Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
At Sāvatthi.
Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho rājānaṁ pasenadiṁ kosalaṁ bhagavā etadavoca: “handa kuto nu tvaṁ, mahārāja, āgacchasi divā divassā”ti?
When King Pasenadi of Kosala was seated to one side, the Blessed One said this to him: “Now where are you coming from, great king, in the middle of the day?”
“Yāni tāni, bhante, raññaṁ khattiyānaṁ muddhāvasittānaṁ issariyamadamattānaṁ kāmagedhapariyuṭṭhitānaṁ janapadatthāvariyappattānaṁ mahantaṁ pathavimaṇḍalaṁ abhivijiya ajjhāvasantānaṁ rājakaraṇīyāni bhavanti, tesu khvāhaṁ, etarahi ussukkamāpanno”ti.
“Venerable sir, there are crowned noble-warrior kings, who are |intoxicated with the vanity of power::drunk with authority [ssariyamadamatta]| and |overcome by greed for sensual pleasure::consumed by the desire for sensual gratification [kāmagedhapariyuṭṭhita]|, who, having conquered a vast territory, dwell as rulers. I have been engaged in attending to the affairs of these kings.”
“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, mahārāja, idha te puriso āgaccheyya puratthimāya disāya saddhāyiko paccayiko. So taṁ upasaṅkamitvā evaṁ vadeyya: ‘yagghe, mahārāja, jāneyyāsi, ahaṁ āgacchāmi puratthimāya disāya. Tatthaddasaṁ mahantaṁ pabbataṁ abbhasamaṁ, sabbe pāṇe nippothento āgacchati. Yaṁ te, mahārāja, karaṇīyaṁ, taṁ karohī’ti.
“What do you think, great king? Suppose a man were to come from the eastern direction, a faithful and reliable person. Approaching you, he would say this: ‘Great king, you should know that I am coming from the east. There, I saw a massive mountain, towering as high as the clouds, advancing while crushing all living beings in its path. Whatever needs to be done, great king, you should do.
Atha dutiyo puriso āgaccheyya pacchimāya disāya …pe… atha tatiyo puriso āgaccheyya uttarāya disāya … atha catuttho puriso āgaccheyya dakkhiṇāya disāya saddhāyiko paccayiko. So taṁ upasaṅkamitvā evaṁ vadeyya: ‘yagghe, mahārāja, jāneyyāsi, ahaṁ āgacchāmi dakkhiṇāya disāya. Tatthaddasaṁ mahantaṁ pabbataṁ abbhasamaṁ sabbe pāṇe nippothento āgacchati. Yaṁ te, mahārāja, karaṇīyaṁ taṁ karohī’ti.
Then, a second man would come from the western direction ... Then, a third man would come from the northern direction ... Then, a fourth man would come from the southern direction, a faithful and reliable person. Approaching you, he would say this: ‘Great king, you should know that I am coming from the southern direction. There, I saw a massive mountain, towering as high as the clouds, advancing while crushing all living beings in its path. Whatever needs to be done, great king, you should do.’
Evarūpe te, mahārāja, mahati mahabbhaye samuppanne dāruṇe manussakkhaye dullabhe manussatte kimassa karaṇīyan”ti?
Great king, when such a great and terrifying danger arises — one that is dreadful, leading to the destruction of human life, and where the human state is hard to attain — what should be done in such a situation?”
“Evarūpe me, bhante, mahati mahabbhaye samuppanne dāruṇe manussakkhaye dullabhe manussatte kimassa karaṇīyaṁ aññatra dhammacariyāya aññatra samacariyāya aññatra kusalakiriyāya aññatra puññakiriyāyā”ti?
“In such a situation, venerable sir, when a great and terrifying danger has arisen — one that is dreadful, leading to the destruction of human life, and where the human state is hard to attain — what else should be done, other than |living by the Dhamma::conducting oneself in alignment with the Dhamma - teachings of the Buddha that point to the nature of reality, the ultimate truth [dhammacariyā]|, other than practicing |wholesome conduct::harmonious behavior [samacariyā]|, other than performing |beneficial::healthy, wholesome, useful [kusala]| actions, and other than |making merit::actions leading to spiritual wealth [puññakiriyā]|?”
“Ārocemi kho te, mahārāja, paṭivedemi kho te, mahārāja, adhivattati kho taṁ, mahārāja, jarāmaraṇaṁ. Adhivattamāne ce te, mahārāja, jarāmaraṇe kimassa karaṇīyan”ti?
“I inform you, great king, I declare to you: Old age and death are advancing upon you, great king. When old age and death are advancing upon you, what should be done in such a situation?”
“Adhivattamāne ca me, bhante, jarāmaraṇe kimassa karaṇīyaṁ aññatra dhammacariyāya samacariyāya kusalakiriyāya puññakiriyāya?
“When old age and death are advancing upon me, venerable sir, what should be done in such a situation, other than living by the Dhamma, practicing wholesome conduct, performing beneficial actions, and making merit?
