Ancient yogis of India went deep within themselves to search for the purpose of human life. They went through incredible austerities in hopes of finding the ultimate realization of how to be in this world. It is said that the teachings of Yoga came from beings that had merged their awareness in the mind of God.

One of the major realizations about life that the yogis received was that the true nature of a being is oneness with the One. From this understanding, yogis counseled students that the purpose of life is to realize that you are not the ego, but one with the flow of the Divine. As a being realizes this, they are said to become enlightened. Life is then lived completely guided by the Divine. The ego has surrendered its dominance and no longer feels itself as the doer.

Yogis say that once you are enlightened true service can be given to this world. They advised against living a life purpose that is purely for the ego. Such a life, they say, does not serve the self or the world. Acting as if you are a separate self that is the sole doer fragments awareness and leads to suffering. In this way, Yoga and Buddhism have similar views. They both seek to advise beings that the purpose of life is to live as if everything were included in your being, and they also both believe that a vegetarian diet fits in with this realization.