sutta » sn » sn4 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 4.9

Paṭhamaāyusutta

Life Span (1st) Life Span

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—
So I have heard.
Thus have I 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.
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrel Sanctuary.

Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:
There the Buddha addressed the mendicants,
There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus thus:

“bhikkhavo”ti.
“Mendicants!”
“Bhikkhus!”

“Bhadante”ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ.
“Venerable sir,” they replied.
“Venerable sir!” those bhikkhus replied.

Bhagavā etadavoca:
The Buddha said this:
The Blessed One said this:

“Appamidaṁ, bhikkhave, manussānaṁ āyu.
“Mendicants, the life span of humans is short.
“Bhikkhus, this life span of human beings is short.

Gamanīyo samparāyo, kattabbaṁ kusalaṁ, caritabbaṁ brahmacariyaṁ.
You must go to the next life. So you should do what is skillful, you should practice the spiritual life.
One has to go on to the future life.One should do what is wholesome and lead the holy life;

Natthi jātassa amaraṇaṁ.
No-one born is immortal.
For one who has taken birth, there is no avoiding death.

Yo, bhikkhave, ciraṁ jīvati, so vassasataṁ appaṁ vā bhiyyo”ti.
A long life is a hundred years or a little more.”
One who lives long, bhikkhus, lives a hundred years or a little longer. ”

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:
Then Māra the Evil One approached the Blessed One and addressed him in verse:

“Dīghamāyu manussānaṁ,
“The life of humans is long!
“Long is the life span of human beings,

na naṁ hīḷe suporiso;
A true person wouldn’t scorn it.
The good man should not disdain it.

Careyya khīramattova,
Live like a suckling babe,
One should live like a milk-sucking baby:

natthi maccussa āgamo”ti.
for Death has not come for you.”
Death has not made its arrival. ”

“Appamāyu manussānaṁ,
“The life of humans is short,
“Short is the life span of human beings,

hīḷeyya naṁ suporiso;
and a true person scorns it.
The good man should disdain it.

Careyyādittasīsova,
They should live as though their head was on fire,
One should live like one with head aflame:

natthi maccussa nāgamo”ti.
for Death comes for everyone.”
There is no avoiding Death’s arrival. ”

Atha kho māro …pe… tatthevantaradhāyīti.
Then Māra … vanished right there.
Then Māra the Evil One … disappeared right there.