The Word of the Buddha The Three Warnings
The Word of the BuddhaI. The Noble Truth of Suffering
Then, King Yama says to him: ‘Good man, did you never see among human beings a woman or a man, eighty, ninety, or a hundred years of age, frail; bent like a rafter, hunched over, leaning on a staff for support, shaking, walking with difficulty, youth gone; with broken teeth, with grey and scanty hair or bald, with wrinkled skin and limbs marked by aging spots?’
And he replies: ‘Yes, venerable sir, I have seen.’
Then, King Yama says to him: ‘Good man, did it never occur to you, an intelligent and mature person—I too am subject to aging, I am not exempt from growing old. Let me now do good by body, speech, and mind?’
And he replies: ‘I was unable, venerable sir. I was negligent, venerable sir.’
Then, King Yama says to him: ‘Good man, due to negligence, you did not do good by body, speech, or mind. Surely, they will treat you in a way that fits your negligence. That bad kamma of yours was not done by your mother or father, nor by your brother or sister, nor by your friends and companions, nor by your relatives and family members, nor by the deities, nor by ascetics and brahmins. But rather, you were the one who did that bad kamma, and you yourself will have to experience its result.’
2.) Then, after having cross-questioned, closely examined, and admonished him regarding the first divine messenger, King Yama cross-questions, closely examines, and admonishes him about the second divine messenger, saying: ‘Good man, did you not see the second divine messenger that appeared among human beings?’
And he replies: ‘No, venerable sir, I did not see.’ Then, King Yama says to him: ‘Good man, did you never see among human beings a woman or a man, sick, afflicted, gravely ill, lying in their own urine and excrement, unable to rise on their own, being lifted by others, and being laid down by others?’
And he replies: ‘Yes, venerable sir, I have seen.’
Then, King Yama says to him: ‘Good man, did it never occur to you, an intelligent and mature person—I too am subject to illness, I am not exempt from illness. Let me now do good by body, speech, and mind?’
And he replies: ‘I was unable, venerable sir. I was negligent, venerable sir.’
Then, King Yama says to him: ‘Good man, due to negligence, you did not do good by body, speech, or mind. Surely, they will treat you in a way that fits your negligence. That bad kamma of yours was not done by your mother or father, nor by your brother or sister, nor by your friends and companions, nor by your relatives and family members, nor by the deities, nor by ascetics and brahmins. But rather, you were the one who did that bad kamma, and you yourself will have to experience its result.’
3.) Then, after having cross-questioned, closely examined, and admonished him regarding the second divine messenger, King Yama cross-questions, closely examines, and admonishes him about the third divine messenger, saying: ‘Good man, did you not see the third divine messenger that appeared among human beings?’
And he replies: ‘No, venerable sir, I did not see.’
Then, King Yama says to him: ‘Good man, did you never see among human beings a woman or a man who had been dead for one day, for two days, or for three days—bloated, discolored, and festering?’
And he replies: ‘Yes, venerable sir, I have seen.’
Then, King Yama says to him: ‘Good man, did it never occur to you, an intelligent and mature person—I too am subject to death, I am not exempt from death. Let me now do good by body, speech, and mind?’
Last updated on October 20, 2026