| Tipiṭaka / Tipiṭaka (English) / Aṅguttara Nikāya, English translation |
अङ्गुत्तर निकाय ७।७४
Aṅguttara Nikāya 7.74
Numbered Discourses 7.74
७। महावग्ग
7. Mahāvagga
7. The Great Chapter
अरकसुत्त
Arakasutta
About Araka
“भूतपुब्बं, भिक्खवे, अरको नाम सत्था अहोसि तित्थकरो कामेसु वीतरागो। अरकस्स खो पन, भिक्खवे, सत्थुनो अनेकानि सावकसतानि अहेसुं। अरको सत्था सावकानं एवं धम्मं देसेति: ‘अप्पकं, ब्राह्मण, जीवितं मनुस्सानं परित्तं लहुकं बहुदुक्खं बहुपायासं मन्तायं बोद्धब्बं, कत्तब्बं कुसलं, चरितब्बं ब्रह्मचरियं, नत्थि जातस्स अमरणं।
“Bhūtapubbaṁ, bhikkhave, arako nāma satthā ahosi titthakaro kāmesu vītarāgo. Arakassa kho pana, bhikkhave, satthuno anekāni sāvakasatāni ahesuṁ. Arako satthā sāvakānaṁ evaṁ dhammaṁ deseti: ‘appakaṁ, brāhmaṇa, jīvitaṁ manussānaṁ parittaṁ lahukaṁ1 bahudukkhaṁ bahupāyāsaṁ mantāyaṁ boddhabbaṁ, kattabbaṁ kusalaṁ, caritabbaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, natthi jātassa amaraṇaṁ.
“Once upon a time, bhikkhus, there was a Teacher called Araka. He was a religious founder and was free of sensual desire. He had many hundreds of disciples, and he taught them like this: ‘Brahmins, life as a human is short, brief, and fleeting, full of suffering and distress. Be thoughtful and wake up! Do what’s good and lead the spiritual life, for no-one born can escape death.
सेय्यथापि, ब्राह्मण, तिणग्गे उस्सावबिन्दु सूरिये उग्गच्छन्ते खिप्पंयेव पटिविगच्छति, न चिरट्ठितिकं होति; एवमेवं खो, ब्राह्मण, उस्सावबिन्दूपमं जीवितं मनुस्सानं परित्तं लहुकं बहुदुक्खं बहुपायासं मन्तायं बोद्धब्बं, कत्तब्बं कुसलं, चरितब्बं ब्रह्मचरियं, नत्थि जातस्स अमरणं।
Seyyathāpi, brāhmaṇa, tiṇagge ussāvabindu sūriye uggacchante khippaṁyeva paṭivigacchati, na ciraṭṭhitikaṁ hoti; evamevaṁ kho, brāhmaṇa, ussāvabindūpamaṁ jīvitaṁ manussānaṁ parittaṁ lahukaṁ bahudukkhaṁ bahupāyāsaṁ mantāyaṁ boddhabbaṁ, kattabbaṁ kusalaṁ, caritabbaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, natthi jātassa amaraṇaṁ.
It’s like a drop of dew on a grass tip. When the sun comes up it quickly evaporates and doesn’t last long. In the same way, life as a human is like a dewdrop. It’s brief and fleeting, full of suffering and distress. Be thoughtful and wake up! Do what’s good and lead the spiritual life, for no-one born can escape death.
सेय्यथापि, ब्राह्मण, थुल्लफुसितके देवे वस्सन्ते उदकबुब्बुळं खिप्पंयेव पटिविगच्छति, न चिरट्ठितिकं होति; एवमेवं खो, ब्राह्मण, उदकबुब्बुळूपमं जीवितं मनुस्सानं परित्तं लहुकं बहुदुक्खं बहुपायासं मन्तायं बोद्धब्बं, कत्तब्बं कुसलं, चरितब्बं ब्रह्मचरियं, नत्थि जातस्स अमरणं।
Seyyathāpi, brāhmaṇa, thullaphusitake deve vassante udakabubbuḷaṁ2 khippaṁyeva paṭivigacchati, na ciraṭṭhitikaṁ hoti; evamevaṁ kho, brāhmaṇa, udakabubbuḷūpamaṁ jīvitaṁ manussānaṁ parittaṁ lahukaṁ bahudukkhaṁ bahupāyāsaṁ mantāyaṁ boddhabbaṁ, kattabbaṁ kusalaṁ, caritabbaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, natthi jātassa amaraṇaṁ.
