The Rich Man's Four Wives: Who Will Accompany You at Death?
A rich man has four wives. At his deathbed, he asks who will accompany him. The first refuses, the second walks him to the door, the third accompanies him to the grave — only the fourth stays by his side forever.
A Rich Man in Ancient India
Long ago, in the city of Shravasti in ancient India, there lived a man of immense wealth.
He managed countless enterprises, possessed gold and jade beyond measure, and his estate bustled with visitors.
But what people talked about most was not his fortune — it was his four wives.
Four Wives, Each One Different
The First Wife: The Most Beloved
The rich man doted on his first wife above all others.
She lived in the most splendid room, wore the finest clothes, and ate the most exquisite meals.
He visited her nearly every day, unable to bear being apart, as if he could not live without her.
The Second Wife: The Most Beautiful
The second wife was breathtakingly beautiful, the kind of beauty that turns heads and stops conversations.
The rich man loved to show her off to friends, basking in their envious stares.
He showered her with jewels and ornaments without hesitation.
The Third Wife: The Most Capable
The third wife was industrious and competent, managing every affair of the household.
When the rich man traveled on business, he always left the estate in her care.
Though not as pampered as the first two, he relied on her deeply.
The Fourth Wife: The Most Unnoticed
The fourth wife was quiet and plain, dressed in simple clothes.
The rich man barely remembered her existence — sometimes he even forgot he had a fourth wife at all.
She never competed for attention, never complained, only waited silently in the shadows.
The Rich Man Falls Ill
Time spares no one. The rich man finally fell gravely ill.
Lying on his ornate bed, watching the sunset through the window, a thought arose in his mind:
"I am about to leave this world. But I am so wealthy — must I go alone?"
He decided to ask each of his four wives who would accompany him to the other world.
He Asked the First Wife
"You, my most beloved — will you come with me?"
The first wife didn't even look up. Coldly, she replied:
"No. I will not go."
Then she turned and walked out of the room.
His heart grew cold.
He Asked the Second Wife
"You, my most beautiful — will you come with me?"
The second wife smiled faintly:
"I will walk you to the door. But I cannot go inside with you."
His heart grew colder still.
He Asked the Third Wife
"You, my most capable — will you come with me?"
The third wife's eyes reddened:
"I will accompany you to the graveside and see you off on your final journey. But I cannot go further than that."
He sighed.
He Asked the Fourth Wife
By now he had little hope left. He even hesitated to ask.
"You… will you come with me?"
The fourth wife looked up, her gaze calm and unwavering:
"No matter where you go, I will follow."
The rich man was stunned. He thought of this wife he had never truly looked at, and a flood of emotions washed over him.
The Truth Behind the Parable
This story comes from the teachings of the Agama Sutra in Buddhist tradition.
The Buddha used this parable to instruct his disciples: every person — rich or poor, noble or common — has these same "four wives."
The First Wife: Our Physical Body
We spend the most time and money caring for our body.
The best food, the finest clothes, the most comfortable home.
But when death comes, the body cannot follow. It says "I will not go" and stays behind.
The Second Wife: Our Wealth and Possessions
Wealth is intoxicating. We chase it relentlessly, flaunting it like a beautiful trophy.
But at death, wealth can only "walk us to the door."
Not a single coin can be taken beyond.
The Third Wife: Our Family and Friends
Loved ones are our deepest attachments throughout life.
They will keep vigil at the bedside, weep at the funeral, and "accompany us to the grave."
But even the deepest bonds cannot cross the threshold of death.
The Fourth Wife: Our Karma
Karma — the accumulated record of our good and evil deeds — is the most inconspicuous.
We rarely pay attention to it, sometimes forgetting it exists entirely.
But it never abandons us.
Wherever you are reborn, karma follows closely, life after life, world after world.
A Modern Reflection
Consider your daily life —
Two hours at the gym, eight hours earning money, one hour with family.
But how much time do you spend reflecting on the goodness or harm of your actions?
We carefully tend the "first wife," eagerly please the "second wife," occasionally remember the "third wife."
And the "fourth wife" — the one that truly determines where we go next — we almost never think about.
The Buddha was not saying that the body, wealth, and relationships are unimportant.
He was simply reminding us: do not forget that quiet, unassuming presence that is most faithful of all.
Every kind thought, every good deed, every act of generosity accumulates silently.
They will not let you down.
Questions for Reflection
1. If you had to leave this world today, are you confident your "fourth wife" would accompany you?
2. In your daily schedule, what proportion does each "wife" receive? Are you satisfied with that balance?
3. If karma truly follows like a shadow, what small act of goodness are you willing to do starting right now?
