What a Funeral Can Teach You: The Buddha’s Powerful Horse Simile That Awakens Wisdom Before Death Comes
Have you ever heard, seen, or participated in a funeral?
Most likely, yes.
But here’s a deeper question: Did it awaken any wisdom within you?
Sounds unusual? Well, the Supreme Buddha once used a fascinating simile in the Assājānīya Paṭoda Sutta, comparing four types of horses to four types of people to illustrate how each of us reacts differently to the reality of death. What’s more fascinating is how this teaching can mirror your own life journey, helping you develop insight and seek liberation from suffering.
Let’s explore this teaching in depth. Let’s dive into the metaphor. Let’s connect funerals to wisdom. Let’s discover where you stand.
What is the Assājānīya Paṭoda Sutta?
The Assājānīya Paṭoda Sutta is a beautiful discourse found in the Anguttara Nikāya (AN 4.113), where the Buddha explains how people can be compared to thoroughbred horses in the way they respond to the goad stick a stick used by trainers to control and direct horses.
Just like horses, humans react to painful or shocking events differently. The Buddha points out how the symbol of death, like seeing a funeral, can trigger deep contemplation and spiritual realization but only if we are ready.
The Four Types of Horses and Their Symbolism
The Buddha describes four types of horses, each representing a different level of sensitivity and wisdom:
1. The First Horse – The One Who Acts with Just the Sight of the Goad
This horse is so sharp and aware that just the sight of the goad stick is enough. He doesn’t need to be touched or punished. He knows what to do.
In human terms?
“This too is my destiny. Death is certain. I must not delay. I must find the Dhamma and practice it now.”
This type of person awakens with just a reminder.
2. The Second Horse – Moves After a Light Touch on the Coat
This horse isn’t as quick. He ignores the goad until he feels a slight tap on his body. Only then does he move.
This person hears about death and maybe even sees a funeral but doesn’t reflect deeply until it comes closer to home, perhaps a neighbor or someone in the village. Then he starts to feel:
“This is serious. I must take action.”
A light brush with death wakes him up.
3. The Third Horse – Needs to Feel the Pain Under the Skin
This horse is sluggish. He needs a painful prod that goes beneath the skin before he listens.
As a person?
“This could have been me. Why am I wasting time?”
Sometimes, pain wakes us up.
4. The Fourth Horse – Responds Only When the Goad Hits the Bone
This horse is completely numb to minor signals. He only reacts when the goad strikes deep into the bone.
Only then does he realize:
“I am not invincible. Life is short. Time is running out.”
The Wisdom Hidden in Funerals
So… how many funerals have you seen?
How many deaths have you heard of?
How many times have you participated in the grief of others?
And the real question — Did you pause to reflect?
Or did you move on, waiting for another goad?
Every funeral is not just a ritual. It's a mirror. A reminder. A teacher.
The Buddha is asking you:
Which type of horse are you?
Funeral as a Spiritual Alarm Clock
“This is not just about them. This is about me. This is about everyone.”
Let’s not wait for the goad to reach our bones.
Death is Not the End – It’s a Chance
In Theravāda Buddhism, death is not seen as the final stop. It’s just a doorway, a continuation of saṃsāra — the cycle of birth and death.
But…
The pain of losing someone, or the fear of losing yourself, can be your beginning.
What the Buddha Really Wants You to Realize
The Buddha doesn’t scare you with death.
He awakens you with it.
Because only when we know time is limited do we stop wasting it.
Practical Steps to Turn Funerals into Wisdom
1. Observe the Feelings Without Running
When you hear of a death, don’t distract yourself. Sit with it. Feel the truth.
2. Meditate on Death (Maraṇānussati)
This is a powerful practice taught by the Buddha. Reflect on phrases like:
“All beings are subject to death. I too will die.”
This is not to feel fear — but to feel urgency.
3. Read the Assājānīya Paṭoda Sutta Often
Each time you read it, ask yourself:
“Am I still waiting for a deeper goad?”
Patoda Sutta: The Goad-stick
"There are these four types of excellent thoroughbred horses to be found existing in the world. Which four? There is the case where an excellent thoroughbred horse, on seeing the shadow of the goad-stick, is stirred & agitated, [thinking,] 'I wonder what task the trainer will have me do today? What should I do in response?' Some excellent thoroughbred horses are like this. And this is the first type of excellent thoroughbred horse to be found existing in the world.
"Then again there is the case where an excellent thoroughbred horse is not stirred & agitated on seeing the shadow of the goad-stick, but when his coat is pricked [with the goad stick] he is stirred & agitated, [thinking,] 'I wonder what task the trainer will have me do today? What should I do in response?' Some excellent thoroughbred horses are like this. And this is the second type of excellent thoroughbred horse to be found existing in the world.
"Then again there is the case where an excellent thoroughbred horse is not stirred & agitated on seeing the shadow of the goad-stick, or when his coat is pricked, but when his hide is pricked [with the goad stick] he is stirred & agitated, [thinking,] 'I wonder what task the trainer will have me do today? What should I do in response?' Some excellent thoroughbred horses are like this. And this is the third type of excellent thoroughbred horse to be found existing in the world.