It’s like when the rain falls heavily. The bubbles quickly vanish and don’t last long. In the same way, life as a human is like a bubble. …
सेय्यथापि, ब्राह्मण, उदके दण्डराजि खिप्पंयेव पटिविगच्छति, न चिरट्ठितिका होति; एवमेवं खो, ब्राह्मण, उदके दण्डराजूपमं जीवितं मनुस्सानं परित्तं …पे… नत्थि जातस्स अमरणं।
Seyyathāpi, brāhmaṇa, udake daṇḍarāji khippaṁyeva paṭivigacchati, na ciraṭṭhitikā hoti; evamevaṁ kho, brāhmaṇa, udake daṇḍarājūpamaṁ jīvitaṁ manussānaṁ parittaṁ …pe… natthi jātassa amaraṇaṁ.
It’s like a line drawn in water. It vanishes quickly and doesn’t last long. In the same way, life as a human is like a line drawn in water. …
सेय्यथापि, ब्राह्मण, नदी पब्बतेय्या दूरङ्गमा सीघसोता हारहारिनी, नत्थि सो खणो वा लयो वा मुहुत्तो वा यं सा आवत्तति, अथ खो सा गच्छतेव वत्ततेव सन्दतेव; एवमेवं खो, ब्राह्मण, नदीपब्बतेय्यूपमं जीवितं मनुस्सानं परित्तं लहुकं …पे… नत्थि जातस्स अमरणं।
Seyyathāpi, brāhmaṇa, nadī pabbateyyā dūraṅgamā sīghasotā hārahārinī, natthi so khaṇo vā layo vā muhutto vā yaṁ sā āvattati, atha kho sā3 gacchateva vattateva sandateva; evamevaṁ kho, brāhmaṇa, nadīpabbateyyūpamaṁ jīvitaṁ manussānaṁ parittaṁ lahukaṁ …pe… natthi jātassa amaraṇaṁ.
It’s like a mountain river traveling far, flowing fast, carrying all before it. It doesn’t turn back—not for a moment, a second, an instant—but runs, rolls, and flows on. In the same way, life as a human is like a mountain river. …
सेय्यथापि, ब्राह्मण, बलवा पुरिसो जिव्हग्गे खेळपिण्डं संयूहित्वा अकसिरेनेव वमेय्य; एवमेवं खो, ब्राह्मण, खेळपिण्डूपमं जीवितं मनुस्सानं परित्तं …पे… नत्थि जातस्स अमरणं।
Seyyathāpi, brāhmaṇa, balavā puriso jivhagge kheḷapiṇḍaṁ saṁyūhitvā akasireneva vameyya; evamevaṁ kho, brāhmaṇa, kheḷapiṇḍūpamaṁ jīvitaṁ manussānaṁ parittaṁ …pe… natthi jātassa amaraṇaṁ.
It’s like a strong man who has formed a glob of spit on the tip of his tongue. He could easily spit it out. In the same way, life as a human is like a glob of spit. …
सेय्यथापि, ब्राह्मण, दिवसंसन्तत्ते अयोकटाहे मंसपेसि पक्खित्ता खिप्पंयेव पटिविगच्छति, न चिरट्ठितिका होति; एवमेवं खो, ब्राह्मण, मंसपेसूपमं जीवितं मनुस्सानं परित्तं …पे… नत्थि जातस्स अमरणं।
Seyyathāpi, brāhmaṇa, divasaṁsantatte ayokaṭāhe maṁsapesi4 pakkhittā khippaṁyeva paṭivigacchati, na ciraṭṭhitikā hoti; evamevaṁ kho, brāhmaṇa, maṁsapesūpamaṁ jīvitaṁ manussānaṁ parittaṁ …pe… natthi jātassa amaraṇaṁ.
