Aṅguttara Nikāya 3.62

Numbered Discourses 3.62

7. Mahāvagga

7. The Great Chapter

Bhayasutta

Perils

“Tīṇimāni, bhikkhave, amātāputtikāni bhayānīti assutavā puthujjano bhāsati. Katamāni tīṇi?

“Bhikkhus, an unlearned ordinary person speaks of three perils that tear mothers and children apart. What three?

Hoti so, bhikkhave, samayo yaṁ mahāaggiḍāho vuṭṭhāti. Mahāaggiḍāhe kho pana, bhikkhave, vuṭṭhite tena gāmāpi ḍayhanti nigamāpi ḍayhanti nagarāpi ḍayhanti. Gāmesupi ḍayhamānesu nigamesupi ḍayhamānesu nagaresupi ḍayhamānesu tattha mātāpi puttaṁ nappaṭilabhati, puttopi mātaraṁ nappaṭilabhati. Idaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭhamaṁ amātāputtikaṁ bhayanti assutavā puthujjano bhāsati.

There comes a time when a great fire flares up, and it burns villages, towns, and cities. When this happens, a mother can’t find her child, and a child can’t find their mother. This is the first peril that tears mothers and children apart.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, hoti so samayo yaṁ mahāmegho vuṭṭhāti. Mahāmeghe kho pana, bhikkhave, vuṭṭhite mahāudakavāhako sañjāyati. Mahāudakavāhake kho pana, bhikkhave, sañjāyante tena gāmāpi vuyhanti nigamāpi vuyhanti nagarāpi vuyhanti. Gāmesupi vuyhamānesu nigamesupi vuyhamānesu nagaresupi vuyhamānesu tattha mātāpi puttaṁ nappaṭilabhati, puttopi mātaraṁ nappaṭilabhati. Idaṁ, bhikkhave, dutiyaṁ amātāputtikaṁ bhayanti assutavā puthujjano bhāsati.

Furthermore, there comes a time when a great storm gathers, and it unleashes a mighty flood that sweeps away villages, towns, and cities. When this happens, a mother can’t find her child, and a child can’t find their mother. This is the second peril that tears mothers and children apart.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, hoti so samayo yaṁ bhayaṁ hoti aṭavisaṅkopo, cakkasamāruḷhā jānapadā pariyāyanti. Bhaye kho pana, bhikkhave, sati aṭavisaṅkope cakkasamāruḷhesu jānapadesu pariyāyantesu tattha mātāpi puttaṁ nappaṭilabhati, puttopi mātaraṁ nappaṭilabhati. Idaṁ, bhikkhave, tatiyaṁ amātāputtikaṁ bhayanti assutavā puthujjano bhāsati.

Furthermore, there comes a time of peril from wild savages, and the countryfolk mount their vehicles and flee everywhere. When this happens, a mother can’t find her child, and a child can’t find their mother. This is the third peril that tears mothers and children apart.

Imāni kho, bhikkhave, tīṇi amātāputtikāni bhayānīti assutavā puthujjano bhāsati.

These are the three perils an unlearned ordinary person speaks of that tear mothers and children apart.

Tāni kho panimāni, bhikkhave, tīṇi samātāputtikāniyeva bhayāni amātāputtikāni bhayānīti assutavā puthujjano bhāsati. Katamāni tīṇi?

Bhikkhus, an unlearned ordinary person speaks of three perils that don’t tear mothers and children apart. What three?

Hoti so, bhikkhave, samayo yaṁ mahāaggiḍāho vuṭṭhāti. Mahāaggiḍāhe kho pana, bhikkhave, vuṭṭhite tena gāmāpi ḍayhanti nigamāpi ḍayhanti nagarāpi ḍayhanti. Gāmesupi ḍayhamānesu nigamesupi ḍayhamānesu nagaresupi ḍayhamānesu hoti so samayo yaṁ kadāci karahaci mātāpi puttaṁ paṭilabhati, puttopi mātaraṁ paṭilabhati. Idaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭhamaṁ samātāputtikaṁyeva bhayaṁ amātāputtikaṁ bhayanti assutavā puthujjano bhāsati.

There comes a time when a great fire flares up, and it burns villages, towns, and cities. When this happens, sometimes a mother can find her child, and a child can find their mother. This is the first peril that doesn’t tear mothers and children apart.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, hoti so samayo yaṁ mahāmegho vuṭṭhāti. Mahāmeghe kho pana, bhikkhave, vuṭṭhite mahāudakavāhako sañjāyati. Mahāudakavāhake kho pana, bhikkhave, sañjāte tena gāmāpi vuyhanti nigamāpi vuyhanti nagarāpi vuyhanti. Gāmesupi vuyhamānesu nigamesupi vuyhamānesu nagaresupi vuyhamānesu hoti so samayo yaṁ kadāci karahaci mātāpi puttaṁ paṭilabhati, puttopi mātaraṁ paṭilabhati. Idaṁ, bhikkhave, dutiyaṁ samātāputtikaṁyeva bhayaṁ amātāputtikaṁ bhayanti assutavā puthujjano bhāsati.

