Perhaps the chief purpose of a philosophy or religion is to help us understand the meaning of death and why we are alive.

Buddhism Day by Day

Wisdom for Modern Life by Daisaku Ikeda
Sunday, August 18, 2013:

 

Perhaps the chief purpose of a philosophy or religion is to help us understand the meaning of death and why we are alive. Without understanding where we have come from and where we are going, we cannot establish our own sense of identity to the fullest. Aging and its symptoms can, if nothing else, prompt us to seek rejuvenation. Ultimately, that rejuvenation can be found not in forestalling symptoms but in embracing a larger understanding of our own lives, which Buddhism elucidates.