Suppose there was an iron cauldron that had been heated all day. If you tossed a lump of meat in, it would quickly vanish and not last long. In the same way, life as a human is like a lump of meat. …
सेय्यथापि, ब्राह्मण, गावी वज्झा आघातनं नीयमाना यं यदेव पादं उद्धरति, सन्तिकेव होति वधस्स सन्तिकेव मरणस्स; एवमेवं खो, ब्राह्मण, गोवज्झूपमं जीवितं मनुस्सानं परित्तं लहुकं बहुदुक्खं बहुपायासं मन्तायं बोद्धब्बं, कत्तब्बं कुसलं, चरितब्बं ब्रह्मचरियं, नत्थि जातस्स अमरणन्ऽति।
Seyyathāpi, brāhmaṇa, gāvī vajjhā āghātanaṁ nīyamānā yaṁ yadeva pādaṁ uddharati, santikeva hoti vadhassa santikeva maraṇassa; evamevaṁ kho, brāhmaṇa, govajjhūpamaṁ5 jīvitaṁ manussānaṁ parittaṁ lahukaṁ bahudukkhaṁ bahupāyāsaṁ mantāyaṁ boddhabbaṁ, kattabbaṁ kusalaṁ, caritabbaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, natthi jātassa amaraṇan’ti.
It’s like a cow being led to the slaughterhouse. With every step she comes closer to the slaughter, closer to death. In the same way, life as a human is like a cow being slaughtered. It’s brief and fleeting, full of suffering and distress. Be thoughtful and wake up! Do what’s good and lead the spiritual life, for no-one born can escape death.’
तेन खो पन, भिक्खवे, समयेन मनुस्सानं सट्ठिवस्ससहस्सानि आयुप्पमाणं अहोसि, पञ्चवस्ससतिका कुमारिका अलंपतेय्या अहोसि। तेन खो पन, भिक्खवे, समयेन मनुस्सानं छळेव आबाधा अहेसुं—सीतं, उण्हं, जिघच्छा, पिपासा, उच्चारो, पस्सावो। सो हि नाम, भिक्खवे, अरको सत्था एवं दीघायुकेसु मनुस्सेसु एवं चिरट्ठितिकेसु एवं अप्पाबाधेसु सावकानं एवं धम्मं देसेस्सति: ‘अप्पकं, ब्राह्मण, जीवितं मनुस्सानं परित्तं लहुकं बहुदुक्खं बहुपायासं मन्तायं बोद्धब्बं, कत्तब्बं कुसलं, चरितब्बं ब्रह्मचरियं, नत्थि जातस्स अमरणन्ऽति।
Tena kho pana, bhikkhave, samayena manussānaṁ saṭṭhivassasahassāni āyuppamāṇaṁ ahosi, pañcavassasatikā kumārikā alaṁpateyyā ahosi. Tena kho pana, bhikkhave, samayena manussānaṁ chaḷeva ābādhā ahesuṁ—sītaṁ, uṇhaṁ, jighacchā, pipāsā, uccāro, passāvo. So hi nāma, bhikkhave, arako satthā evaṁ dīghāyukesu manussesu evaṁ ciraṭṭhitikesu evaṁ appābādhesu sāvakānaṁ evaṁ dhammaṁ desessati: ‘appakaṁ, brāhmaṇa, jīvitaṁ manussānaṁ parittaṁ lahukaṁ bahudukkhaṁ bahupāyāsaṁ mantāyaṁ boddhabbaṁ, kattabbaṁ kusalaṁ, caritabbaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, natthi jātassa amaraṇan’ti.
Now, bhikkhus, at that time human beings had a life span of 60,000 years. Girls could be married at 500 years of age. And human beings only had six afflictions: cold, heat, hunger, thirst, and the need to defecate and urinate. But even though humans were so long-lived with so few afflictions, Araka still taught in this way: ‘Life as a human is short, brief, and fleeting, full of suffering and distress. Be thoughtful and wake up! Do what’s good and lead the spiritual life, for no-one born can escape death.’
