Why are human beings born? This question has posed a great challenge for civilisations and societies all around the world for thousands of years.
The second president of the Soka Gakkai, Josei Toda, had this to say about his own conclusions.
“This world is a place for people to, as the Lotus Sutra states, ‘Enjoy themselves at ease’.
We were born here to thoroughly savour the joys of life.
Faith in Nichiren Buddhism enables one to bring forth the great life-force needed to lead such an existence.”
The arrival of a new-born baby makes us think about such questions and such an answer goes a long way to solving the riddle.
The Search For Enlightenment 
Mar 10, 2013 @ 15:43:58
The Buddhists have a quite unique interpretation of things – kind of surprises you with its freshness like a sudden unexpected flower in bloom or a rare species of fish you encounter thanks to Nat. Geo. deep underwater – exquisite and unbelievable but real! The Lotus Sutra doesn’t carry any baggege it appears of guilt, sin, past transgressions, suffering ordained by your present or past indiscretions?
In one of your posts you said welcome to uncomfortable questions – so here it is. I dont know much about Buddhism which Hindu peers found uncomfortable and challenging and so the land of the Buddha ended up having the fewest Buddhists in the Asian world. This of course did not prevent the Hindu cosmology from quickly and expediently adopting their greatest son as the 10th Avatar in their pantheon, making him into a God he never wanted to be. It is only today that Buddhism has revived in India thanks to the underpriviledged castes. Leaving all that alone my uncomfortable question, which you invited is – what of the theory of Karma ( past actions and their consequences) which both faiths Hindu and Buddhist in my mind appear to share – how does that fit in with the Lotus Sutra which appears to say that we are here only to experience joy rather than to learn from our mistakes and to right them?.
Mar 10, 2013 @ 16:02:46
I think it may be a little simplistic to say that the Lotus Sutra yes that we are only here to enjoy ourselves. Whilst it is true that happiness, through the removal of suffering, is the primary goal, the cause of that suffering is due to karmic influences. Surely the aim of enlightenment is to learn how stop making the bad causes, and how to make good causes, that’s my take on it at least. Namaste
Mar 10, 2013 @ 18:25:30
Thanks for the explanation – fits nicely. namaste