LIFE IN THERAVĀDA BUDDHISM

Buddhism pays attention on every life whether they are human beings, animals or other kinds of living things. Above all, human beings are the most important than the others, as they have an ability to develop their life to reach the highest point of life by following the right ways of life. Buddha spent his whole life to teach others, in order to release them from suffering. Studying the Buddha's teaching is to study about the meaning of life and to study the way of life. This article studies about life, the concept of life, the element of life and the purpose of life by doing the research from Tipitaka which is the main doctrine of Buddhism, and other books which are written by acceptable people in the academic society. The research found that Buddhism mentioned about lives not only human beings but also other living things in this world and others. According to the Buddhism's view, there are four kinds of lives. There are Lives rise up from eggs, from wombs, from sewages and fairies and hell creatures' lives. All lives are unstable and changing all the time. The highest purpose of life is attaining to Nippāna (State which has no sin).