sutta » an » an8 » Aṅguttara Nikāya 8.29

Akkhaṇasutta

Lost Opportunities

“‘Khaṇakicco loko, khaṇakicco loko’ti, bhikkhave, assutavā puthujjano bhāsati, no ca kho so jānāti khaṇaṁ vā akkhaṇaṁ vā.
“‘Now is the time! Now is the time!’ So says an unlearned ordinary person. But they don’t know whether it’s time or not.

Aṭṭhime, bhikkhave, akkhaṇā asamayā brahmacariyavāsāya.
Mendicants, there are eight lost opportunities for spiritual practice.

Katame aṭṭha?
What eight?

Idha, bhikkhave, tathāgato ca loke uppanno hoti arahaṁ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇasampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisadammasārathi satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā, dhammo ca desiyati opasamiko parinibbāniko sambodhagāmī sugatappavedito;
Firstly, a Realized One has arisen in the world—perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those who wish to train, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed. He teaches the Dhamma leading to peace, extinguishment, awakening, as proclaimed by the Holy One.

ayañca puggalo nirayaṁ upapanno hoti.
But a person has been reborn in hell.

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭhamo akkhaṇo asamayo brahmacariyavāsāya.
This is the first lost opportunity for spiritual practice.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, tathāgato ca loke uppanno hoti …pe… satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā, dhammo ca desiyati opasamiko parinibbāniko sambodhagāmī sugatappavedito;
Furthermore, a Realized One has arisen in the world.

ayañca puggalo tiracchānayoniṁ upapanno hoti …pe….
But a person has been reborn in the animal realm. This is the second lost opportunity.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave …pe…
Furthermore, a Realized One has arisen in the world.

ayañca puggalo pettivisayaṁ upapanno hoti …pe….
But a person has been reborn in the ghost realm. This is the third lost opportunity.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave …pe…
Furthermore, a Realized One has arisen in the world.

ayañca puggalo aññataraṁ dīghāyukaṁ devanikāyaṁ upapanno hoti …pe….
But a person has been reborn in one of the long-lived orders of gods. This is the fourth lost opportunity.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave …pe…
Furthermore, a Realized One has arisen in the world.

ayañca puggalo paccantimesu janapadesu paccājāto hoti, so ca hoti aviññātāresu milakkhesu, yattha natthi gati bhikkhūnaṁ bhikkhunīnaṁ upāsakānaṁ upāsikānaṁ …pe….
But a person has been reborn in the borderlands, among uneducated foreigners, where monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen do not go. This is the fifth lost opportunity …

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave …pe… ayañca puggalo majjhimesu janapadesu paccājāto hoti, so ca hoti micchādiṭṭhiko viparītadassano:
Furthermore, a Realized One has arisen in the world. And a person is reborn in a central country. But they have wrong view and distorted perspective:

‘natthi dinnaṁ, natthi yiṭṭhaṁ, natthi hutaṁ, natthi sukatadukkaṭānaṁ kammānaṁ phalaṁ vipāko, natthi ayaṁ loko, natthi paro loko, natthi mātā, natthi pitā, natthi sattā opapātikā, natthi loke samaṇabrāhmaṇā sammaggatā sammā paṭipannā ye imañca lokaṁ parañca lokaṁ sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā pavedentī’ti …pe….
‘There’s no meaning in giving, sacrifice, or offerings. There’s no fruit or result of good and bad deeds. There’s no afterlife. There’s no such thing as mother and father, or beings that are reborn spontaneously. And there’s no ascetic or brahmin who is rightly comported and rightly practiced, and who describes the afterlife after realizing it with their own insight.’ This is the sixth lost opportunity …

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave …pe…
Furthermore, a Realized One has arisen in the world.

ayañca puggalo majjhimesu janapadesu paccājāto hoti, so ca hoti duppañño jaḷo eḷamūgo appaṭibalo subhāsitadubbhāsitassa atthamaññātuṁ.
And a person is reborn in a central country. But they’re witless, dull, idiotic, and unable to distinguish what is well said from what is poorly said.

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, sattamo akkhaṇo asamayo brahmacariyavāsāya.
This is the seventh lost opportunity …

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, tathāgato ca loke anuppanno hoti arahaṁ sammāsambuddho …pe… satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā.
Furthermore, a Realized One has not arisen in the world …

Dhammo ca na desiyati opasamiko parinibbāniko sambodhagāmī sugatappavedito. Ayañca puggalo majjhimesu janapadesu paccājāto hoti, so ca hoti paññavā ajaḷo aneḷamūgo paṭibalo subhāsitadubbhāsitassa atthamaññātuṁ.
So he doesn’t teach the Dhamma leading to peace, extinguishment, awakening, as proclaimed by the Holy One. And a person is reborn in a central country. And they’re wise, bright, clever, and able to distinguish what is well said from what is poorly said.

