Human Birth

Living beings are born in different birthplaces because of auspicious and inauspicious karma. As per scriptures, this number is eight millions and four hundred thousands. Human birth is believed to be the best because from here only purity can be obtained – effort for moksha can be made.

Other birthplaces are good as well as bad. As man goes on purifying himself due to his pure karma, he gets birth in better and better birthplaces. By mistake if he earns bad karma, he can be born in low birthplaces also. While climbing the hill, it is not always the ascend that one faces. At some places, there is a climb down also, one falls and then stands up, and then falls and then stands and walks. Similar principle, regarding birth at different places, can be applied here also.

If the man using his discretions continues to earn auspicious karma, avoiding inauspicious karma, then with such progressive purity he will surely get human birth.

- Uttaradhyayana Sutra 3/7