Who are those frightened of death? It’s someone who isn’t free of greed, desire, fondness, thirst, passion, and craving for sensual pleasures. When they fall seriously ill, they think: ‘The sensual pleasures that I love so much will leave me, and I’ll leave them.’ They sorrow and wail and lament, beating their breast and falling into confusion. This is someone who is frightened of death.

Furthermore, it’s someone who isn’t free of greed, desire, fondness, thirst, passion, and craving for the body. When they fall seriously ill, they think: ‘This body that I love so much will leave me, and I’ll leave it.’ They sorrow and wail and lament, beating their breast and falling into confusion. This, too, is someone who is frightened of death.

Furthermore, it’s someone who hasn’t done good and skillful things that keep them safe, but has done bad things, violence and sin. When they fall seriously ill, they think: ‘Well, I haven’t done good and skillful things that keep me safe. And I have done bad things, violence and sin. When I depart, I’ll go to the place where people who’ve done such things go.’ They sorrow and wail and lament, beating their breast and falling into confusion. This, too, is someone who is frightened of death.