Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).
“‘Khaṇakicco loko, khaṇakicco loko’ti, bhikkhave, assutavā puthujjano bhāsati, no ca kho so jānāti khaṇaṁ vā akkhaṇaṁ vā.
“‘Now is the time! Now is the time!’ So says an unlearned ordinary person. But they don’t know whether it’s time or not.
Aṭṭhime, bhikkhave, akkhaṇā asamayā brahmacariyavāsāya.
Mendicants, there are eight lost opportunities for spiritual practice.
Katame aṭṭha?
What eight?
Idha, bhikkhave, tathāgato ca loke uppanno hoti arahaṁ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇasampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisadammasārathi satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā, dhammo ca desiyati opasamiko parinibbāniko sambodhagāmī sugatappavedito;
Firstly, a Realized One has arisen in the world—perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those fit for training, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed. He teaches the Dhamma leading to peace, extinguishment, awakening, as proclaimed by the Holy One.
ayañca puggalo nirayaṁ upapanno hoti.
But an individual has been reborn in hell.
Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭhamo akkhaṇo asamayo brahmacariyavāsāya.
This is the first lost opportunity for spiritual practice.
Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, tathāgato ca loke uppanno hoti …pe… satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā, dhammo ca desiyati opasamiko parinibbāniko sambodhagāmī sugatappavedito;
Furthermore, a Realized One has arisen in the world.
ayañca puggalo tiracchānayoniṁ upapanno hoti …pe….
But an individual has been reborn in the animal realm. This is the second lost opportunity.
Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave …pe…
Furthermore, a Realized One has arisen in the world.
ayañca puggalo pettivisayaṁ upapanno hoti …pe….
But an individual has been reborn in the ghost realm. This is the third lost opportunity.
Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave …pe…
Furthermore, a Realized One has arisen in the world.
ayañca puggalo aññataraṁ dīghāyukaṁ devanikāyaṁ upapanno hoti …pe….
But an individual has been reborn in one of the long-lived orders of gods. This is the fourth lost opportunity.
Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave …pe…
Furthermore, a Realized One has arisen in the world.
ayañca puggalo paccantimesu janapadesu paccājāto hoti, so ca hoti aviññātāresu milakkhesu, yattha natthi gati bhikkhūnaṁ bhikkhunīnaṁ upāsakānaṁ upāsikānaṁ …pe….
But an individual has been reborn in the borderlands, among uneducated foreigners, where monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen do not go. This is the fifth lost opportunity …
Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave …pe… ayañca puggalo majjhimesu janapadesu paccājāto hoti, so ca hoti micchādiṭṭhiko viparītadassano:
Furthermore, a Realized One has arisen in the world. And an individual is reborn in a central country. But they have wrong view and distorted perspective:
‘natthi dinnaṁ, natthi yiṭṭhaṁ, natthi hutaṁ, natthi sukatadukkaṭānaṁ kammānaṁ phalaṁ vipāko, natthi ayaṁ loko, natthi paro loko, natthi mātā, natthi pitā, natthi sattā opapātikā, natthi loke samaṇabrāhmaṇā sammaggatā sammā paṭipannā ye imañca lokaṁ parañca lokaṁ sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā pavedentī’ti …pe….
‘There’s no meaning in giving, sacrifice, or offerings. There’s no fruit or result of good and bad deeds. There’s no afterlife. There’s no such thing as mother and father, or beings that are reborn spontaneously. And there’s no ascetic or brahmin who is rightly comported and rightly practiced, and who describes the afterlife after realizing it with their own insight.’ This is the sixth lost opportunity …
Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave …pe…
Furthermore, a Realized One has arisen in the world.
ayañca puggalo majjhimesu janapadesu paccājāto hoti, so ca hoti duppañño jaḷo eḷamūgo appaṭibalo subhāsitadubbhāsitassa atthamaññātuṁ.
And an individual is reborn in a central country. But they’re witless, dull, idiotic, and unable to distinguish what is well said from what is poorly said.
Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, sattamo akkhaṇo asamayo brahmacariyavāsāya.
This is the seventh lost opportunity …
Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, tathāgato ca loke anuppanno hoti arahaṁ sammāsambuddho …pe… satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā.
Furthermore, a Realized One has not arisen in the world …
Dhammo ca na desiyati opasamiko parinibbāniko sambodhagāmī sugatappavedito. Ayañca puggalo majjhimesu janapadesu paccājāto hoti, so ca hoti paññavā ajaḷo aneḷamūgo paṭibalo subhāsitadubbhāsitassa atthamaññātuṁ.
