63. Time

Vuttañhetaṁ bhagavatā vuttamarahatāti me sutaṁ:

“Tayome, bhikkhave, addhā.

Katame tayo?

Atīto addhā, anāgato addhā, paccuppanno addhā—

ime kho, bhikkhave, tayo addhā”ti.

Etamatthaṁ bhagavā avoca.

Tatthetaṁ iti vuccati:

“Akkheyyasaññino sattā,

akkheyyasmiṁ patiṭṭhitā;

Akkheyyaṁ apariññāya,

yogamāyanti maccuno.

Akkheyyañca pariññāya,

akkhātāraṁ na maññati;

Phuṭṭho vimokkho manasā,

santipadamanuttaraṁ.

Sa ve akkheyyasampanno,

santo santipade rato;

Saṅkhāya sevī dhammaṭṭho,

saṅkhyaṁ nopeti vedagū”ti.

Ayampi attho vutto bhagavatā, iti me sutanti.

Catutthaṁ.

This was said by the Lord…

“Bhikkhus, these are the three times. What three? Past time, future time, and present time. These, bhikkhus, are the three times.”

Perceiving what can be expressed through concepts,
Beings take their stand on what is expressed.
Not fully understanding the expressed,
They come under the bondage of Death.

But by fully understanding what is expressed
One does not misconceive the speaker.
His mind has attained to freedom,
The unsurpassed state of peace.

Understanding what is expressed,
The peaceful one delights in the peaceful state.
Standing on Dhamma, perfect in knowledge,
He freely makes use of concepts
But no more enters into concept’s range.