UD 5.2  Appāyuka sutta - Short lived

Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Atha kho āyasmā ānando sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “acchariyaṁ, bhante, abbhutaṁ, bhante. Yāva appāyukā hi, bhante, bhagavato mātā ahosi, sattāhajāte bhagavati bhagavato mātā kālamakāsi, tusitaṁ kāyaṁ upapajjī”ti.

Thus have I heard—At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthi, in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park. Then, venerable Ānanda, having emerged from seclusion in the late afternoon, approached the Blessed One; having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, venerable Ānanda said to the Blessed One: “It is wonderful, venerable sir, it is marvelous, venerable sir, just how |short lived::with a brief lifespan [appāyuka]|, venerable sir, the Blessed One’s mother was. Seven days after the Blessed One was born, the Blessed One’s mother passed away and was reborn in the |Tusita heaven::name of a group of deities; lit. satisfied [tusita]|.”

“Evametaṁ, ānanda, appāyukā hi, ānanda, bodhisattamātaro honti. Sattāhajātesu bodhisattesu bodhisattamātaro kālaṁ karonti, tusitaṁ kāyaṁ upapajjantī”ti.

“It is just so, Ānanda. The mothers of |Bodhisatta::Buddha before his awakening, aspirant Buddha [bodhisatta]|s are indeed short lived. Seven days after bodhisattas are born, the mothers of bodhisattas pass away and are reborn in the Tusita heaven.”

Atha kho bhagavā etamatthaṁ viditvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:

Then, understanding the significance of this, the Blessed One at that time expressed this inspired utterance:

“Ye keci bhūtā bhavissanti ye vāpi,
Sabbe gamissanti pahāya dehaṁ;
Taṁ sabbajāniṁ kusalo viditvā,
Ātāpiyo brahmacariyaṁ careyyā”ti.

“Whatever beings exist or will exist,
all will depart, abandoning the body;
The |skillful one::adept, competent one, expert [kusala]|, having understood that total loss,
should lead the |spiritual life::a life of celibacy, contemplation, and ethical discipline lived for the sake of liberation; oriented toward inner development rather than sensual pleasures [brahmacariya]| |with continuous effort::ardent, zealous, with energy, with application [ātāpī]|.”