In this, the first of a two part series, the question. `Why are we here?' is put to Mr. Gold by a close pupil's father--a man with a chronic life-threatening illness. The result is a vision of the purpose for our eternally repeating cycle of lives. Life is discussed as an attitude correction mechanism with special emphasis on our relationship to the Absolute and how we can bring ourselves into the image of God, what Buddhahood is all about, why we should stop struggling against eternity and the inevitability of living the same life over and over again.