Collected and translated
In the old times, a powerful king had four beautiful wives, but didn’t foresee a surprising incident. He loves the fourth wife the most, always granting any desire she requested. Next is the third wife, he always worried about losing her, always kept her close to him.
The second wife is whom he got emotional comfort; she was always gentle, patient; offering valuable advices in his difficult times. The first wife was the most loyal to him, helped him to effectively and successfully take the country to prosperity and power. However, the king reserved little affection for her. He almost forgot her existence.
One day, being seriously sick, and realizing the death coming, the king thought, “I had many wives, why don’t I ask one of them to die with me to keep my company!”
Then, he sent for the fourth wife to his bed’s side and said, “My dear, I loved the most, always saved the best of everything for you. Now I am going to pass away, would you die with me so that I wouldn’t be lonesome?” She replied, “You Majestic, you have treated me nicely, but your request is very difficult for me!” The king was stunned in disappointment for a moment, and then sent for the third wife who replied, “No, your Majestic, I am still beautiful and need to be pleased and protected. Since you got sick, many other kings have tempted and promised to continue to please and protect me. It is very hard for me to refuse them!” The king felt a sudden pain in the heart, sad, and frustrated. He then sent for the second wife and asked, “You always supported and counselled me when I needed, and I assumed you would die with me, wouldn’t you?” She responded, “I promise to take care of your majestic until your last minute, will go with you to the graveyard, and to always miss you! But, about dying with you, I am . . . too afraid!” The king was completely desperate.
The king never remembers the first wife, but at this moment he heard a voice close by, “I will follow your Majestic to wherever you go, even if it is death.” Surprised, the king turned back, it was his first wife. Watching her skinny, weak, and exhausted appearance, the king was deeply touched and said, “Oh, it’s you! Why are you so shabby looking?” She said, “No problem, your Majestic! My mind is still as clear as when I came with you to this world. However, my luggage is somewhat trashy because your Majesty has been busy to care for my look and my health is indeed not so good because I was not appropriately cared for when I was sick.”
Very sad and deeply regretting that he had badly treated her, the king said, “I should have paid more attention to you, cared for you better, and loved you more!” He sighed in sorrow!
The truth is, though not being a king, each of us has four “wives.”
Our fourth “wife” is our physical body. Almost every one of us pays lot of attention to caring his body, making sure it looks nice and at its best. However, when one passes away, his body will be annihilated, it can’t go with him.
The third “wife” has the name of “social status and material assets.” This is what one can lose the easiest, because they are merely materialistic. When one no longer exists, his “social status” no longer exists, and his “material assets” will belong to other people.
The second “wife” is one’s family and friends. They always care, support, and counsel us. However, they can only care for us until our last minute, and miss us when we go away forever.
The first “wife” is our original MIND which is natural, clear, uncontaminated (by external incidents) that ever exists even before one’s birth and it is the only thing that goes with one to the next life. When one was born, this MIND is innocently clear and uncontaminated, and then in the growing process, one was influenced by circumstances that generate one’s deeds (thought, speech, and action). The “luggage” that this original MIND must carry with it, is the deeds—good or bad—to the next life. However, living in a world where all compete for material assets, as well as social status to please their “egos”, few people remember their inborn MIND and consequently it is forgotten, and not taken care of. Good deeds are precious luggage; bad deeds are contaminated trashes which will dangerously influence one’s next lives. Firmly engrave that in one’s memory.
The second wife is whom he got emotional comfort; she was always gentle, patient; offering valuable advices in his difficult times. The first wife was the most loyal to him, helped him to effectively and successfully take the country to prosperity and power. However, the king reserved little affection for her. He almost forgot her existence.
One day, being seriously sick, and realizing the death coming, the king thought, “I had many wives, why don’t I ask one of them to die with me to keep my company!”
Then, he sent for the fourth wife to his bed’s side and said, “My dear, I loved the most, always saved the best of everything for you. Now I am going to pass away, would you die with me so that I wouldn’t be lonesome?” She replied, “You Majestic, you have treated me nicely, but your request is very difficult for me!” The king was stunned in disappointment for a moment, and then sent for the third wife who replied, “No, your Majestic, I am still beautiful and need to be pleased and protected. Since you got sick, many other kings have tempted and promised to continue to please and protect me. It is very hard for me to refuse them!” The king felt a sudden pain in the heart, sad, and frustrated. He then sent for the second wife and asked, “You always supported and counselled me when I needed, and I assumed you would die with me, wouldn’t you?” She responded, “I promise to take care of your majestic until your last minute, will go with you to the graveyard, and to always miss you! But, about dying with you, I am . . . too afraid!” The king was completely desperate.
The king never remembers the first wife, but at this moment he heard a voice close by, “I will follow your Majestic to wherever you go, even if it is death.” Surprised, the king turned back, it was his first wife. Watching her skinny, weak, and exhausted appearance, the king was deeply touched and said, “Oh, it’s you! Why are you so shabby looking?” She said, “No problem, your Majestic! My mind is still as clear as when I came with you to this world. However, my luggage is somewhat trashy because your Majesty has been busy to care for my look and my health is indeed not so good because I was not appropriately cared for when I was sick.”
Very sad and deeply regretting that he had badly treated her, the king said, “I should have paid more attention to you, cared for you better, and loved you more!” He sighed in sorrow!
The truth is, though not being a king, each of us has four “wives.”
Our fourth “wife” is our physical body. Almost every one of us pays lot of attention to caring his body, making sure it looks nice and at its best. However, when one passes away, his body will be annihilated, it can’t go with him.
The third “wife” has the name of “social status and material assets.” This is what one can lose the easiest, because they are merely materialistic. When one no longer exists, his “social status” no longer exists, and his “material assets” will belong to other people.
The second “wife” is one’s family and friends. They always care, support, and counsel us. However, they can only care for us until our last minute, and miss us when we go away forever.
The first “wife” is our original MIND which is natural, clear, uncontaminated (by external incidents) that ever exists even before one’s birth and it is the only thing that goes with one to the next life. When one was born, this MIND is innocently clear and uncontaminated, and then in the growing process, one was influenced by circumstances that generate one’s deeds (thought, speech, and action). The “luggage” that this original MIND must carry with it, is the deeds—good or bad—to the next life. However, living in a world where all compete for material assets, as well as social status to please their “egos”, few people remember their inborn MIND and consequently it is forgotten, and not taken care of. Good deeds are precious luggage; bad deeds are contaminated trashes which will dangerously influence one’s next lives. Firmly engrave that in one’s memory.
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