One of the questions that has puzzled the greatest minds in history is ‘What is the meaning of life?’. What is our true purpose on this earth, why are we here? Chances are you’ll get a different answer from almost every single person. Some people believe that money will help them find the answer, so they spend their lives working, trying to find the answer. Others may believe that the reason we’re here is to help others, so they devote their lives to helping those who can’t help themselves. So what does it mean to be a human?
9 Rules For Being Human
According to some ancient text written in Sanskrit, there are 9 rules for being human, or more accurately, being a well-rounded, happy person. The root of these rules is similar to the beliefs that have been held for centuries by various Eastern religions like Daoism and Buddhism, but most closely reflect the beliefs of Hinduism.
Here is what this ancient text says is the key to being human.
You Will Receive A Body
For better or worse, we only get one body. While we may have problems with our body’s, we need to accept ourselves for who we are, because we are so much more than the body we were born with.
You Will Learn Lessons
From the minute we’re born, we are thrown into the school of life and we are students of it until the day we die. Every day we learn new lessons that we take into class the next day and the day after that.
There Are No Mistakes, Only Lessons
Growth is a process of trial and error, of experimentation. The ‘failed’ experiments are as much a part of the process as the experiment that ultimately works.
A Lesson Is Repeated Until It Is Learned
We’ll often experience the same lesson over and over again until we finally learn from it. Only then can we move onto the next lesson.
Learning Lessons Don’t End
There is no end to the lessons that life has for us. As long as we’re breathing, life will keep teaching us.
‘There’ Is No Better Than ‘Here’
We need to be happy with who we are now, what we have in the ‘here’. Over ‘there’ might look better, but once you change ‘there’ to ‘here’, there will always be another ‘there’ that looks better.
Others Are Merely Mirrors Of You
You cannot love or hate something about another person unless it reflects something you love or hate about yourself.
What You Make Of Your Life Is Up To You
You have all the tools and resources you need, what you do with them is up to you. The choice is yours.
The Answers Lie Inside You
The answers to life’s questions lie inside you. All you need to do is look, listen, and trust.
As we mentioned before, these ‘rules’ to being human seem to be rooted in beliefs that have existed for centuries. In fact, many ancient sacred Hindu texts were written in sanskrit [2]. While these may be called rules, they are more of a set of guidelines.
Our lives are a reflection of ourselves, and if we wish to have a good life, we must lead a good life. We are the sum of what we put out into the world, so let’s try and make it count.
Editor Note: The work originates from a book called ‘If Life is a Game, These are the Rules’ authored by Cherie Carter-Scott. The original work outlined 10 rules.
