When Alexander The Great, after conquering kingdoms returning to his country, he fell ill that led him to his deathbed. He gathered his generals and told them, “I will depart from this world soon, I have three wishes, please carry them out without fail.”
The king asked his general to abide by these last wishes:
1) The king of Macedon said, “My physicians alone must only carry my coffin.”
2) “I desire that when my coffin is being carried to the grave, the path leading to the graveyard be filled with the wealth that I collected,” the king said.
3) “My third and last wish is that both my hands be kept hanging out of my coffin,” Alexander said.
The generals agreed to abide by their king’s last wishes and asked him the reason for doing so. Alexander said, “I want the world know the three lessons I have just learnt.” The king interpreted his wishes and continued; “I want my physicians to carry my coffin because people should realize that no doctor on this earth can really cure anybody. They are helpless in front of death.”
Describing his second wish, the king said: “I spent all my life earning riches but cannot take anything with me. Let people know that wealth is nothing but dust.” Thirdly, I wish people to know that I came empty handed into this world and I will go empty-handed.”