4.6. Ageing and Decay

Appaṁ vata jīvitaṁ idaṁ,

Oraṁ vassasatāpi miyyati;

Yo cepi aticca jīvati,

Atha kho so jarasāpi miyyati.

Socanti janā mamāyite,

Na hi santi niccā pariggahā;

Vinābhāvasantamevidaṁ,

Iti disvā nāgāramāvase.

Maraṇenapi taṁ pahīyati,

Yaṁ puriso mamidanti maññati;

Etampi viditvā paṇḍito,

Na mamattāya nametha māmako.

Supinena yathāpi saṅgataṁ,

Paṭibuddho puriso na passati;

Evampi piyāyitaṁ janaṁ,

Petaṁ kālaṅkataṁ na passati.

Diṭṭhāpi sutāpi te janā,

Yesaṁ nāmamidaṁ pavuccati;

Nāmaṁyevāvasissati,

Akkheyyaṁ petassa jantuno.

Sokapparidevamaccharaṁ,

Na jahanti giddhā mamāyite;

Tasmā munayo pariggahaṁ,

Hitvā acariṁsu khemadassino.

Patilīnacarassa bhikkhuno,

Bhajamānassa vivittamāsanaṁ;

Sāmaggiyamāhu tassa taṁ,

Yo attānaṁ bhavane na dassaye.

Sabbattha munī anissito,

Na piyaṁ kubbati nopi appiyaṁ;

Tasmiṁ paridevamaccharaṁ,

Paṇṇe vāri yathā na limpati.

Udabindu yathāpi pokkhare,

Padume vāri yathā na limpati;

Evaṁ muni nopalimpati,

Yadidaṁ diṭṭhasutaṁ mutesu vā.

Dhono na hi tena maññati,

Yadidaṁ diṭṭhasutaṁ mutesu vā;

Nāññena visuddhimicchati,

Na hi so rajjati no virajjatīti.

Jarāsuttaṁ chaṭṭhaṁ.

SC 1SC Verse 811Short indeed is this life—
within a hundred years one dies,
and, if any live longer
then they die of decay.

SC 2SC Verse 812People grieve for what is “mine”:
though possessions are not permanent
and subject to destruction—
see this and homeless dwell.

SC 3SC Verse 813In death it’s all abandoned,
yet still some think “it’s mine”;
knowing this, the wise to me devoted
should stoop not making it “owned”.

SC 4SC Verse 814As one who’s waking then sees not
the things that happened in sleep;
so the beloved are not seen—
departed and done their time.

SC 5SC Verse 815People now are seen and heard
and these are called by name,
but alone will the name remain
in speaking of those gone.

SC 6SC Verse 816In “mine-making” greedy, they do not let go
of sorrow, lamenting and avarice,
therefore sages leaving possessions
freely wander, seers of security.

SC 7SC Verse 817For a bhikkhu practicing in solitude,
keeping company with secluded mind,
of such a one are all agreed:
“In being he’ll not be seen again”.

SC 8SC Verse 818In all matters the sage is unsupported,
nothing that makes dear, nor undear,
sorrow and avarice do not stain that one,
As water does not stay upon a leaf.

SC 9SC Verse 819As a water-drop on lotus plant,
as water does not stain a lotus flower,
even so the sage is never stained
by seen, heard, or whatever’s cognized.

SC 10SC Verse 820Certainly the wise do not conceive
upon the seen, the heard, and cognized,
nor wish for purity through another,
for they are not attached nor yet displeased.