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The purpose of human life is an ideal which transcends the mundane goals of human existence, for it is based upon the vision of God or Ultimate Reality. The beatific vision, divine joy, and uniting with the divine will or divine nature are some of the ways in which this purpose is expressed. At the same time, since the human being is grounded in this Ultimate, the purpose of life coheres with the essential nature of human beings. The highest and best of human values--love, truth, beauty, goodness, joy, and happiness--are aspirations grounded in the original human nature. Therefore, the purpose of life may also be conceived as the realization of what is most essentially human. That is, true human beings manifest the Ultimate in themselves, through manifesting the perfections of purity, wisdom, impartiality, integrity, and compassion in their own lives. The fulfillment of humanity is also the sanctification of humanity.

The first section in this chapter describes the purpose of life as the desire of all people for happiness and especially inner satisfaction. The beatific vision, divine bliss, Nirvana, and the joys of heaven are incomparably more desirable than the joy that comes with the satisfaction of mundane desires. In the second section, we turn to the purpose of life as determined from its divine source. Especially in monotheistic religions where God is the Creator and humans are creatures, the purpose for human life flows from the purpose for God's creating. We may speak of the purpose to do God's will, to glorify and return joy to Him.

In the next three sections the purpose of life is considered from the point of view of the intrinsic nature of the human person. The third section gathers passages on the human being as the image of God or the dwelling place of God. The fourth section discusses humanity's intrinsic goodness: the innocence of a child and the inner compass that is the conscience. The fifth section gathers passages on the original mind, the true Self or Buddha Nature; its realization is the goal of the spiritual life. This most essential Self is far from the ordinary egoistic meaning of the self: free of conceptualizations, desires, or egoistic grasping, it may also be characterized