sutta » an » an5 » Aṅguttara Nikāya 5.48

Alabbhanīyaṭhānasutta

Things That Cannot Be Had

“Pañcimāni, bhikkhave, alabbhanīyāni ṭhānāni samaṇena vā brāhmaṇena vā devena vā mārena vā brahmunā vā kenaci vā lokasmiṁ.
“Mendicants, there are five things that cannot be had by any ascetic or brahmin or god or Māra or Brahmā or by anyone in the world.

Katamāni pañca?
What five?

‘Jarādhammaṁ mā jīrī’ti alabbhanīyaṁ ṭhānaṁ samaṇena vā brāhmaṇena vā devena vā mārena vā brahmunā vā kenaci vā lokasmiṁ.
That someone liable to old age should not grow old.

‘Byādhidhammaṁ mā byādhīyī’ti …pe… ‘maraṇadhammaṁ mā mīyī’ti … ‘khayadhammaṁ mā khīyī’ti … ‘nassanadhammaṁ mā nassī’ti alabbhanīyaṁ ṭhānaṁ samaṇena vā brāhmaṇena vā devena vā mārena vā brahmunā vā kenaci vā lokasmiṁ.
That someone liable to sickness should not get sick. … That someone liable to death should not die. … That someone liable to ending should not end. … That someone liable to perishing should not perish. …

Assutavato, bhikkhave, puthujjanassa jarādhammaṁ jīrati.
An unlearned ordinary person has someone liable to old age who grows old.

So jarādhamme jiṇṇe na iti paṭisañcikkhati:
But they don’t reflect on old age:

‘na kho mayhevekassa jarādhammaṁ jīrati, atha kho yāvatā sattānaṁ āgati gati cuti upapatti sabbesaṁ sattānaṁ jarādhammaṁ jīrati.
‘It’s not just me who has someone liable to old age who grows old. For as long as sentient beings come and go, pass away and are reborn, they all have someone liable to old age who grows old.

Ahañceva kho pana jarādhamme jiṇṇe soceyyaṁ kilameyyaṁ parideveyyaṁ, urattāḷiṁ kandeyyaṁ, sammohaṁ āpajjeyyaṁ, bhattampi me nacchādeyya, kāyepi dubbaṇṇiyaṁ okkameyya, kammantāpi nappavatteyyuṁ, amittāpi attamanā assu, mittāpi dummanā assū’ti.
If I were to sorrow and wail and lament, beating my breast and falling into confusion, just because someone liable to old age grows old, I’d lose my appetite and my physical appearance would deteriorate. My work wouldn’t get done, my enemies would be encouraged, and my friends would be dispirited.’

So jarādhamme jiṇṇe socati kilamati paridevati, urattāḷiṁ kandati, sammohaṁ āpajjati.
And so, when someone liable to old age grows old, they sorrow and wail and lament, beating their breast and falling into confusion.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave:
This is called

‘assutavā puthujjano viddho savisena sokasallena attānaṁyeva paritāpeti’.
an unlearned ordinary person struck by sorrow’s poisoned arrow, who only mortifies themselves.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, assutavato puthujjanassa byādhidhammaṁ byādhīyati …pe… maraṇadhammaṁ mīyati … khayadhammaṁ khīyati … nassanadhammaṁ nassati.
Furthermore, an unlearned ordinary person has someone liable to sickness … death … ending … perishing.

So nassanadhamme naṭṭhe na iti paṭisañcikkhati:
But they don’t reflect on perishing:

‘na kho mayhevekassa nassanadhammaṁ nassati, atha kho yāvatā sattānaṁ āgati gati cuti upapatti sabbesaṁ sattānaṁ nassanadhammaṁ nassati.
‘It’s not just me who has someone liable to perishing who perishes. For as long as sentient beings come and go, pass away and are reborn, they all have someone liable to perishing who perishes.

Ahañceva kho pana nassanadhamme naṭṭhe soceyyaṁ kilameyyaṁ parideveyyaṁ, urattāḷiṁ kandeyyaṁ, sammohaṁ āpajjeyyaṁ, bhattampi me nacchādeyya, kāyepi dubbaṇṇiyaṁ okkameyya, kammantāpi nappavatteyyuṁ, amittāpi attamanā assu, mittāpi dummanā assū’ti.
If I were to sorrow and wail and lament, beating my breast and falling into confusion, just because someone liable to perishing perishes, I’d lose my appetite and my physical appearance would deteriorate. My work wouldn’t get done, my enemies would be encouraged, and my friends would be dispirited.’

So nassanadhamme naṭṭhe socati kilamati paridevati, urattāḷiṁ kandati, sammohaṁ āpajjati.
And so, when someone liable to perishing perishes, they sorrow and wail and lament, beating their breast and falling into confusion.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave:
This is called

‘assutavā puthujjano viddho savisena sokasallena attānaṁyeva paritāpeti’.
an unlearned ordinary person struck by sorrow’s poisoned arrow, who only mortifies themselves.

Sutavato ca kho, bhikkhave, ariyasāvakassa jarādhammaṁ jīrati.
A learned noble disciple has someone liable to old age who grows old.

So jarādhamme jiṇṇe iti paṭisañcikkhati:
So they reflect on old age:

‘na kho mayhevekassa jarādhammaṁ jīrati, atha kho yāvatā sattānaṁ āgati gati cuti upapatti sabbesaṁ sattānaṁ jarādhammaṁ jīrati.
‘It’s not just me who has someone liable to old age who grows old. For as long as sentient beings come and go, pass away and are reborn, they all have someone liable to old age who grows old.

