Dutiyaāyusutta

Saṁyutta Nikāya 4.10

Linked Discourses 4.10

1. Paṭhamavagga

1. Lifespan

Dutiyaāyusutta

Lifespan (2nd)

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 …pe… etadavoca:

There the Buddha … said:

“Appamidaṁ, bhikkhave, manussānaṁ āyu.

“Mendicants, the lifespan of humans is short.

Gamanīyo samparāyo, kattabbaṁ kusalaṁ, caritabbaṁ brahmacariyaṁ.

We are headed for lives to come. 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:

“Nāccayanti ahorattā,

“The days and nights don’t rush by,

Jīvitaṁ nūparujjhati;

and life isn’t cut short.

Āyu anupariyāyati maccānaṁ,

The life of mortals keeps rolling on,

Nemīva rathakubbaran”ti.

like a chariot’s rim around the hub.”

“Accayanti ahorattā,

“The days and nights rush by,

jīvitaṁ uparujjhati;

and then life is cut short.

Āyu khīyati maccānaṁ,

The life of mortals wastes away,

kunnadīnaṁva odakan”ti.

like the water in tiny streams.”

Atha kho māro pāpimā “jānāti maṁ bhagavā, jānāti maṁ sugato”ti dukkhī dummano tatthevantaradhāyīti.

Then Māra the Wicked, thinking, “The Buddha knows me! The Holy One knows me!” miserable and sad, vanished right there.

Paṭhamo vaggo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Tapokammañca nāgo ca,

subhaṁ pāsena te duve;

Sappo supati nandanaṁ,

āyunā apare duveti.