Jarāmaraṇasutta

Saṁyutta Nikāya 3.3

Linked Discourses 3.3

1. Paṭhamavagga

1. Shackles

Jarāmaraṇasutta

Old Age and Death

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

At Sāvatthī.

Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho rājā pasenadi kosalo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

Seated to one side, King Pasenadi said to the Buddha,

“atthi nu kho, bhante, jātassa aññatra jarāmaraṇā”ti?

“Sir, for someone who has been reborn, is there any exemption from old age and death?”

“Natthi kho, mahārāja, jātassa aññatra jarāmaraṇā.

“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 for well-to-do aristocrats,

Yepi te, mahārāja, brāhmaṇamahāsālā …pe…

brahmins,

gahapatimahāsālā aḍḍhā mahaddhanā mahābhogā pahūtajātarūparajatā pahūtavittūpakaraṇā pahūtadhanadhaññā, tesampi jātānaṁ natthi aññatra jarāmaraṇā.

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 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 heart’s goal, utterly ended the fetter of continued existence, 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,

“Fancy chariots of kings wear out,

Atho sarīrampi jaraṁ upeti;

and even this body gets old.

Satañca dhammo na jaraṁ upeti,

But the truth of the good never gets old—

Santo have sabbhi pavedayantī”ti.

so the good proclaim to the good.”