Jarādhammasutta

Saṁyutta Nikāya 48.41

Linked Discourses 48.41

5. Jarāvagga

5. Old Age

Jarādhammasutta

Old Age

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—

So I have heard.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati pubbārāme migāramātupāsāde.

At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in the stilt longhouse of Migāra’s mother in the Eastern Monastery.

Tena kho pana samayena bhagavā sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito pacchātape nisinno hoti piṭṭhiṁ otāpayamāno.

Then in the late afternoon, the Buddha came out of retreat and sat warming his back in the last rays of the sun.

Atha kho āyasmā ānando yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā bhagavato gattāni pāṇinā anomajjanto bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

Then Venerable Ānanda went up to the Buddha, bowed, and while massaging the Buddha’s limbs he said:

“acchariyaṁ, bhante, abbhutaṁ, bhante.

“It’s incredible, sir, it’s amazing,

Na cevaṁ dāni, bhante, bhagavato tāva parisuddho chavivaṇṇo pariyodāto, sithilāni ca gattāni sabbāni valiyajātāni, purato pabbhāro ca kāyo, dissati ca indriyānaṁ aññathattaṁ—

how the complexion of your skin is no longer pure and bright. Your limbs are flaccid and wrinkled, and your body is stooped. And it’s apparent that there has been a deterioration in your faculties

cakkhundriyassa sotindriyassa ghānindriyassa jivhindriyassa kāyindriyassā”ti.

of eye, ear, nose, tongue, and body.”

“Evañhetaṁ, ānanda, hoti—

“That’s how it is, Ānanda.

jarādhammo yobbaññe, byādhidhammo ārogye, maraṇadhammo jīvite.

When young you’re liable to grow old; when healthy you’re liable to get sick; and when alive you’re liable to die.

Na ceva tāva parisuddho hoti chavivaṇṇo pariyodāto, sithilāni ca honti gattāni sabbāni valiyajātāni, purato pabbhāro ca kāyo, dissati ca indriyānaṁ aññathattaṁ—

The complexion of the skin is no longer pure and bright. The limbs are flaccid and wrinkled, and the body is stooped. And it’s apparent that there has been a deterioration in the faculties

cakkhundriyassa sotindriyassa ghānindriyassa jivhindriyassa kāyindriyassā”ti.

of eye, ear, nose, tongue, and body.”

Idamavoca bhagavā.

That is what the Buddha said.

Idaṁ vatvā ca sugato athāparaṁ etadavoca satthā:

Then the Holy One, the Teacher, went on to say:

“Dhī taṁ jammi jare atthu,

“Curse this wretched old age,

dubbaṇṇakaraṇī jare;

which makes you so ugly.

Tāva manoramaṁ bimbaṁ,

That’s how much this delightful puppet

jarāya abhimadditaṁ.

is ground down by old age.

Yopi vassasataṁ jīve,

Even if you live for a hundred years,

sopi maccuparāyaṇo;

you’ll still end up dying.

Na kiñci parivajjeti,

Death spares no one,

sabbamevābhimaddatī”ti.

but crushes all underfoot.”

Paṭhamaṁ.