Furthermore, there comes a time when a great storm gathers, and it unleashes a mighty flood that sweeps away villages, towns, and cities. When this happens, sometimes a mother can find her child, and a child can find their mother. This is the second peril that doesn’t tear mothers and children apart.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, hoti so samayo yaṁ bhayaṁ hoti aṭavisaṅkopo, cakkasamāruḷhā jānapadā pariyāyanti. Bhaye kho pana, bhikkhave, sati aṭavisaṅkope cakkasamāruḷhesu jānapadesu pariyāyantesu hoti so samayo yaṁ kadāci karahaci mātāpi puttaṁ paṭilabhati, puttopi mātaraṁ paṭilabhati. Idaṁ, bhikkhave, tatiyaṁ samātāputtikaṁyeva bhayaṁ amātāputtikaṁ bhayanti assutavā puthujjano bhāsati.

Furthermore, there comes a time of peril from wild savages, and the countryfolk mount their vehicles and flee everywhere. When this happens, sometimes a mother can find her child, and a child can find their mother. This is the third peril that doesn’t tear mothers and children apart.

Imāni kho, bhikkhave, tīṇi samātāputtikāniyeva bhayāni amātāputtikāni bhayānīti assutavā puthujjano bhāsati.

These are the three perils an unlearned ordinary person speaks of that don’t tear mothers and children apart.

Tīṇimāni, bhikkhave, amātāputtikāni bhayāni. Katamāni tīṇi?

There are three perils that tear mothers and children apart. What three?

Jarābhayaṁ, byādhibhayaṁ, maraṇabhayanti. Na, bhikkhave, mātā puttaṁ jīramānaṁ evaṁ labhati: ‘ahaṁ jīrāmi, mā me putto jīrī’ti; putto vā pana mātaraṁ jīramānaṁ na evaṁ labhati: ‘ahaṁ jīrāmi, mā me mātā jīrī’ti.

The perils of old age, sickness, and death. When a child is growing old, a mother doesn’t get her wish: ‘Let me grow old, may my child not grow old!’ When a mother is growing old, a child doesn’t get their wish: ‘Let me grow old, may my mother not grow old!’

Na, bhikkhave, mātā puttaṁ byādhiyamānaṁ evaṁ labhati: ‘ahaṁ byādhiyāmi, mā me putto byādhiyī’ti; putto vā pana mātaraṁ byādhiyamānaṁ na evaṁ labhati: ‘ahaṁ byādhiyāmi, mā me mātā byādhiyī’ti.

When a child is sick, a mother doesn’t get her wish: ‘Let me be sick, may my child not be sick!’ When a mother is sick, a child doesn’t get their wish: ‘Let me be sick, may my mother not be sick!’

Na, bhikkhave, mātā puttaṁ mīyamānaṁ evaṁ labhati: ‘ahaṁ mīyāmi, mā me putto mīyī’ti; putto vā pana mātaraṁ mīyamānaṁ na evaṁ labhati: ‘ahaṁ mīyāmi, mā me mātā mīyī’ti. Imāni kho, bhikkhave, tīṇi amātāputtikāni bhayānīti.

When a child is dying, a mother doesn’t get her wish: ‘Let me die, may my child not die!’ When a mother is dying, a child doesn’t get their wish: ‘Let me die, may my mother not die!’ These are the three perils that tear mothers and children apart.

Atthi, bhikkhave, maggo atthi paṭipadā imesañca tiṇṇaṁ samātāputtikānaṁ bhayānaṁ imesañca tiṇṇaṁ amātāputtikānaṁ bhayānaṁ pahānāya samatikkamāya saṁvattati. Katamo ca, bhikkhave, maggo katamā ca paṭipadā imesañca tiṇṇaṁ samātāputtikānaṁ bhayānaṁ imesañca tiṇṇaṁ amātāputtikānaṁ bhayānaṁ pahānāya samatikkamāya saṁvattati? Ayameva ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo, seyyathidaṁ—sammādiṭṭhi, sammāsaṅkappo, sammāvācā, sammākammanto, sammāājīvo, sammāvāyāmo, sammāsati, sammāsamādhi. Ayaṁ kho, bhikkhave, maggo ayaṁ paṭipadā imesañca tiṇṇaṁ samātāputtikānaṁ bhayānaṁ imesañca tiṇṇaṁ amātāputtikānaṁ bhayānaṁ pahānāya samatikkamāya saṁvattatī”ti.

There is a path and a practice that leads to giving up and going beyond the three perils that don’t tear mothers and children apart, and the three perils that do tear mothers and children apart. What is that path and practice? It is simply this noble eightfold path, that is: right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion. This is the path, this is the practice that leads to giving up and going beyond the three perils that don’t tear mothers and children apart, and the three perils that do tear mothers and children apart.”

Dutiyaṁ.