The Buddha teaches on guarantee, presenting a fourfold teaching for disciples on the path.

AN 4.182 Guarantee

“Catunnaṁ, bhikkhave, dhammānaṁ natthi koci pāṭibhogo samaṇo brāhmaṇo devo māro brahmā koci lokasmiṁ.

Katamesaṁ catunnaṁ? ‘Jarādhammaṁ jīrī’ti natthi koci pāṭibhogo samaṇo brāhmaṇo devo māro brahmā koci lokasmiṁ; ‘byādhidhammaṁ byādhiyī’ti natthi koci pāṭibhogo samaṇo brāhmaṇo devo māro brahmā koci lokasmiṁ; ‘maraṇadhammaṁ mīyī’ti natthi koci pāṭibhogo samaṇo brāhmaṇo devo māro brahmā koci lokasmiṁ; ‘yāni kho pana tāni pubbe attanā katāni pāpakāni kammāni saṅkilesikāni ponobhavikāni sadarāni dukkhavipākāni āyatiṁ jātijarāmaraṇikāni, tesaṁ vipāko nibbattī’ti natthi koci pāṭibhogo samaṇo brāhmaṇo devo māro brahmā koci lokasmiṁ.

Imesaṁ kho, bhikkhave, catunnaṁ dhammānaṁ natthi koci pāṭibhogo samaṇo brāhmaṇo devo māro brahmā koci lokasmin”ti.

Dutiyaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Catunnaṁ, bhikkhave, dhammānaṁ natthi koci pāṭibhogo

“There are four things that no-one can guarantee—

samaṇo brāhmaṇo devo māro brahmā koci lokasmiṁ.

not an ascetic, a brahmin, a god, a Māra, a divinity, or anyone in the world.

Katamesaṁ catunnaṁ?

What four?

‘Jarādhammaṁ jīrī’ti natthi koci pāṭibhogo

No-one can guarantee that someone liable to old age will not grow old.

samaṇo brāhmaṇo devo māro brahmā koci lokasmiṁ;

‘byādhidhammaṁ byādhiyī’ti natthi koci pāṭibhogo

No-one can guarantee that someone liable to sickness will not get sick.

samaṇo brāhmaṇo devo māro brahmā koci lokasmiṁ;

‘maraṇadhammaṁ mīyī’ti natthi koci pāṭibhogo

No-one can guarantee that someone liable to death will not die.

samaṇo brāhmaṇo devo māro brahmā koci lokasmiṁ;

‘yāni kho pana tāni pubbe attanā katāni pāpakāni kammāni saṅkilesikāni ponobhavikāni sadarāni dukkhavipākāni āyatiṁ jātijarāmaraṇikāni, tesaṁ vipāko nibbattī’ti natthi koci pāṭibhogo

No-one can guarantee that the bad deeds done in past lives—corrupting, leading to future lives, hurtful, resulting in suffering and future rebirth, old age, and death—will not produce their result.

samaṇo brāhmaṇo devo māro brahmā koci lokasmiṁ.

Imesaṁ kho, bhikkhave, catunnaṁ dhammānaṁ natthi koci pāṭibhogo

These are the four things that no-one can guarantee—

samaṇo brāhmaṇo devo māro brahmā koci lokasmin”ti.

not an ascetic, a brahmin, a god, a Māra, a divinity, or anyone in the world.”

Dutiyaṁ.

Qualities:

Harm

Harm

Intention or action that causes injury or suffering to oneself or others. It arises from aversion and heedlessness and destroys trust and safety. The opposite of non-harm, it obscures compassion and leads to regret.

Also known as: injury causing behavior, destructiveness, bad, evil
Pāli: pāpaka
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Suffering

Suffering

Unpleasantness, discontentment, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, i.e. mild or intense suffering that is inherent in conditioned existence.

Also known as: discomfort, unpleasantness, discontentedness, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, distress, affliction
Pāli: dukkha
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Last updated on July 27, 2026