Ahañceva kho pana jarādhamme jiṇṇe soceyyaṁ kilameyyaṁ parideveyyaṁ, urattāḷiṁ kandeyyaṁ, sammohaṁ āpajjeyyaṁ, bhattampi me nacchādeyya, kāyepi dubbaṇṇiyaṁ okkameyya, kammantāpi nappavatteyyuṁ, amittāpi attamanā assu, mittāpi dummanā assū’ti.
If I were to sorrow and wail and lament, beating my breast and falling into confusion, just because someone liable to old age grows old, I’d lose my appetite and my physical appearance would deteriorate. My work wouldn’t get done, my enemies would be encouraged, and my friends would be dispirited.’

So jarādhamme jiṇṇe na socati na kilamati na paridevati, na urattāḷiṁ kandati, na sammohaṁ āpajjati.
And so, when someone liable to old age grows old, they don’t sorrow and wail and lament, beating their breast and falling into confusion.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave:
This is called

‘sutavā ariyasāvako abbuhi savisaṁ sokasallaṁ, yena viddho assutavā puthujjano attānaṁyeva paritāpeti.
a learned noble disciple who has drawn out sorrow’s poisoned arrow, struck by which unlearned ordinary people only mortify themselves.

Asoko visallo ariyasāvako attānaṁyeva parinibbāpeti’.
Sorrowless, free of thorns, that noble disciple only extinguishes themselves.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, sutavato ariyasāvakassa byādhidhammaṁ byādhīyati …pe… maraṇadhammaṁ mīyati … khayadhammaṁ khīyati … nassanadhammaṁ nassati.
Furthermore, a learned noble disciple has someone liable to sickness … death … ending … perishing.

So nassanadhamme naṭṭhe iti paṭisañcikkhati:
So they reflect on perishing:

‘na kho mayhevekassa nassanadhammaṁ nassati, atha kho yāvatā sattānaṁ āgati gati cuti upapatti sabbesaṁ sattānaṁ nassanadhammaṁ nassati.
‘It’s not just me who has someone liable to perishing who perishes. For as long as sentient beings come and go, pass away and are reborn, they all have someone liable to perishing who perishes.

Ahañceva kho pana nassanadhamme naṭṭhe soceyyaṁ kilameyyaṁ parideveyyaṁ, urattāḷiṁ kandeyyaṁ, sammohaṁ āpajjeyyaṁ, bhattampi me nacchādeyya, kāyepi dubbaṇṇiyaṁ okkameyya, kammantāpi nappavatteyyuṁ, amittāpi attamanā assu, mittāpi dummanā assū’ti.
If I were to sorrow and wail and lament, beating my breast and falling into confusion, just because someone liable to perishing perishes, I’d lose my appetite and my physical appearance would deteriorate. My work wouldn’t get done, my enemies would be encouraged, and my friends would be dispirited.’

So nassanadhamme naṭṭhe na socati na kilamati na paridevati, na urattāḷiṁ kandati, na sammohaṁ āpajjati.
And so, when someone liable to perishing perishes, they don’t sorrow and wail and lament, beating their breast and falling into confusion.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave:
This is called

‘sutavā ariyasāvako abbuhi savisaṁ sokasallaṁ, yena viddho assutavā puthujjano attānaṁyeva paritāpeti.
a learned noble disciple who has drawn out sorrow’s poisoned arrow, struck by which unlearned ordinary people only mortify themselves.

Asoko visallo ariyasāvako attānaṁyeva parinibbāpetī’ti.
Sorrowless, free of thorns, that noble disciple only extinguishes themselves.

Imāni kho, bhikkhave, pañca alabbhanīyāni ṭhānāni samaṇena vā brāhmaṇena vā devena vā mārena vā brahmunā vā kenaci vā lokasminti.
These are the five things that cannot be had by any ascetic or brahmin or god or Māra or Brahmā or by anyone in the world.

Na socanāya paridevanāya,
Sorrowing and lamenting

Atthodha labbhā api appakopi;
doesn’t do even a little bit of good.

Socantamenaṁ dukhitaṁ viditvā,
When they know that you’re sad,

Paccatthikā attamanā bhavanti.
your enemies are encouraged.

Yato ca kho paṇḍito āpadāsu,
When an astute person doesn’t waver <j>in the face of adversity,

Na vedhatī atthavinicchayaññū;
as they’re able to evaluate what’s beneficial,

Paccatthikāssa dukhitā bhavanti,
their enemies suffer,

Disvā mukhaṁ avikāraṁ purāṇaṁ.
seeing that their normal expression doesn’t change.

Jappena mantena subhāsitena,
Chants, recitations, fine sayings,

Anuppadānena paveṇiyā vā;
charity or traditions:

Yathā yathā yattha labhetha atthaṁ,
if by means of any such things you benefit,

Tathā tathā tattha parakkameyya.
then by all means keep doing them.

Sace pajāneyya alabbhaneyyo,
But if you understand that ‘this good thing

Mayāva aññena vā esa attho;
can’t be had by me or by anyone else’,

Asocamāno adhivāsayeyya,
you should accept it without sorrowing, thinking:

Kammaṁ daḷhaṁ kinti karomi dānī”ti.
‘The deed is powerful. What can I do now?’”

Aṭṭhamaṁ.