Upon the prince's inevitable inquiry, the charioteer responds, "The great evil called sickness, much advanced, that is what makes this man, though once able, now no longer self-reliant." His reaction is similar to the first encounter as he wonders: "This evil of sickness striking mankind, people notice, yet they remain content; O how widespread the ignorance of men! Though not freed from the danger of sickness, yet they continue to laugh!" This may suggest that Siddhartha is somewhat disgusted of the mentality of human beings for the time being at least. When the king sees his son return to the palace in the same manner multiple times, he arranges sensual delights to excite Siddhartha's senses, to prevent him from forsaking his father and the palace. When this too does not put the prince's mind to ease, he calls for a third excursion. To make this a better experience, the king assigns courtesans to join, changes the driver, and ensures the royal road is inspected. Unfortunately, it was no better than the previous two trips out.
Sight is again emphasized once the prince sees a funeral like scene, where four men are carrying a body. The driver explains: "Lying here unconscious, like straw or a log, bereft of mind, sense, breath, or qualities, this is someone his dearest ones discard, though they nurtured and guarded him with care." The ornament found here is a simile, with the body being described like a straw or a log. Nonetheless, the prince realizes that regardless of stature or fame, death is a certainty all men must face at some point. He again wonders how people calmly progress and rejoice through a life involving such crippling uncertainties and problems. This time, instead of turning the chariot back around, the driver heads toward a park, hoping that the sight of ponds and blossoming trees will help provide optimism and alleviate the prince's despondent mindset.