एतरहि तं, भिक्खवे, सम्मा वदमानो वदेय्य: ‘अप्पकं जीवितं मनुस्सानं परित्तं लहुकं बहुदुक्खं बहुपायासं मन्तायं बोद्धब्बं, कत्तब्बं कुसलं, चरितब्बं ब्रह्मचरियं, नत्थि जातस्स अमरणन्ऽति। एतरहि, भिक्खवे, यो चिरं जीवति सो वस्ससतं अप्पं वा भिय्यो। वस्ससतं खो पन, भिक्खवे, जीवन्तो तीणियेव उतुसतानि जीवति—उतुसतं हेमन्तानं, उतुसतं गिम्हानं, उतुसतं वस्सानं। तीणि खो पन, भिक्खवे, उतुसतानि जीवन्तो द्वादसयेव माससतानि जीवति—चत्तारि माससतानि हेमन्तानं, चत्तारि माससतानि गिम्हानं, चत्तारि माससतानि वस्सानं। द्वादस खो पन, भिक्खवे, माससतानि जीवन्तो चतुवीसतियेव अद्धमाससतानि जीवति—अट्ठद्धमाससतानि हेमन्तानं, अट्ठद्धमाससतानि गिम्हानं, अट्ठद्धमाससतानि वस्सानं। चतुवीसति खो पन, भिक्खवे, अद्धमाससतानि जीवन्तो छत्तिंसंयेव रत्तिसहस्सानि जीवति—द्वादस रत्तिसहस्सानि हेमन्तानं, द्वादस रत्तिसहस्सानि गिम्हानं, द्वादस रत्तिसहस्सानि वस्सानं। छत्तिंसं खो पन, भिक्खवे, रत्तिसहस्सानि जीवन्तो द्वेसत्ततियेव भत्तसहस्सानि भुञ्जति—चतुवीसति भत्तसहस्सानि हेमन्तानं, चतुवीसति भत्तसहस्सानि गिम्हानं, चतुवीसति भत्तसहस्सानि वस्सानं सद्धिं मातुथञ्ञाय सद्धिं भत्तन्तरायेन।
Etarahi taṁ, bhikkhave, sammā vadamāno vadeyya: ‘appakaṁ jīvitaṁ manussānaṁ parittaṁ lahukaṁ bahudukkhaṁ bahupāyāsaṁ mantāyaṁ boddhabbaṁ, kattabbaṁ kusalaṁ, caritabbaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, natthi jātassa amaraṇan’ti. Etarahi, bhikkhave, yo ciraṁ jīvati so vassasataṁ appaṁ vā bhiyyo. Vassasataṁ kho pana, bhikkhave, jīvanto tīṇiyeva utusatāni jīvati—utusataṁ hemantānaṁ, utusataṁ gimhānaṁ, utusataṁ vassānaṁ. Tīṇi kho pana, bhikkhave, utusatāni jīvanto dvādasayeva6 māsasatāni jīvati—cattāri māsasatāni hemantānaṁ, cattāri māsasatāni gimhānaṁ, cattāri māsasatāni vassānaṁ. Dvādasa kho pana, bhikkhave, māsasatāni jīvanto catuvīsatiyeva addhamāsasatāni jīvati—aṭṭhaddhamāsasatāni hemantānaṁ, aṭṭhaddhamāsasatāni gimhānaṁ, aṭṭhaddhamāsasatāni vassānaṁ. Catuvīsati kho pana, bhikkhave, addhamāsasatāni jīvanto chattiṁsaṁyeva rattisahassāni jīvati—dvādasa rattisahassāni hemantānaṁ, dvādasa rattisahassāni gimhānaṁ, dvādasa rattisahassāni vassānaṁ. Chattiṁsaṁ kho pana, bhikkhave, rattisahassāni jīvanto dvesattatiyeva7 bhattasahassāni bhuñjati—catuvīsati bhattasahassāni hemantānaṁ, catuvīsati bhattasahassāni gimhānaṁ, catuvīsati bhattasahassāni vassānaṁ saddhiṁ mātuthaññāya saddhiṁ bhattantarāyena.