Yāni tāni, bhante, raññaṁ khattiyānaṁ muddhāvasittānaṁ issariyamadamattānaṁ kāmagedhapariyuṭṭhitānaṁ janapadatthāvariyappattānaṁ mahantaṁ pathavimaṇḍalaṁ abhivijiya ajjhāvasantānaṁ hatthiyuddhāni bhavanti; tesampi, bhante, hatthiyuddhānaṁ natthi gati natthi visayo adhivattamāne jarāmaraṇe. Yānipi tāni, bhante, raññaṁ khattiyānaṁ muddhāvasittānaṁ …pe… ajjhāvasantānaṁ assayuddhāni bhavanti …pe… rathayuddhāni bhavanti …pe… pattiyuddhāni bhavanti; tesampi, bhante, pattiyuddhānaṁ natthi gati natthi visayo adhivattamāne jarāmaraṇe.
Venerable sir, there are elephant battles [fought by] crowned kings, who are intoxicated with the vanity of power and overcome by greed for sensual pleasure, who, having conquered a vast territory, dwell as rulers; but there is no place for those elephant battles, no scope for them, when aging and death are advancing [upon me]. There are, venerable sir, cavalry battles [fought by] crowned kings ... there are chariot battles ... infantry battles ... but there is no place for those infantry battles, no scope for them, when aging and death are advancing [upon me].
Santi kho pana, bhante, imasmiṁ rājakule mantino mahāmattā, ye pahonti āgate paccatthike mantehi bhedayituṁ. Tesampi, bhante, mantayuddhānaṁ natthi gati natthi visayo adhivattamāne jarāmaraṇe.
Venerable sir, in this royal court [of mine], there are ministers and chancellors who, when enemies approach, are capable of dividing them with wise counsel. But there is no place for those |diplomatic battles::war of wits [mantayuddhā]|, no scope for them, when aging and death are advancing [upon me].
Saṁvijjati kho pana, bhante, imasmiṁ rājakule pahūtaṁ hiraññasuvaṇṇaṁ bhūmigatañceva vehāsaṭṭhañca, yena mayaṁ pahoma āgate paccatthike dhanena upalāpetuṁ. Tesampi, bhante, dhanayuddhānaṁ natthi gati natthi visayo adhivattamāne jarāmaraṇe.
Venerable sir, in this royal court [of mine], there is an abundance of raw gold and gold coins, both stored underground and kept in the treasury, with which we are able to |entice::persuade, coax [upalāpetuṁ]| approaching enemies through wealth. But even for those battles fought with wealth, there is no place, no scope, when aging and death are advancing [upon me].
Adhivattamāne ca me, bhante, jarāmaraṇe kimassa karaṇīyaṁ aññatra dhammacariyāya samacariyāya kusalakiriyāya puññakiriyāyā”ti?
When old age and death are advancing upon me, venerable sir, what should be done in such a situation, other than living by the Dhamma, practicing wholesome conduct, performing beneficial actions, and making merit?”
“Evametaṁ, mahārāja, evametaṁ, mahārāja. Adhivattamāne jarāmaraṇe kimassa karaṇīyaṁ aññatra dhammacariyāya samacariyāya kusalakiriyāya puññakiriyāyā”ti?
“So it is, great king! So it is, great king! When old age and death are advancing upon you, what else should be done, other than living by the Dhamma, practicing wholesome conduct, performing beneficial actions, and making merit?”
Idamavoca bhagavā. Idaṁ vatvāna sugato athāparaṁ etadavoca satthā:
The Blessed One said this. Having spoken thus, the Accomplished One further said this:
“Yathāpi selā vipulā,
nabhaṁ āhacca pabbatā;
Samantānupariyāyeyyuṁ,
nippothento catuddisā.
Just as mountains of solid rock,
towering to the sky;
Might advance from all sides,
crushing everything in the four directions—
Evaṁ jarā ca maccu ca,
adhivattanti pāṇine;
Khattiye brāhmaṇe vesse,
sudde caṇḍālapukkuse;
Na kiñci parivajjeti,
sabbamevābhimaddati.
In the same way, old age and death,
overwhelm all living beings;
They strike down warriors, priests, merchants,
and even outcasts and scavengers;
They spare no one,
crushing everything in their path.
Na tattha hatthīnaṁ bhūmi,
na rathānaṁ na pattiyā;
Na cāpi mantayuddhena,
sakkā jetuṁ dhanena vā.
There’s nowhere for elephants to take a stand,
nor for chariots, nor for infantry;
Neither can one win with wits,
nor with wealth can one defeat them.
Tasmā hi paṇḍito poso,
sampassaṁ atthamattano;
Buddhe dhamme ca saṅghe ca,
dhīro saddhaṁ nivesaye.
Therefore, the wise person,
seeing what is good for oneself;
Steadfast, should place their |faith::confidence, belief, trust, conviction, devotion [saddha]|,
in the Buddha, |Dhamma::teachings of the Buddha that point to the nature of reality, the ultimate truth [dhamma]|, and |Saṅgha::community of practitioners of monastics and lay practitioners who practice in line with the Buddha’s guidelines on moral conduct and individual training|.
Yo dhammaṁ cari kāyena,
vācāya uda cetasā;
Idheva naṁ pasaṁsanti,
pecca sagge pamodatī”ti.
One who lives by the Dhamma,
in body, speech, and mind;
is |praised::commended [pasaṃsati]| right here in this life,
and, upon |passing on::after death [pecca]|, rejoices in heaven.”