A Man with 4 Wives

I have been taught from a monk with this story... So, I want to share it with you.

Once upon a time, there was a rich man who was just acknowledged that he had very serious illness and he was about to die soon. With his great sadness, he wanted to ask for moral support from his beloved 3 wives. So, he went to see the first, and most loved, wife. When he told her that he was about to die soon, his wife said to him, "If you are dying, I'll definite break up with you." Shocked with such an answer, the man was in very great sorrow. He never expected that his most loved wife would say something so painful like that. Then, he went to his second wife for a better answer. Once the second wife was told that he would die soon, she simply replied, "Well... if you are about to die soon, I will find another husband." Again, he was so sad with the answer. He realized by then that his two loved wives never loved him at all. Afer that, he went to see his third wife, thinking that she might give him a loving answer. When he told his third wife that he would die soon, his wife answered, "I'll go and send you off to heaven." With such an answer, he was still sad because he thought that she would have said something better.

Suddenly, he realized that he had another wife who became his wife becuase he was drunk and raped her. Even more, he never visited her once after he married her. Being shameful, but with his determination to say the last goodbye to her, he went to see her. When the fourth wife saw the rich man, she was so delightful. The man was even sadder because he had abandoned her for a long time. However, he decided to tell his abandoned wife about his death. After hearing the story, the wife was in great sorrow and replied the man, "Oh my dear, I am so sad that you are leaving this beautiful world. I will definitely feel so horrible to live without your presence. May I die and follow you to heaven? I can't live without you." After hearing such an answer, the man was very surprised. He never expected that his abandoned wife would say something so touching with brave decision. How could she love him so much that she would die beside him when he die?

What do you think about this story?

In this world, according to preaching of the Lord Buddha, there are 4 things or presences that are always connected to Man. What do you think the four wives represent the four presences in this world?