That human beings are the only species (so far as we know) that can know it is a manifestation of the entire cosmos opens up a possibility that may need to be embraced if we are to survive the crises that now confront us. We can choose to work for the well-being of the whole, to make that the meaning of our lives. “The well-being of the whole” in this case can mean not only the well-being of the biosphere, but conceivably even (should a suitable situation arise) for the well-being of the whole universe. That we are the self-awareness of the cosmos makes the whole cosmos our body, in effect, which implies not only a special understanding but also a special role in response to that realization. Is that the answer to the greatest problem of all: the meaning of human life, both individual and collective?

— Loy, David R.. A New Buddhist Path: Enlightenment, Evolution, and Ethics in the Modern World. Wisdom Publications.

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