanding of the Jewish perspective, it is that every soul
represents a unique facet of the people of the world.  Every soul has
a particular part to play in the redeeming of the world.  For some
people, it is raising a family; for others, it is becoming a community
organizer; or it could be some other activity or combination of
activities.

You know when people say that they have found their "calling"?  That
means that they have realized what their soul is telling them to do.

Only the individual -- assisted by other people, but ultimately
looking to his or her own nature -- can determine what that calling
is.  Perhaps it will only become apparent under the right
circumstances, which may be why some people search so long for their
purpose in life.

That is my understanding, anyway.

If you believe that a human being has a soul

His original form is a spirit being living in heaven without a physical body

Once he sins, his soul drops on the earth and receives a human body

So the reason you are here is that you sinned

Then someday you somehow realized and asked yourself, why am I here?

Then you conduct good deeds and redeem yourself and eventually go back to heaven

Or, you won?t realize, keep living on earth one life after another?

I once asked that question myself. Like mine, the reason you are here
is to give reason to your being. You can only accomplish that by doing
what is best for you and for others. Think about the reason why some
people commit suicide and you will see that it roots not from their
ignorance of life but from not knowing their real purpose in life.

A life with no purpose is a life with no meaning hence, it's not
having a life at all, it's merely being in existence. Each of us have
a purpose in life. Every life is an individualized gift given to us by
God and it is up to us to discover what it holds and what to do with
it.

So don't just exist -- have a life and give reason to your being. Know your self.

Your search for purpose comes probably from the need for happiness.
Happiness does not necessarily comes from fulfillment of purposes but 
rather from clear consciousness and meditative mind.

Try to go to nature alone and look at the wind moving the leaves :)

LOVE and Light,

TutyTut

My thoughts toggle between all (or some) of what has been said in the
comments above. May be we do have a defined purpose, or may be not.
May be we are on earth just because...

But great comments everyone! It'll be nice if one of you can summarize
all this and post an answer?

Fact: 
The Universe includes EVERYTHING: including you. Therefore, you a part
of the universe, and the universe itself. (Like droplets in the ocean
of existence).

Fact:
One fundamental law of the universe is that matter and energy cannot
be created or destroyed. All the matter and energy that makes up your
body and mind have recycled through countless galaxies, stars, rocks,
and organisms since the beginning of time.

Assumption:
As you attempt to give your own life meaning, the universe is
simultaneously trying to understand itself through you.

Hypothesis:
If you are the universe's mirror, then the universe is your mirror.

Conclusion.