Even if he knows eighty thousand teachings of the Buddha,

Even if he knows eighty thousand teachings of the Buddha, a man who knows nothing of the life to come is a fool. Even a nun who cannot read or write is wise if she knows the life to come.

Even if you have memorized the contents of all the sutras and books ever written, if you do not know what will happen after you die, you are a fool. If you do not know what will happen after you die, you are like a pilot flying without knowing where he is headed. Birth is the start of a life journeyーwhat happens if the destination remains unknown? Here is a vivid description by a very successful salesman in Japan.

"Where shall I go? Uh-oh, no clue what airport I'm supposed to land at. No map or compass, either, I see. Oh well, the fuel tank's full and the plane's in good shape, so I'll just sit back and relax. As long as I'm enjoying myself, everything will be fineーno need to worry about what lies ahead." 

In time, fuel starts running low. This corresponds to the waning years of life.

 "Oh no, I can't go on flying any more! I thought all would be well if I was enjoying myself, but this is awful. The terrain below is mountainous. Nothing like a landing strip in sight What do I do! What do I do!" 

The pilot turns pale and panics, eventually crashing into the side of a mountain and bringing his life to its tragic end.  

from  YOU WERE BORN FOR A REASON   The Real Purpose of Life   

(Ichimannendo Publishing,Inc.)