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, aṭṭhamo akkhaṇo asamayo brahmacariyavāsāya.
This is the eighth lost opportunity …

Ime kho, bhikkhave, aṭṭha akkhaṇā asamayā brahmacariyavāsāya.
There are these eight lost opportunities for spiritual practice.

Ekova kho, bhikkhave, khaṇo ca samayo ca brahmacariyavāsāya.
Mendicants, there is just one opportunity for spiritual practice.

Katamo eko?
What is that one?

Idha, bhikkhave, tathāgato ca loke uppanno hoti arahaṁ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇasampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisadammasārathi satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā.
It’s when a Realized One has arisen in the world, perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those who wish to train, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed.

Dhammo ca desiyati opasamiko parinibbāniko sambodhagāmī sugatappavedito. Ayañca puggalo majjhimesu janapadesu paccājāto hoti, so ca hoti paññavā ajaḷo aneḷamūgo paṭibalo subhāsitadubbhāsitassa atthamaññātuṁ.
He teaches the Dhamma leading to peace, extinguishment, awakening, as proclaimed by the Holy One. And a person is reborn in a central country. And they’re wise, bright, clever, and able to distinguish what is well said from what is poorly said.

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, ekova khaṇo ca samayo ca brahmacariyavāsāyāti.
This is the one opportunity for spiritual practice.

Manussalābhaṁ laddhāna,
When you’ve gained the human state,

saddhamme suppavedite;
and the true teaching has been so well proclaimed,

Ye khaṇaṁ nādhigacchanti,
those who don’t seize the moment

atināmenti te khaṇaṁ.
are wasting their time.

Bahū hi akkhaṇā vuttā,
For many wrong times are spoken of,

maggassa antarāyikā;
which obstruct the path.

Kadāci karahaci loke,
Only on rare occasions

uppajjanti tathāgatā.
do Realized Ones arise.

Tayidaṁ sammukhībhūtaṁ,
If you find yourself in their presence,

yaṁ lokasmiṁ sudullabhaṁ;
so hard to find in the world,

Manussapaṭilābho ca,
and if you’ve gained a human birth,

saddhammassa ca desanā;
and the teaching of the Dhamma;

Alaṁ vāyamituṁ tattha,
that’s enough to make an effort,

attakāmena jantunā.
for a person who cares for their own welfare.

Kathaṁ vijaññā saddhammaṁ,
How is the true teaching to be understood

khaṇo ve mā upaccagā;
so that the moment doesn’t pass you by?

Khaṇātītā hi socanti,
For if you miss your moment

nirayamhi samappitā.
you’ll grieve when sent to hell.

Idha ce naṁ virādheti,
If you fail to achieve

saddhammassa niyāmataṁ;
certainty regarding the true teaching

Vāṇijova atītattho,
you’ll regret it for a long time,

cirattaṁ anutapissati.
like the merchant in the story of the past.

Avijjānivuto poso,
A man shrouded by ignorance,

saddhammaṁ aparādhiko;
a failure in the true teaching,

Jātimaraṇasaṁsāraṁ,
will long undergo

ciraṁ paccanubhossati.
transmigration through birth and death.

Ye ca laddhā manussattaṁ,
Those who’ve gained the human state

saddhamme suppavedite;
when the true teaching has been so well proclaimed,

Akaṁsu satthu vacanaṁ,
and have completed what the Teacher taught—

karissanti karonti vā.
or will do so, or are doing so now—

Khaṇaṁ paccaviduṁ loke,
have realized the right time in the world

brahmacariyaṁ anuttaraṁ;
for the supreme spiritual life.

Ye maggaṁ paṭipajjiṁsu,
You should live guarded, ever mindful,

tathāgatappaveditaṁ.
not festering with defilements,

Ye saṁvarā cakkhumatā,
among those restrained ones

desitādiccabandhunā;
who have practiced the path

Tesu gutto sadā sato,
proclaimed by the Realized One, the Clear-eyed One,

vihare anavassuto.
and taught by the kinsman of the Sun.

Sabbe anusaye chetvā,
Having cut off all underlying tendencies

māradheyyaparānuge;
that follow those drifting in Māra’s dominion,

Te ve pāraṅgatā loke,
they’re the ones in this world <j>who’ve truly crossed over,

ye pattā āsavakkhayan”ti.
having reached the ending of defilements.”

Navamaṁ.