1. Humans have for a long time pondered the question, “Is My Existence Part of a Bigger Plan?

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I will tell you my opinion and provide you with Christian and Buddhist perspectives on this
age old question.
2. For me, I believe that humans are different to animals through the presence of something
that lives on after our death. I am not quite sure how this fits into a specific religion. I also
believe that an important part of being human is how we have the duty to look after each
other and other life forms on the planet.
3. Catholics believe that what differentiates humans from other life forms is the presence of
the soul, a spiritual element of us that is immortal. Catholics believe that the soul and the
body are united during life, and after death the soul lives on, either going to heaven or hell.
4. From a Buddhist’s perspective, to be human means to be able to listen to and engage with
the Dharma. This is because being human makes for favourable conditions to attempt to
attain enlightenment, which is the fundamental goal in Buddhism. Enlightenment means to
break the cycle of rebirth.
5. Meaning and purpose is important in my life because it encourages me to behave as the
best version of myself. If I did not have meaning and purpose, and also goals, I would have
little motivation to work hard and do things that I may not like now, but will benefit me in
the future
6. According to Catholicism, having meaning and purpose in our lives brings us closer to God as
we are more inclined and encouraged to live a good, moral life. Meaning and purpose can
come from many avenues for Catholics, one being the desire to live by God’s word and like
Jesus Christ.
7. Having meaning and purpose in life brings Buddhists closer to enlightenment. This is because
having meaning and purpose makes it easier for people to accept and adapt to change in our
lives. Understanding that everything is temporary is a fundamental belief of Buddhism.
8. I gain meaning and purpose through many avenues in my life currently. Some of these relate
to the future, for example my desire to be a health professional motivates me to do well
academically. Others are personal, for example my ongoing studies in music, and my
relationships with my family.
9. Catholics believe that every life has purpose and no life is an accident. Catholics find
meaning and purpose in their lives through their faith. They feel motivation to spread the
word of the Lord, and live a life that is in the likeness of Jesus. Their faith provides a basis for
them to form their morals and actions upon.
10. Buddhists believe that humans suffer due to their constant desire for things. In our lives, we
are constantly bombarded with media telling us that material things are where we derive
happiness, and hence meaning and purpose from. Buddhists obtain meaning and purpose in
their lives by living simple lives free of material desire.
https://teachingsofthebuddha.com/what-is-the-purpose-of-life-in-buddhism/
11. I believe that my presence in various communities, large and small, has contributed to my
sense of identity by validating my personality and interests but also introducing me to new
things. Many of my current interests are a result of the people I have associated with.
12. Belonging to a community is integral to the identity of a Catholic, as the most important
ceremony, the Mass, centres around community. During mass, a community of Catholics
gather to hear the word of the Lord and share the Eucharist. The sense of community at
mass contributes to a sense of identity through the connection to God that the group shares
with each other.
13. ‘Sangha’ in Buddhism is used to refer to the ‘spiritual community’. Community in Buddhism
acts as an avenue for Buddhists to share their struggles with their faith with fellow
adherents, putting things into perspective and assuring them that they are not alone.
14. I am unsure of my belief in religion. One of the appealing things to me about many religions
is their answers to the big questions, for example how and why we are here. This could
contribute to my sense of meaning and purpose by giving me comfort and helping be more
acceptant of change.
15. Belief in a religion can help people push their selfishness to the side and find greater
purpose in their lives. In Catholicism, adherents are instead encouraged to, for example, be
generous and help those in need (The common good), or care for the environment
(stewardship of creation). This can help them find meaning and purpose in their lives
themselves.
16. People who believe in Buddhism understand that the only thing that is constant in our lives
is suffering at the hands of our desire. This ideology enables adherents to move past their
human desires and find meaning and purpose in concepts greater than themselves,
especially amongst their community.
17. To me, the concept of the greater good contributes to my pursuit of meaning by
encouraging me to consider those not as fortunate as myself. This serves as a reminder to
not take various things in my life for granted.
18. Similar to the greater good, the common good is an important concept in Catholicism. It
refers to all individuals being able to reach their full potential easily. Catholics can help this
cause in many ways, for example supporting those not as fortunate as yourself or donating
your time to others. In this, Catholics can gain a sense of meaning in their lives.
19. Takafumi Kawakami, a Buddhist monk, points out that Buddhists must find a purpose in their
life that reaches out to others and is not self centred, saying that it can be as simple as
looking outside, and asking yourself, “What can I do to make this person happy?”. This
shows that, for Buddhists, contributing to the greater good in simple ways is important to
their pursuit of meaning.
20. The investigation of Buddhist, Catholic and my own opinions on the age old question “Is my
existence part of a bigger plan?” has shown that many differing perspectives exist in our
world and no one perspective is necessarily correct.