3.8. Dart of Death

Animittamanaññātaṁ,

maccānaṁ idha jīvitaṁ;

Kasirañca parittañca,

tañca dukkhena saṁyutaṁ.

Na hi so upakkamo atthi,

yena jātā na miyyare;

Jarampi patvā maraṇaṁ,

evaṁdhammā hi pāṇino.

Phalānamiva pakkānaṁ,

pāto patanato bhayaṁ;

Evaṁ jātāna maccānaṁ,

niccaṁ maraṇato bhayaṁ.

Yathāpi kumbhakārassa,

katā mattikabhājanā;

Sabbe bhedanapariyantā,

evaṁ maccāna jīvitaṁ.

Daharā ca mahantā ca,

ye bālā ye ca paṇḍitā;

Sabbe maccuvasaṁ yanti,

sabbe maccuparāyaṇā.

Tesaṁ maccuparetānaṁ,

gacchataṁ paralokato;

Na pitā tāyate puttaṁ,

ñātī vā pana ñātake.

Pekkhataṁyeva ñātīnaṁ,

passa lālapataṁ puthu;

Ekamekova maccānaṁ,

govajjho viya nīyati.

Evamabbhāhato loko,

Maccunā ca jarāya ca;

Tasmā dhīrā na socanti,

Viditvā lokapariyāyaṁ.

Yassa maggaṁ na jānāsi,

āgatassa gatassa vā;

Ubho ante asampassaṁ,

niratthaṁ paridevasi.

Paridevayamāno ce,

Kiñcidatthaṁ udabbahe;

Sammūḷho hiṁsamattānaṁ,

Kayirā ce naṁ vicakkhaṇo.

Na hi ruṇṇena sokena,

Santiṁ pappoti cetaso;

Bhiyyassuppajjate dukkhaṁ,

Sarīraṁ cupahaññati.

Kiso vivaṇṇo bhavati,

Hiṁsamattānamattanā;

Na tena petā pālenti,

Niratthā paridevanā.

Sokamappajahaṁ jantu,

Bhiyyo dukkhaṁ nigacchati;

Anutthunanto kālaṅkataṁ,

Sokassa vasamanvagū.

Aññepi passa gamine,

Yathākammupage nare;

Maccuno vasamāgamma,

Phandantevidha pāṇino.

Yena yena hi maññanti,

Tato taṁ hoti aññathā;

Etādiso vinābhāvo,

Passa lokassa pariyāyaṁ.

Api vassasataṁ jīve,

Bhiyyo vā pana māṇavo;

Ñātisaṅghā vinā hoti,

Jahāti idha jīvitaṁ.

Tasmā arahato sutvā,

Vineyya paridevitaṁ;

Petaṁ kālaṅkataṁ disvā,

Neso labbhā mayā iti.

Yathā saraṇamādittaṁ,

Vārinā parinibbaye;

Evampi dhīro sapañño,

Paṇḍito kusalo naro;

Khippamuppatitaṁ sokaṁ,

Vāto tūlaṁva dhaṁsaye.

Paridevaṁ pajappañca,

Domanassañca attano;

Attano sukhamesāno,

Abbahe sallamattano.

Abbūḷhasallo asito,

santiṁ pappuyya cetaso;

Sabbasokaṁ atikkanto,

asoko hoti nibbutoti.

Sallasuttaṁ aṭṭhamaṁ.

SC 1SC Verse 580Here’s the life of mortals,
wretched and brief,
its end unknown,
to dukkha joined.

SC 2SC Verse 581There’s no means that those
who’re born will never die.
Reached decay, then death:
the law for beings all.

SC 3SC Verse 582As with what’s ripe
there’s always fear of falling,
so for mortals born
there’s always fear of death.

SC 4SC Verse 583Just as a potter’s vessels
made of clay all end
by being broken, so
death’s the end of life.

SC 5SC Verse 584The young, those great in age,
the fools, as well the wise
all go under the sway
of death, for death’s their goal.

SC 6SC Verse 585Those overcome by death,
to another world bound:
father can’t protect his son,
nor relatives their kin.

SC 7SC Verse 586While relatives are watching,
they weep and they lament;
See mortals one by one,
led as an ox to slaughter.

SC 8SC Verse 587As the world’s afflicted
by death and by decay,
so the wise grieve not,
knowing world’s nature well.

SC 9SC Verse 588Their path you do not know
whereby they come, they go,
neither end you see,
useless your lament.

SC 10SC Verse 589While lamenting,
The confused harm themselves;
If any benefit could be found,
Would not the wise do it to?

SC 11SC Verse 590Not by weeping and wailing,
Can peace of mind be reached.
It just creates more suffering,
And distresses the body.

SC 12SC Verse 591You become thin and discolored,
Harming yourself with your self;
And the departed are not protected by this,
Lamentation is pointless!

SC 13SC Verse 592When grief is not abandoned,
A person falls into even more suffering;
Wailing over the dead,
They are overpowered by grief.

SC 14SC Verse 593See how others fare,
People passing on according to their deeds;
Creatures tremble,
As they fall under the sway of Death.

SC 15SC Verse 594Whatever you think it is,
It becomes something else.
Such is separation,
See the way of the world.

SC 16SC Verse 595Even if a person were to live
A hundred years or more,
They would still be divided from their family,
Abandoning this life.

SC 17SC Verse 596That is why having heard the arahant,
And dispelled lamentation;
When you see the dead and departed,
You don’t think you can get them back.

SC 18SC Verse 597Just as one would extinguish
A burning building with water;
So too a steadfast, wise one, a skilful, clever person,
Would quickly blow away
Grief when it arises,
As wind, a tuft of cotton.

SC 19SC Verse 598One who is seeking happiness
should draw out the painful dart—
lamentations and longings—
the grief that is within.

SC 20SC Verse 599Dart withdrawn and unattached,
the mind attains to peace,
passed beyond all grief,
griefless, fires put out.