The Buddha describes the vast accumulation of bones that would result from wandering on and undergoing repeated existence for an aeon.
Vuttañhetaṁ bhagavatā vuttamarahatāti me sutaṁ:
This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Awakened One, as I have heard:
“Ekapuggalassa, bhikkhave, kappaṁ sandhāvato saṁsarato siyā evaṁ mahā aṭṭhikaṅkalo aṭṭhipuñjo aṭṭhirāsi yathāyaṁ vepullo pabbato, sace saṁhārako assa, sambhatañca na vinasseyyā”ti.
“For a single person|, bhikkhus,::::| who has wandered on and undergone |repeated existence::wandering on from one state of existence to another, the cycle of birth and death, moving on continuously [saṁsāra]| for an |aeon::lifespan of a world system, a vast cosmic time span [kappa]|, there would be a chain of bones, a heap of bones, a pile of bones as great as this |Mount Vepulla::Known today as Vipula hill, it is one of the prominent peaks surrounding the historical city of Rājagaha, present-day Rajgir in Bihar, India [vepulla + pabbata]|, if there were someone to gather them and the gathered bones did not decay.”
Etamatthaṁ bhagavā avoca. Tatthetaṁ iti vuccati:
The Blessed One spoke on this matter. In this regard, it is said:
“Ekassekena kappena,
puggalassaṭṭhisañcayo;
Siyā pabbatasamo rāsi,
iti vuttaṁ mahesinā.
“In just one aeon,
the accumulation of a single person’s bones
would form a heap as large as a mountain,
thus it was said by the great seer.
So kho panāyaṁ akkhāto,
vepullo pabbato mahā;
Uttaro gijjhakūṭassa,
magadhānaṁ giribbaje.
Now, that great mountain is declared to be
Mount Vepulla,
north of Vulture’s Peak,
in the |mountain stronghold::a reference to present-day Rajgir, former capital of Magadha [giribbaja]| of Magadha.
Yato ca ariyasaccāni,
sammappaññāya passati;
Dukkhaṁ dukkhasamuppādaṁ,
dukkhassa ca atikkamaṁ;
Ariyañcaṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ,
dukkhūpasamagāminaṁ.
When one sees the noble truths
|with right wisdom::with correct distinctive knowledge [sammappaññāya]|—
suffering, the |arising of suffering::source of stress, appearance of discomfort [dukkhasamudaya]|,
the |end of suffering::ending of discontentment, cessation of distress [dukkhanirodha]|,
and the Noble Eightfold Path
that leads to the end of suffering.
Sa sattakkhattuṁ paramaṁ,
sandhāvitvāna puggalo;
Dukkhassantakaro hoti,
sabbasaṁyojanakkhayā”ti.
Having wandered on for seven times at most,
that person
makes an end of suffering,
through the |wearing away of all the fetters::exhaustion of all the bonds [sabbasaṃyojanakkhaya]|.”
Ayampi attho vutto bhagavatā, iti me sutanti.
This matter too was spoken by the Blessed One, as I have heard.
This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Awakened One, as I have heard:
“For a single person|, bhikkhus,::::| who has wandered on and undergone |repeated existence::wandering on from one state of existence to another, the cycle of birth and death, moving on continuously [saṁsāra]| for an |aeon::lifespan of a world system, a vast cosmic time span [kappa]|, there would be a chain of bones, a heap of bones, a pile of bones as great as this |Mount Vepulla::Known today as Vipula hill, it is one of the prominent peaks surrounding the historical city of Rājagaha, present-day Rajgir in Bihar, India [vepulla + pabbata]|, if there were someone to gather them and the gathered bones did not decay.”
The Blessed One spoke on this matter. In this regard, it is said:
“In just one aeon,
the accumulation of a single person’s bones
would form a heap as large as a mountain,
thus it was said by the great seer.
Now, that great mountain is declared to be
Mount Vepulla,
north of Vulture’s Peak,
in the |mountain stronghold::a reference to present-day Rajgir, former capital of Magadha [giribbaja]| of Magadha.
When one sees the noble truths
|with right wisdom::with correct distinctive knowledge [sammappaññāya]|—
suffering, the |arising of suffering::source of stress, appearance of discomfort [dukkhasamudaya]|,
the |end of suffering::ending of discontentment, cessation of distress [dukkhanirodha]|,
and the Noble Eightfold Path
that leads to the end of suffering.
Having wandered on for seven times at most,
that person
makes an end of suffering,
through the |wearing away of all the fetters::exhaustion of all the bonds [sabbasaṃyojanakkhaya]|.”
This matter too was spoken by the Blessed One, as I have heard.
Vuttañhetaṁ bhagavatā vuttamarahatāti me sutaṁ:
“Ekapuggalassa, bhikkhave, kappaṁ sandhāvato saṁsarato siyā evaṁ mahā aṭṭhikaṅkalo aṭṭhipuñjo aṭṭhirāsi yathāyaṁ vepullo pabbato, sace saṁhārako assa, sambhatañca na vinasseyyā”ti.
Etamatthaṁ bhagavā avoca. Tatthetaṁ iti vuccati:
“Ekassekena kappena,
puggalassaṭṭhisañcayo;
Siyā pabbatasamo rāsi,
iti vuttaṁ mahesinā.
So kho panāyaṁ akkhāto,
vepullo pabbato mahā;
Uttaro gijjhakūṭassa,
magadhānaṁ giribbaje.
Yato ca ariyasaccāni,
sammappaññāya passati;
Dukkhaṁ dukkhasamuppādaṁ,
dukkhassa ca atikkamaṁ;
Ariyañcaṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ,
dukkhūpasamagāminaṁ.
Sa sattakkhattuṁ paramaṁ,
sandhāvitvāna puggalo;
Dukkhassantakaro hoti,
sabbasaṁyojanakkhayā”ti.
Ayampi attho vutto bhagavatā, iti me sutanti.