The Buddha teaches on old age and death, explaining an aspect of dependent origination—its origin, cessation, and the practice leading to its cessation.

SN 12.71 Old Age and Death

Evaṁ me sutaṁ ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tatra kho bhagavā …pe…

“ye hi keci, bhikkhave, samaṇā brāhmaṇā jarāmaraṇaṁ nappajānanti, jarāmaraṇasamudayaṁ nappajānanti, jarāmaraṇanirodhaṁ nappajānanti, jarāmaraṇanirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ nappajānanti, na me te, bhikkhave, samaṇā brāhmaṇā samaṇesu samaṇasammatā brāhmaṇesu brāhmaṇasammatā, na ca pana te āyasmanto sāmaññatthaṁ brahmaññatthaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharanti.

Ye ca kho keci, bhikkhave, samaṇā brāhmaṇā jarāmaraṇaṁ pajānanti …pe… paṭipadaṁ pajānanti, te kho me, bhikkhave, samaṇā brāhmaṇā samaṇesu ceva samaṇasammatā brāhmaṇesu ca brāhmaṇasammatā, te ca panāyasmanto sāmaññatthañca brahmaññatthañca diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharantī”ti.

(Suttanto eko.)

Paṭhamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Evaṁ me sutaṁ

So I have heard.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

Tatra kho bhagavā …pe…

“ye hi keci, bhikkhave, samaṇā brāhmaṇā jarāmaraṇaṁ nappajānanti, jarāmaraṇasamudayaṁ nappajānanti, jarāmaraṇanirodhaṁ nappajānanti, jarāmaraṇanirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ nappajānanti,

“Mendicants, there are ascetics and brahmins who don’t understand old age and death, their origin, their cessation, and the practice that leads to their cessation.

na me te, bhikkhave, samaṇā brāhmaṇā samaṇesu samaṇasammatā brāhmaṇesu brāhmaṇasammatā, na ca pana te āyasmanto sāmaññatthaṁ brahmaññatthaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharanti.

I don’t deem them as true ascetics and brahmins. Those venerables don’t realize the goal of life as an ascetic or brahmin, and don’t live having realized it with their own insight.

Ye ca kho keci, bhikkhave, samaṇā brāhmaṇā jarāmaraṇaṁ pajānanti …pe… paṭipadaṁ pajānanti,

There are ascetics and brahmins who do understand old age and death, their origin, their cessation, and the practice that leads to their cessation.

te kho me, bhikkhave, samaṇā brāhmaṇā samaṇesu ceva samaṇasammatā brāhmaṇesu ca brāhmaṇasammatā, te ca panāyasmanto sāmaññatthañca brahmaññatthañca diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharantī”ti.

I deem them as true ascetics and brahmins. Those venerables realize the goal of life as an ascetic or brahmin, and live having realized it with their own insight.”

(Suttanto eko.)

Paṭhamaṁ.

Qualities:

Ending

Ending

The complete exhaustion and ending of craving, aversion, and delusion—the three roots of suffering. It refers to both the gradual wearing away of defilements through practice and the final cessation that constitutes Nibbāna.

Also known as: cessation, exhaustion, gradual ending, wearing away
Pāli: khaya, khīṇa, nirodha
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Insight

Insight

Insight is deep, intuitive realization that transforms understanding and guides practice.

Also known as: having insight, with understanding, right knowledge
Pāli: ñāṇa, sammāñāṇa
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Last updated on July 27, 2026