The Related Suttas Collection 3.3

1. Shackles

Old Age and Death

At Sāvatthī.

Seated to one side, King Pasenadi said to the Buddha, “Sir, for someone who has been reborn, is there any exemption from old age and death?”

“Great king, for someone who has been reborn, there’s no exemption from old age and death. Even for well-to-do aristocrats, brahmins, or householders—rich, affluent, and wealthy, with lots of gold and silver, lots of property and assets, and lots of money and grain—when they’re born, there’s no exemption from old age and death. Even for bhikkhus who are perfected—who have ended the defilements, completed the spiritual journey, done what had to be done, laid down the burden, achieved their own goal, utterly ended the fetters of rebirth, and are rightly freed through enlightenment—their bodies are liable to break up and be laid to rest.”

That is what the Buddha said. …

“The fancy chariots of kings wear out, and this body too gets old. But goodness never gets old: so the true and the good proclaim.”