3. Kosalasaṁyutta: With the Kosalan
I. Shackles — SN3.3: Old Age and Death
- © Translated from the Pali by Bhante Sujato. (More copyright information)
1At Sāvatthī.
Seated to one side, King Pasenadi said to the Buddha: “Sir, for someone who has been reborn, is there anything apart from old age and death?”
“Great king, for someone who has been reborn, there’s nothing apart from old age and death. Even for well-to-do aristocrats, brahmins, or householders — rich, affluent, and wealthy, with lots of gold and silver, lots of property and assets, and lots of money and grain — when they’re born, there’s nothing apart from old age and death. Even for mendicants who are perfected — who have ended the defilements, completed the spiritual journey, done what had to be done, laid down the burden, achieved their own goal, utterly ended the fetters of rebirth, and are rightly freed through enlightenment — their bodies are liable to break up and be laid to rest.
That is what the Buddha said. …
2“The fancy chariots of kings wear out,
and this body too gets old.
But goodness never gets old:
so the true and good proclaim.”
1Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho rājā pasenadi kosalo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: "atthi nu kho, bhante, jātassa aññatra jarāmaraṇā"ti?
"Natthi kho, mahārāja, jātassa aññatra jarāmaraṇā. Yepi te, mahārāja, khattiyamahāsālā aḍḍhā mahaddhanā mahābhogā pahūtajātarūparajatā pahūtavittūpakaraṇā pahūtadhanadhaññā, tesampi jātānaṁ natthi aññatra jarāmaraṇā. Yepi te, mahārāja, brāhmaṇamahāsālā … pe … gahapatimahāsālā aḍḍhā mahaddhanā mahābhogā pahūtajātarūparajatā pahūtavittūpakaraṇā pahūtadhanadhaññā, tesampi jātānaṁ natthi aññatra jarāmaraṇā. Yepi te, mahārāja, bhikkhū arahanto khīṇāsavā vusitavanto katakaraṇīyā ohitabhārā anuppattasadatthā parikkhīṇabhavasaṁyojanā sammadaññāvimuttā, tesampāyaṁ kāyo bhedanadhammo nikkhepanadhammo"ti. Idamavoca … pe …
2"Jīranti ve rājarathā sucittā,
Atho sarīrampi jaraṁ upeti;
Satañca dhammo na jaraṁ upeti,
Santo have sabbhi pavedayantī"ti.