The Suffering of Birth and Aging in Buddhist Philosophy : หน้า 66/263

hunted to death. All of these forms of suffering could not occur if it wasn't for being born as an animal. The causative relation of animal birth for consequent suffering is said to be the ninth aspect of suffering caused by birth. 1.10 The Suffering of Birth in the Realm of Hungry Ghosts Lastly, those who are born as hungry ghosts [pettivisaya] suffer seriously as the result of having been born. They are hungry but unable to eat or drink anything while being left exposed to be burned by the wind and the sun. The causative relation of birth in the realm of hungry ghosts for consequent suffering is said to be the tenth aspect of suffering caused by birth. 2. Suffering as a result of Aging [jārā dukkha] The Lord Buddha defined Suffering resulting from aging as the form of suffering that has the characteristic of deterioration of the bodily organs and faculties — such alarming symptoms as the hair turning grey, teeth breaking, sunken cheeks, dry and wrinkled skin and deafness. The real process of aging is invisible to the naked eye. Only with the eye of insight developed through meditation can aging be seen. Metaphors for Suffering as a result of Aging 1. A Forest Fire: Aging is like an inferno which burns a forest to ashes before disappearing without trace. The flames are not a part of the forest or the ashes — and with aging we see only the results of the work (i.e. the symptoms of age) without being able to see the culprit. In fact aging is at work the whole of the time — even in young people — but it is only in their old age (when their hair turns grey etc.) that they realize the presence of aging (like noticing a fire only when it has already reduced the forest to ashes.)