"Then again there is the case where an excellent thoroughbred horse is not stirred & agitated on seeing the shadow of the goad-stick, or when his coat is pricked, or when his hide is pricked, but when his bone is pricked [with the goad stick] he is stirred & agitated, [thinking,] 'I wonder what task the trainer will have me do today? What should I do in response?' Some excellent thoroughbred horses are like this. And this is the fourth type of excellent thoroughbred horse to be found existing in the world.
"These are the four types of excellent thoroughbred horse to be found existing in the world.
"Now, there are these four types of excellent thoroughbred persons to be found existing in the world. Which four?
"There is the case where a certain excellent thoroughbred person hears, 'In that town or village over there a man or woman is in pain or has died.' He is stirred & agitated by that. Stirred, he becomes appropriately resolute. Resolute, he both realizes with his body the highest truth and, having penetrated it with discernment, sees. This type of excellent thoroughbred person, I tell you, is like the excellent thoroughbred horse who, on seeing the shadow of the goad-stick, is stirred & agitated. Some excellent thoroughbred people are like this. And this is the first type of excellent thoroughbred person to be found existing in the world.
"Then again there is the case where a certain excellent thoroughbred person does not hear, 'In that town or village over there a man or woman is in pain or has died.' But he himself sees a man or woman in pain or dead. He is stirred & agitated by that. Stirred, he becomes appropriately resolute. Resolute, he both realizes with his body the highest truth and, having penetrated it with discernment, sees. This type of excellent thoroughbred person, I tell you, is like the excellent thoroughbred horse who, when its coat is pricked with the goad-stick, is stirred & agitated. Some excellent thoroughbred people are like this. And this is the second type of excellent thoroughbred person to be found existing in the world.
"Then again there is the case where a certain excellent thoroughbred person does not hear, 'In that town or village over there a man or woman is in pain or has died.' And he himself does not see a man or woman in pain or dead. But he sees one of his own blood relatives in pain or dead. He is stirred & agitated by that. Stirred, he becomes appropriately resolute. Resolute, he both realizes with his body the highest truth and, having penetrated it with discernment, sees. This type of excellent thoroughbred person, I tell you, is like the excellent thoroughbred horse who, when its hide is pricked with the goad-stick, is stirred & agitated. Some excellent thoroughbred people are like this. And this is the third type of excellent thoroughbred person to be found existing in the world.
"Then again there is the case where a certain excellent thoroughbred person does not hear, 'In that town or village over there a man or woman is in pain or has died.' And he himself does not see a man or woman in pain or dead, nor does he see one of his own blood relatives in pain or dead. But he himself is touched by bodily feelings that are painful, fierce, sharp, wracking, repellent, disagreeable, life-threatening. He is stirred & agitated by that. Stirred, he becomes appropriately resolute. Resolute, he both realizes with his body the highest truth and, having penetrated it with discernment, sees. This type of excellent thoroughbred person, I tell you, is like the excellent thoroughbred horse who, when its bone is pricked with the goad-stick, is stirred & agitated. Some excellent thoroughbred people are like this. And this is the fourth type of excellent thoroughbred person to be found existing in the world.
"These are the four types of excellent thoroughbred persons to be found existing in the world."
Make a Promise to Yourself
From today onward…
Every time you see a white flag,
Every time you hear of a funeral,
Every time someone says "He passed away" — pause.
And say:
“This is also for me. I must hurry. I must find the truth.”
That small vow will open a big door.
Conclusion: Time to Wake Up
You’ve seen death.
You’ve heard of funerals.
Maybe you’ve lost someone dear.
But are you still waiting to get hit to the bone?
Don’t.
Be the first horse. The wise one.
The one who doesn’t wait to suffer to act.
The one who sees the stick and says:
“Enough. Now is the time. Let me walk the Noble Path.”
Funerals don’t have to be only about grief.
They can be your call to freedom.
FAQs
1. What is the Assājānīya Paṭoda Sutta about?
It’s a discourse where the Buddha compares human reactions to death and suffering to four types of horses responding to a trainer’s goad. Each symbolizes a different level of sensitivity and readiness to practice Dhamma.
2. How can funerals help in spiritual development?
Funerals remind us of impermanence and death, pushing us to seek wisdom and practice Dhamma seriously before it’s too late.
3. What is Maraṇānussati meditation?
Maraṇānussati means mindfulness of death. It’s a meditation technique in which you reflect on the certainty of death and the uncertainty of its timing to build urgency in your spiritual path.
4. Why does the Buddha use metaphors like horses?
The Buddha used everyday examples and metaphors to make his teachings relatable and understandable to all, regardless of their background.
5. What should I do when I hear about a death?
Reflect on it deeply. Contemplate your own mortality. Use that moment to recommit to the Dhamma. Ask yourself what kind of “horse” you are and how ready you are to walk the path.
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