Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).
Evaṁ me sutaṁ—
So I have heard.
ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe.
At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground.
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:
“Appamidaṁ, bhikkhave, manussānaṁ āyu.
“Mendicants, the lifespan of humans is short.
Gamanīyo samparāyo, kattabbaṁ kusalaṁ, caritabbaṁ brahmacariyaṁ.
You must go to the next life. So you should do what is skillful, you should practice the spiritual life.
Natthi jātassa amaraṇaṁ.
No-one born is immortal.
Yo, bhikkhave, ciraṁ jīvati, so vassasataṁ appaṁ vā bhiyyo”ti.
A long life is a hundred years or a little more.”
Atha kho māro pāpimā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:
Then Māra the Wicked went up to the Buddha and addressed him in verse:
“Dīghamāyu manussānaṁ,
“The life of humans is long!
na naṁ hīḷe suporiso;
A true person wouldn’t scorn it.
Careyya khīramattova,
Live like a suckling babe,
natthi maccussa āgamo”ti.
for Death has not come for you.”
“Appamāyu manussānaṁ,
“The life of humans is short,
hīḷeyya naṁ suporiso;
and a true person scorns it.
Careyyādittasīsova,
They should live as though their head was on fire,
natthi maccussa nāgamo”ti.
for Death comes for everyone.”
Atha kho māro …pe… tatthevantaradhāyīti.
Then Māra … vanished right there.
Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).
So I have heard.
At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground.
There the Buddha addressed the mendicants,
“Mendicants!”
“Venerable sir,” they replied.
The Buddha said this:
“Mendicants, the lifespan of humans is short.
You must go to the next life. So you should do what is skillful, you should practice the spiritual life.
No-one born is immortal.
A long life is a hundred years or a little more.”
Then Māra the Wicked went up to the Buddha and addressed him in verse:
“The life of humans is long!
A true person wouldn’t scorn it.
Live like a suckling babe,
for Death has not come for you.”
“The life of humans is short,
and a true person scorns it.
They should live as though their head was on fire,
for Death comes for everyone.”
Then Māra … vanished right there.
Evaṁ me sutaṁ—
ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe.
Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:
“bhikkhavo”ti.
“Bhadante”ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ.
Bhagavā etadavoca:
“Appamidaṁ, bhikkhave, manussānaṁ āyu.
Gamanīyo samparāyo, kattabbaṁ kusalaṁ, caritabbaṁ brahmacariyaṁ.
Natthi jātassa amaraṇaṁ.
Yo, bhikkhave, ciraṁ jīvati, so vassasataṁ appaṁ vā bhiyyo”ti.
Atha kho māro pāpimā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:
“Dīghamāyu manussānaṁ,
na naṁ hīḷe suporiso;
Careyya khīramattova,
natthi maccussa āgamo”ti.
“Appamāyu manussānaṁ,
hīḷeyya naṁ suporiso;
Careyyādittasīsova,
natthi maccussa nāgamo”ti.
Atha kho māro …pe… tatthevantaradhāyīti.