Paṭhamaāyusutta

Saṁyutta Nikāya 4.9

Linked Discourses 4.9

1. Paṭhamavagga

1. Lifespan

Paṭhamaāyusutta

Lifespan (1st)

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.

We are headed for lives to come. So we must do what is skillful, we must 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.