These days it’d be right to say: ‘Life as a human is short, brief, and fleeting, full of suffering and distress. Be thoughtful and wake up! Do what’s good and lead the spiritual life, for no-one born can escape death.’ For these days a long life is a hundred years or a little more. Living for a hundred years, there are just three hundred seasons, a hundred each of the winter, summer, and rains. Living for three hundred seasons, there are just twelve hundred months, four hundred in each of the winter, summer, and rains. Living for twelve hundred months, there are just twenty-four hundred fortnights, eight hundred in each of the winter, summer, and rains. Living for 2,400 fortnights, there are just 36,000 days, 12,000 in each of the summer, winter, and rains. Living for 36,000 days, you just eat 72,000 meals, 24,000 in each of the summer, winter, and rains, including when you’re suckling at the breast, and when you’re prevented from eating.
तत्रिमे भत्तन्तराया कपिमिद्धोपि भत्तं न भुञ्जति, दुक्खितोपि भत्तं न भुञ्जति, ब्याधितोपि भत्तं न भुञ्जति, उपोसथिकोपि भत्तं न भुञ्जति, अलाभकेनपि भत्तं न भुञ्जति। इति खो, भिक्खवे, मया वस्ससतायुकस्स मनुस्सस्स आयुपि सङ्खातो, आयुप्पमाणम्पि सङ्खातं, उतूपि सङ्खाता, संवच्छरापि सङ्खाता, मासापि सङ्खाता, अद्धमासापि सङ्खाता, रत्तिपि सङ्खाता, दिवापि सङ्खाता, भत्तापि सङ्खाता, भत्तन्तरायापि सङ्खाता। यं, भिक्खवे, सत्थारा करणीयं सावकानं हितेसिना अनुकम्पकेन अनुकम्पं उपादाय; कतं वो तं मया एतानि, भिक्खवे, रुक्खमूलानि एतानि सुञ्ञागारानि। झायथ, भिक्खवे, मा पमादत्थ; मा पच्छा विप्पटिसारिनो अहुवत्थ। अयं वो अम्हाकं अनुसासनी”ति।
Tatrime bhattantarāyā kapimiddhopi bhattaṁ na bhuñjati, dukkhitopi bhattaṁ na bhuñjati, byādhitopi bhattaṁ na bhuñjati, uposathikopi bhattaṁ na bhuñjati, alābhakenapi bhattaṁ na bhuñjati. Iti kho, bhikkhave, mayā vassasatāyukassa manussassa āyupi saṅkhāto, āyuppamāṇampi saṅkhātaṁ, utūpi saṅkhātā, saṁvaccharāpi saṅkhātā, māsāpi saṅkhātā, addhamāsāpi saṅkhātā, rattipi saṅkhātā, divāpi saṅkhātā, bhattāpi saṅkhātā, bhattantarāyāpi saṅkhātā. Yaṁ, bhikkhave, satthārā karaṇīyaṁ sāvakānaṁ hitesinā anukampakena anukampaṁ upādāya; kataṁ vo taṁ mayā etāni, bhikkhave, rukkhamūlāni etāni suññāgārāni. Jhāyatha, bhikkhave, mā pamādattha; mā pacchā vippaṭisārino ahuvattha. Ayaṁ vo amhākaṁ anusāsanī”ti.
Things that prevent you from eating include anger, pain, sickness, Uposatha day, or being unable to get food. So bhikkhus, for a human being with a hundred years life span I have counted the life span, the limit of the life span, the seasons, the years, the months, the fortnights, the nights, the days, the meals, and the things that prevent them from eating. Out of compassion, I’ve done what a teacher should do who wants what’s best for their disciples. Here are these roots of trees, and here are these empty huts. Practice jhāna, bhikkhus! Don’t be negligent! Don’t regret it later! This is my instruction to you.”
दसमं।
Dasamaṁ.
महावग्गो सत्तमो।
Mahāvaggo sattamo.
तस्सुद्दानं
Tassuddānaṁ
हिरीसूरियं उपमा, धम्मञ्ञू पारिछत्तकं; सक्कच्चं भावना अग्गि, सुनेत्तअरकेन चाति।
Hirīsūriyaṁ upamā, dhammaññū pārichattakaṁ; Sakkaccaṁ bhāvanā aggi, sunettaarakena cāti.
The authoritative text of the Aṅguttara Nikāya is the Pāli text. The English translation is provided as an aid to the study of the original Pāli text. [CREDITS »]
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