Celluloid Heroes
Where Are They Now?
Death should be recollected by comparison in seven ways, that is to say: with those of great fame, with those of great merit, with those of great strength, with those of great supernormal power, with those of great understanding, with paccekabuddhas, with fully enlightened Buddhas. How?
Although Mahāsammata, Mandhātu, Mahāsudassana, Daḷhanemi, Nimi, etc., were greatly famous and had a great following, and though they had amassed enormous wealth, yet death inevitably caught up with them at length, so how shall it not at length overtake me?
Great kings like Mahāsammata,
Whose fame did spread so mightily,
All fell into death’s power too;
What can be said of those like me?
(Path of Purification, ch. viii, recollection of death)