The Buddha teaches that transmigration has no known beginning, showing that a single individual's mothers and fathers across aeons would exceed the sands of the Ganges.

SN 15.10 A Single Individual

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati gijjhakūṭe pabbate. Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: “bhikkhavo”ti.

“Bhadante”ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā etadavoca:

“Anamataggoyaṁ, bhikkhave, saṁsāro …pe… ekapuggalassa, bhikkhave, kappaṁ sandhāvato saṁsarato siyā evaṁ mahā aṭṭhikaṅkalo aṭṭhipuñjo aṭṭhirāsi yathāyaṁ vepullo pabbato, sace saṁhārako assa, sambhatañca na vinasseyya.

Taṁ kissa hetu? Anamataggoyaṁ, bhikkhave, saṁsāro …pe… alaṁ vimuccitun”ti.

Idamavoca bhagavā. Idaṁ vatvāna sugato athāparaṁ etadavoca satthā:

“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;
Ariyaṁ caṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ,
dukkhūpasamagāminaṁ.

Sa sattakkhattuṁparamaṁ,
sandhāvitvāna puggalo;
Dukkhassantakaro hoti,
sabbasaṁyojanakkhayā”ti.

Dasamaṁ.

Paṭhamo vaggo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Tiṇakaṭṭhañca pathavī,
assu khīrañca pabbataṁ;
Sāsapā sāvakā gaṅgā,
daṇḍo ca puggalena cāti.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati gijjhakūṭe pabbate.

At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, on the Vulture’s Peak Mountain.

Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:

There the Buddha addressed the mendicants,

“bhikkhavo”ti.

“Mendicants!”

“Bhadante”ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ.

“Venerable sir,” they replied.

Bhagavā etadavoca:

The Buddha said this:

“Anamataggoyaṁ, bhikkhave, saṁsāro …pe…

“Mendicants, this transmigration has no known beginning. …

ekapuggalassa, bhikkhave, kappaṁ sandhāvato saṁsarato siyā evaṁ mahā aṭṭhikaṅkalo aṭṭhipuñjo aṭṭhirāsi yathāyaṁ vepullo pabbato, sace saṁhārako assa, sambhatañca na vinasseyya.

One individual roaming and transmigrating for an eon would amass a heap of bones the size of this Mount Vepulla, if they were gathered together and not lost.

Taṁ kissa hetu?

Why is that?

Anamataggoyaṁ, bhikkhave, saṁsāro …pe…

This transmigration has no known beginning. …

alaṁ vimuccitun”ti.

This is quite enough for you to become disillusioned, dispassionate, and freed regarding all conditions.”

Idamavoca bhagavā.

That is what the Buddha said.

Idaṁ vatvāna sugato athāparaṁ etadavoca satthā:

Then the Holy One, the Teacher, went on to say:

“Ekassekena kappena,

“If the bones of a single individual

puggalassaṭṭhisañcayo;

for a single eon were gathered up,

Siyā pabbatasamo rāsi,

they’d make a pile the size of a mountain:

iti vuttaṁ mahesinā.

so said the great seer.

So kho panāyaṁ akkhāto,

And this is declared to be

vepullo pabbato mahā;

as huge as Mount Vepulla,

Uttaro gijjhakūṭassa,

higher than the Vulture’s Peak

magadhānaṁ giribbaje.

in the Magadhan mountain range.

Yato ca ariyasaccāni,

But then, with right understanding,

sammappaññāya passati;

one sees the noble truths—

Dukkhaṁ dukkhasamuppādaṁ,

suffering, suffering’s origin,

dukkhassa ca atikkamaṁ;

suffering’s transcendence,

Ariyaṁ caṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ,

and the noble eightfold path

dukkhūpasamagāminaṁ.

that leads to the stilling of suffering.

Sa sattakkhattuṁparamaṁ,

After roaming on seven times at most,

sandhāvitvāna puggalo;

that individual

Dukkhassantakaro hoti,

makes an end of suffering,

sabbasaṁyojanakkhayā”ti.

with the ending of all fetters.”

Dasamaṁ.

Paṭhamo vaggo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Tiṇakaṭṭhañca pathavī,

assu khīrañca pabbataṁ;

Sāsapā sāvakā gaṅgā,

daṇḍo ca puggalena cāti.

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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Right view

Right view

View that is in line with the Dhamma — teachings of the Buddha that point to the nature of reality, the ultimate truth.

Also known as: right understanding, right belief, view that is inline with the Dhamma
Pāli: sammādiṭṭhi
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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