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  • Recorded on: 10 Mar 2001
  • Language: English
  • Length: 0h 04m

The meaning of human life

Human life is a unique, irreplaceable opportunity to be used for a higher purpose beyond mere animal existence.

This human body is a precious, non-transferable gift. We must care for it and use it to serve the world and spread happiness. The essential human question is to inquire into our origin, purpose, and destination. If life is only for eating, drinking, and procreation, we are no different from animals. Humans must possess a higher aim. If you believe in God, consider why you were given this specific human life. Distinctive qualities that define humanity lie dormant within us. We must awaken and utilize these qualities to perform our true human duties.

"Who am I, and from where do I come, and what is the purpose of my coming, and where will I go?"

"If humans are doing only that much, where is the difference between humans and animals?"

Filming location: USA

Our life is one of the best and most precious lives. This is the precious diamond which is given to us. This human life will not be given to us again and again. This body you cannot buy anywhere, and you cannot borrow it from anyone. It is only a chance to have this body. Therefore, we shall try to keep this body healthy and harmonious, and through this body we shall serve the world; we should be happy, and we should give this happiness to others. What is the sense of our life? Only humans can think. It is said, "Who am I, and from where do I come, and what is the purpose of my coming, and where will I go?" This is one of the questions which should be answered by each and every human. Khānā, pīnā, bhogānā, paśubhī, param sujanā—eating, drinking, getting children, and building a house; animals are also very expert. If humans are doing only that much, where is the difference between humans and animals? Definitely, we do have a very high aim for our life. If you believe in God, then think. If God has given you this life, the human life especially, why did He give you this life? What does it mean to be a human? Which qualities make us human? There must be a complete difference between other creatures and humans. So where are those qualities? They are dormant in the human body. We shall utilize them; we shall awaken those qualities. Then we will be able to do the right duties, the right performance of human duties.

This text is transcribed and grammar corrected by AI. If in doubt what was actually said in the recording, use the transcript to double click the desired cue. This will position the recording in most cases just before the sentence is uttered.

The text contains hyperlinks in bold to three authoritative books on yoga, written by humans, to clarify the context of the lecture:

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