The Suffering of Death : หน้า 71/263

them terrible fear of hell at the end of their life. This is another aspect of the suffering of death. As for the wealthy who have so many possessions, or those with lots of relatives, there is a tendency to become anxious about these things in the final moments of one's life. Worrying about one's wealth, children, husband or wife in the final moments of one's life is another aspect of the suffering of death. For those who die at the hand of the executioner, who end their lives in chains or maimed as a punishment for their crimes, it is almost unavoidable to finish their life in fear as the executioner is sharpening his sword. This is yet another aspect of the suffering of death. No matter whether one is born rich or poor, has led a good life or bad, for as long as one still has to be reborn in the cycle of existence, when the mind must depart from one's body at the end of one's life, there is no-one who doesn't fear oncoming death except for those who have managed to attain transcendental [lokuttara] mental states. This is why the Lord Buddha referred to death as suffering. Death has been compared to huge falling mountains crushing its victims simultaneously from four directions pulverising them into smithereens, leaving its victim without the slightest trace of life. The wise of ancient times compared the suffering caused by birth, aging, illness and death to four enemies. We are like a man guarding a forest. Those four enemies plot together to find a way to kill the guard. The first enemy approaches the guard, pretending to be his friend, and tells him about another beautiful forest with beautiful scenery where the fruits on the trees are delicious and abundant,