sutta » sn » sn3 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 3.3

Jarāmaraṇasutta

Aging and Death Old Age and Death

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
At Sāvatthī.
At Sāvatthī.

Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho rājā pasenadi kosalo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
Sitting to one side, King Pasenadi of Kosala said to the Blessed One:
Seated to one side, King Pasenadi said to the Buddha,

“atthi nu kho, bhante, jātassa aññatra jarāmaraṇā”ti?
“Venerable sir, for one who has taken birth, is there anything other [to expect] than aging and death?”
“Sir, for someone who has been reborn, is there any exemption from old age and death?”

“Natthi kho, mahārāja, jātassa aññatra jarāmaraṇā.
“For one who has taken birth, great king, there is nothing other [to expect] than aging and death.
“Great king, for someone who has been reborn, there’s no exemption from old age and death.

Yepi te, mahārāja, khattiyamahāsālā aḍḍhā mahaddhanā mahābhogā pahūtajātarūparajatā pahūtavittūpakaraṇā pahūtadhanadhaññā, tesampi jātānaṁ natthi aññatra jarāmaraṇā.
Even in the case of those affluent khattiyas—rich, with great wealth and property, with abundant gold and silver, abundant treasures and commodities, abundant wealth and grain—because they have taken birth, there is nothing other [to expect] than aging and death.
Even for well-to-do aristocrats,

Yepi te, mahārāja, brāhmaṇamahāsālā …pe…
Even in the case of those affluent brahmins …
brahmins,

gahapatimahāsālā aḍḍhā mahaddhanā mahābhogā pahūtajātarūparajatā pahūtavittūpakaraṇā pahūtadhanadhaññā, tesampi jātānaṁ natthi aññatra jarāmaraṇā.
affluent householders—rich . . . with abundant wealth and grain—because they have taken birth, there is nothing other [to expect] than aging and death.
or householders—rich, affluent, and wealthy, with lots of gold and silver, lots of property and assets, and lots of money and grain—when they’re born, there’s no exemption from old age and death.

Yepi te, mahārāja, bhikkhū arahanto khīṇāsavā vusitavanto katakaraṇīyā ohitabhārā anuppattasadatthā parikkhīṇabhavasaṁyojanā sammadaññāvimuttā, tesampāyaṁ kāyo bhedanadhammo nikkhepanadhammo”ti.
Even in the case of those bhikkhus who are arahants, whose taints are destroyed, who have lived the holy life, done what had to be done, laid down the burden, reached their own goal, utterly destroyed the fetters of existence, and are completely liberated through final knowledge: even for them this body is subject to breaking up, subject to being laid down.
Even for mendicants who are perfected—who have ended the defilements, completed the spiritual journey, done what had to be done, laid down the burden, achieved their own goal, utterly ended the fetters of rebirth, and are rightly freed through enlightenment—their bodies are liable to break up and be laid to rest.”

Idamavoca …pe…
That is what the Buddha said. …

“Jīranti ve rājarathā sucittā,
“The beautiful chariots of kings wear out,
“The fancy chariots of kings wear out,

Atho sarīrampi jaraṁ upeti;
This body too undergoes decay.
and this body too gets old.

Satañca dhammo na jaraṁ upeti,
But the Dhamma of the good does not decay:
But goodness never gets old:

Santo have sabbhi pavedayantī”ti.
So the good proclaim along with the good. ”
so the true and the good proclaim.”