So he doesn’t teach the Dhamma leading to peace, extinguishment, awakening, as proclaimed by the Holy One. And an individual is reborn in a central country. And they’re wise, bright, clever, and able to distinguish what is well said from what is poorly said.
Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, aṭṭhamo akkhaṇo asamayo brahmacariyavāsāya.
This is the eighth lost opportunity …
Ime kho, bhikkhave, aṭṭha akkhaṇā asamayā brahmacariyavāsāya.
There are these eight lost opportunities for spiritual practice.
Ekova kho, bhikkhave, khaṇo ca samayo ca brahmacariyavāsāya.
Mendicants, there is just one opportunity for spiritual practice.
Katamo eko?
What is that one?
Idha, bhikkhave, tathāgato ca loke uppanno hoti arahaṁ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇasampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisadammasārathi satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā.
It’s when a Realized One has arisen in the world, perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those fit for training, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed.
Dhammo ca desiyati opasamiko parinibbāniko sambodhagāmī sugatappavedito. Ayañca puggalo majjhimesu janapadesu paccājāto hoti, so ca hoti paññavā ajaḷo aneḷamūgo paṭibalo subhāsitadubbhāsitassa atthamaññātuṁ.
He teaches the Dhamma leading to peace, extinguishment, awakening, as proclaimed by the Holy One. And an individual is reborn in a central country. And they’re wise, bright, clever, and able to distinguish what is well said from what is poorly said.
Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, ekova khaṇo ca samayo ca brahmacariyavāsāyāti.
This is the one opportunity for spiritual practice.
Manussalābhaṁ laddhāna,
When you’ve gained the human state,
saddhamme suppavedite;
and the true teaching has been so well proclaimed,
Ye khaṇaṁ nādhigacchanti,
those who don’t seize the moment
atināmenti te khaṇaṁ.
are wasting their time.
Bahū hi akkhaṇā vuttā,
For many wrong times are spoken of,
maggassa antarāyikā;
which obstruct the path.
Kadāci karahaci loke,
Only on rare occasions
uppajjanti tathāgatā.
do Realized Ones arise.
Tayidaṁ sammukhībhūtaṁ,
If you find yourself in their presence,
yaṁ lokasmiṁ sudullabhaṁ;
so hard to find in the world,
Manussapaṭilābho ca,
and if you’ve gained a human birth,
saddhammassa ca desanā;
and the teaching of the Dhamma;
Alaṁ vāyamituṁ tattha,
that’s enough to make an effort,
attakāmena jantunā.
for a personage who desires self-knowledge.
Kathaṁ vijaññā saddhammaṁ,
How is the true teaching to be understood
khaṇo ve mā upaccagā;
so that the moment doesn’t pass you by?
Khaṇātītā hi socanti,
For if you miss your moment
nirayamhi samappitā.
you’ll grieve when sent to hell.
Idha ce naṁ virādheti,
If you fail to achieve
saddhammassa niyāmataṁ;
certainty regarding the true teaching
Vāṇijova atītattho,
you’ll regret it for a long time,
cirattaṁ anutapissati.
like the merchant in the story of the past.
Avijjānivuto poso,
A man shrouded by ignorance,
saddhammaṁ aparādhiko;
a failure in the true teaching,
Jātimaraṇasaṁsāraṁ,
will long undergo
ciraṁ paccanubhossati.
transmigration through birth and death.
Ye ca laddhā manussattaṁ,
Those who’ve gained the human state
saddhamme suppavedite;
when the true teaching has been so well proclaimed,
Akaṁsu satthu vacanaṁ,
and have completed what the Teacher taught—
karissanti karonti vā.
or will do so, or are doing so now—
Khaṇaṁ paccaviduṁ loke,
have realized the right time in the world
brahmacariyaṁ anuttaraṁ;
for the supreme spiritual life.
Ye maggaṁ paṭipajjiṁsu,
You should live guarded, ever mindful,
tathāgatappaveditaṁ.
not festering with defilements,
Ye saṁvarā cakkhumatā,
among those restrained ones
desitādiccabandhunā;
who have practiced the path
Tesu gutto sadā sato,
proclaimed by the Realized One, the Clear-eyed One,
vihare anavassuto.
and taught by the Kinsman of the Sun.
Sabbe anusaye chetvā,
Having cut off all underlying tendencies
māradheyyaparānuge;
that follow those drifting in Māra’s dominion,
Te ve pāraṅgatā loke,
they’re the ones in this world who’ve truly crossed over,
ye pattā āsavakkhayan”ti.
having reached the ending of defilements.”
Navamaṁ.
Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).
“‘Now is the time! Now is the time!’ So says an unlearned ordinary person. But they don’t know whether it’s time or not.
Mendicants, there are eight lost opportunities for spiritual practice.
What eight?
Firstly, a Realized One has arisen in the world—perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those fit for training, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed. He teaches the Dhamma leading to peace, extinguishment, awakening, as proclaimed by the Holy One.
But an individual has been reborn in hell.
This is the first lost opportunity for spiritual practice.
Furthermore, a Realized One has arisen in the world.
But an individual has been reborn in the animal realm. This is the second lost opportunity.
Furthermore, a Realized One has arisen in the world.
But an individual has been reborn in the ghost realm. This is the third lost opportunity.
Furthermore, a Realized One has arisen in the world.
But an individual has been reborn in one of the long-lived orders of gods. This is the fourth lost opportunity.
Furthermore, a Realized One has arisen in the world.
But an individual has been reborn in the borderlands, among uneducated foreigners, where monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen do not go. This is the fifth lost opportunity …
Furthermore, a Realized One has arisen in the world. And an individual is reborn in a central country. But they have wrong view and distorted perspective:
‘There’s no meaning in giving, sacrifice, or offerings. There’s no fruit or result of good and bad deeds. There’s no afterlife. There’s no such thing as mother and father, or beings that are reborn spontaneously. And there’s no ascetic or brahmin who is rightly comported and rightly practiced, and who describes the afterlife after realizing it with their own insight.’ This is the sixth lost opportunity …
Furthermore, a Realized One has arisen in the world.
And an individual is reborn in a central country. But they’re witless, dull, idiotic, and unable to distinguish what is well said from what is poorly said.
This is the seventh lost opportunity …
Furthermore, a Realized One has not arisen in the world …
So he doesn’t teach the Dhamma leading to peace, extinguishment, awakening, as proclaimed by the Holy One. And an individual is reborn in a central country. And they’re wise, bright, clever, and able to distinguish what is well said from what is poorly said.
This is the eighth lost opportunity …
There are these eight lost opportunities for spiritual practice.
Mendicants, there is just one opportunity for spiritual practice.
What is that one?
It’s when a Realized One has arisen in the world, perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those fit for training, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed.
He teaches the Dhamma leading to peace, extinguishment, awakening, as proclaimed by the Holy One. And an individual is reborn in a central country. And they’re wise, bright, clever, and able to distinguish what is well said from what is poorly said.
This is the one opportunity for spiritual practice.
When you’ve gained the human state,
and the true teaching has been so well proclaimed,
those who don’t seize the moment
are wasting their time.
For many wrong times are spoken of,
which obstruct the path.
Only on rare occasions
do Realized Ones arise.
If you find yourself in their presence,
so hard to find in the world,
and if you’ve gained a human birth,
and the teaching of the Dhamma;
that’s enough to make an effort,
for a personage who desires self-knowledge.
How is the true teaching to be understood
so that the moment doesn’t pass you by?
For if you miss your moment
you’ll grieve when sent to hell.
If you fail to achieve
certainty regarding the true teaching
you’ll regret it for a long time,
like the merchant in the story of the past.
A man shrouded by ignorance,
a failure in the true teaching,
will long undergo
transmigration through birth and death.
Those who’ve gained the human state
when the true teaching has been so well proclaimed,
and have completed what the Teacher taught—
or will do so, or are doing so now—
have realized the right time in the world
for the supreme spiritual life.
You should live guarded, ever mindful,
not festering with defilements,
among those restrained ones
who have practiced the path
proclaimed by the Realized One, the Clear-eyed One,
and taught by the Kinsman of the Sun.
Having cut off all underlying tendencies
that follow those drifting in Māra’s dominion,
they’re the ones in this world who’ve truly crossed over,
having reached the ending of defilements.”
“‘Khaṇakicco loko, khaṇakicco loko’ti, bhikkhave, assutavā puthujjano bhāsati, no ca kho so jānāti khaṇaṁ vā akkhaṇaṁ vā.
Aṭṭhime, bhikkhave, akkhaṇā asamayā brahmacariyavāsāya.
Katame aṭṭha?
Idha, bhikkhave, tathāgato ca loke uppanno hoti arahaṁ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇasampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisadammasārathi satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā, dhammo ca desiyati opasamiko parinibbāniko sambodhagāmī sugatappavedito;
ayañca puggalo nirayaṁ upapanno hoti.
Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭhamo akkhaṇo asamayo brahmacariyavāsāya.
Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, tathāgato ca loke uppanno hoti …pe… satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā, dhammo ca desiyati opasamiko parinibbāniko sambodhagāmī sugatappavedito;
ayañca puggalo tiracchānayoniṁ upapanno hoti …pe….
Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave …pe…
ayañca puggalo pettivisayaṁ upapanno hoti …pe….
Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave …pe…
ayañca puggalo aññataraṁ dīghāyukaṁ devanikāyaṁ upapanno hoti …pe….
Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave …pe…
ayañca puggalo paccantimesu janapadesu paccājāto hoti, so ca hoti aviññātāresu milakkhesu, yattha natthi gati bhikkhūnaṁ bhikkhunīnaṁ upāsakānaṁ upāsikānaṁ …pe….
Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave …pe… ayañca puggalo majjhimesu janapadesu paccājāto hoti, so ca hoti micchādiṭṭhiko viparītadassano:
‘natthi dinnaṁ, natthi yiṭṭhaṁ, natthi hutaṁ, natthi sukatadukkaṭānaṁ kammānaṁ phalaṁ vipāko, natthi ayaṁ loko, natthi paro loko, natthi mātā, natthi pitā, natthi sattā opapātikā, natthi loke samaṇabrāhmaṇā sammaggatā sammā paṭipannā ye imañca lokaṁ parañca lokaṁ sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā pavedentī’ti …pe….
Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave …pe…
ayañca puggalo majjhimesu janapadesu paccājāto hoti, so ca hoti duppañño jaḷo eḷamūgo appaṭibalo subhāsitadubbhāsitassa atthamaññātuṁ.
Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, sattamo akkhaṇo asamayo brahmacariyavāsāya.
Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, tathāgato ca loke anuppanno hoti arahaṁ sammāsambuddho …pe… satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā.
Dhammo ca na desiyati opasamiko parinibbāniko sambodhagāmī sugatappavedito. Ayañca puggalo majjhimesu janapadesu paccājāto hoti, so ca hoti paññavā ajaḷo aneḷamūgo paṭibalo subhāsitadubbhāsitassa atthamaññātuṁ.
Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, aṭṭhamo akkhaṇo asamayo brahmacariyavāsāya.
Ime kho, bhikkhave, aṭṭha akkhaṇā asamayā brahmacariyavāsāya.
Ekova kho, bhikkhave, khaṇo ca samayo ca brahmacariyavāsāya.
Katamo eko?
Idha, bhikkhave, tathāgato ca loke uppanno hoti arahaṁ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇasampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisadammasārathi satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā.
Dhammo ca desiyati opasamiko parinibbāniko sambodhagāmī sugatappavedito. Ayañca puggalo majjhimesu janapadesu paccājāto hoti, so ca hoti paññavā ajaḷo aneḷamūgo paṭibalo subhāsitadubbhāsitassa atthamaññātuṁ.
Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, ekova khaṇo ca samayo ca brahmacariyavāsāyāti.
Manussalābhaṁ laddhāna,
saddhamme suppavedite;
Ye khaṇaṁ nādhigacchanti,
atināmenti te khaṇaṁ.
Bahū hi akkhaṇā vuttā,
maggassa antarāyikā;
Kadāci karahaci loke,
uppajjanti tathāgatā.
Tayidaṁ sammukhībhūtaṁ,
yaṁ lokasmiṁ sudullabhaṁ;
Manussapaṭilābho ca,
saddhammassa ca desanā;
Alaṁ vāyamituṁ tattha,
attakāmena jantunā.
Kathaṁ vijaññā saddhammaṁ,
khaṇo ve mā upaccagā;
Khaṇātītā hi socanti,
nirayamhi samappitā.
Idha ce naṁ virādheti,
saddhammassa niyāmataṁ;
Vāṇijova atītattho,
cirattaṁ anutapissati.
Avijjānivuto poso,
saddhammaṁ aparādhiko;
Jātimaraṇasaṁsāraṁ,
ciraṁ paccanubhossati.
Ye ca laddhā manussattaṁ,
saddhamme suppavedite;
Akaṁsu satthu vacanaṁ,
karissanti karonti vā.
Khaṇaṁ paccaviduṁ loke,
brahmacariyaṁ anuttaraṁ;
Ye maggaṁ paṭipajjiṁsu,
tathāgatappaveditaṁ.
Ye saṁvarā cakkhumatā,
desitādiccabandhunā;
Tesu gutto sadā sato,
vihare anavassuto.
Sabbe anusaye chetvā,
māradheyyaparānuge;
Te ve pāraṅgatā loke,
ye pattā āsavakkhayan”ti.
Navamaṁ.