Here's a table that summarizes the meaning of existence according to some of the major belief systems:
Catholicism
To know, love, and serve God, and attain eternal life with Him in heaven.
ProtestantismTo glorify God and enjoy Him forever.
Orthodoxy
To fulfill one's purpose as created by God, which is to love God and others and attain theosis, or union with God.
Sunni Islam
To worship Allah, follow His commandments, and strive for Paradise in the afterlife.
Shia Islam
To attain closeness to Allah and gain His approval, and attain salvation in the afterlife.
Hinduism
To attain liberation from the cycle of reincarnation and union with the ultimate reality, Brahman.
Theravada Buddhism
To attain enlightenment and end suffering through the Eightfold Path.
Mahayana Buddhism
To attain enlightenment and help all sentient beings to do the same.
Sikhism
To remember and love God at all times, and eventually merge with God
.Judaism
To fulfill the commandments given by God in the Torah, and attain the World to Come.
Baha'i Faith
To recognize the oneness of humanity and the unity of all religions, and work towards the betterment of society.
Taoism
To live in harmony with the Tao, or the natural way of the universe.
Confucianism
To cultivate one's own character, practice morality, and bring order to society
.Jainism
To attain liberation from the cycle of reincarnation through living a life of non-violence and spiritual purity.
Shintoism
To live in harmony with the kami, or spiritual forces of nature, and follow the moral codes set by them.
New Age Spirituality
To attain personal growth, spiritual evolution, and connection with the universe.
Indigenous Spirituality
To live in harmony with nature and the spirits, and follow the traditions and beliefs of one's ancestors.
Wicca and Neopaganism
To live in harmony with nature and the divine, and practice magic and rituals.
Scientology
To attain spiritual freedom and understanding through spiritual counseling and auditing.
Tenrikyo
To attain joy and salvation through following the teachings of the creator god, Tenri-O-no-Mikoto.
Rastafarianism
To live in accordance with the divine will, as revealed through Haile Selassie I and Ethiopian culture.
Falun Gong
To attain physical and spiritual health through practicing meditation and following the teachings of Falun Gong.
Hindu Nationalism
To reclaim India's Hindu heritage and protect Hindu interests, both domestically and internationally.
Atheism and Secular Humanism
To live a fulfilling life based on reason, science, and human values, without belief in a deity or afterlife.
Catholicism
To know, love, and serve God, and attain eternal life with Him in heaven.
ProtestantismTo glorify God and enjoy Him forever.
Orthodoxy
To fulfill one's purpose as created by God, which is to love God and others and attain theosis, or union with God.
Sunni Islam
To worship Allah, follow His commandments, and strive for Paradise in the afterlife.
Shia Islam
To attain closeness to Allah and gain His approval, and attain salvation in the afterlife.
Hinduism
To attain liberation from the cycle of reincarnation and union with the ultimate reality, Brahman.
Theravada Buddhism
To attain enlightenment and end suffering through the Eightfold Path.
Mahayana Buddhism
To attain enlightenment and help all sentient beings to do the same.
Sikhism
To remember and love God at all times, and eventually merge with God
.Judaism
To fulfill the commandments given by God in the Torah, and attain the World to Come.
Baha'i Faith
To recognize the oneness of humanity and the unity of all religions, and work towards the betterment of society.
Taoism
To live in harmony with the Tao, or the natural way of the universe.
Confucianism
To cultivate one's own character, practice morality, and bring order to society
.Jainism
To attain liberation from the cycle of reincarnation through living a life of non-violence and spiritual purity.
Shintoism
To live in harmony with the kami, or spiritual forces of nature, and follow the moral codes set by them.
New Age Spirituality
To attain personal growth, spiritual evolution, and connection with the universe.
Indigenous Spirituality
To live in harmony with nature and the spirits, and follow the traditions and beliefs of one's ancestors.
Wicca and Neopaganism
To live in harmony with nature and the divine, and practice magic and rituals.
Scientology
To attain spiritual freedom and understanding through spiritual counseling and auditing.
Tenrikyo
To attain joy and salvation through following the teachings of the creator god, Tenri-O-no-Mikoto.
Rastafarianism
To live in accordance with the divine will, as revealed through Haile Selassie I and Ethiopian culture.
Falun Gong
To attain physical and spiritual health through practicing meditation and following the teachings of Falun Gong.
Hindu Nationalism
To reclaim India's Hindu heritage and protect Hindu interests, both domestically and internationally.
Atheism and Secular Humanism
To live a fulfilling life based on reason, science, and human values, without belief in a deity or afterlife.
