1Then two old brahmins — elderly and senior, who were advanced in years and had reached the final stage of life, being a hundred and twenty years old — went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to the Buddha:

“We brahmins, Master Gotama, are old, elderly and senior, we’re advanced in years and have reached the final stage of life; we’re a hundred and twenty years old. And we haven’t done what is good and skillful, nor have we made a shelter from fear. Advise us, Master Gotama, instruct us! It will be for our lasting welfare and happiness.”

2“Indeed, brahmins, you’re old, elderly and senior. And you haven’t done what is good and skillful, nor have you made a shelter from fear. This world is burning with old age, sickness, and death. But restraint here by way of body, speech, and mind is the shelter, protection, island, refuge, and haven for the departed.

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3When your house is on fire,
you rescue the pot
that’s useful,
not the one that’s burnt.

4And as the world is on fire
with old age and death,
you should rescue by giving,
for what’s given is rescued.

5The restraint practiced here —
of body, speech, and mind —
leads the departed to happiness,
as the good deeds done while living.”

1Atha kho dve brāhmaṇā jiṇṇā vuddhā mahallakā addhagatā vayoanuppattā vīsavassasatikā jātiyā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te brāhmaṇā bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ:

"mayamassu, bho gotama, brāhmaṇā jiṇṇā vuddhā mahallakā addhagatā vayoanuppattā vīsavassasatikā jātiyā; te camhā akatakalyāṇā akatakusalā akatabhīruttāṇā. Ovadatu no bhavaṁ gotamo, anusāsatu no bhavaṁ gotamo yaṁ amhākaṁ assa dīgharattaṁ hitāya sukhāyā"ti.

2"Taggha tumhe, brāhmaṇā, jiṇṇā vuddhā mahallakā addhagatā vayoanuppattā vīsavassasatikā jātiyā; te cattha akatakalyāṇā akatakusalā akatabhīruttāṇā. Āditto kho ayaṁ, brāhmaṇā, loko jarāya byādhinā maraṇena. Evaṁ āditte kho, brāhmaṇā, loke jarāya byādhinā maraṇena, yo idha kāyena saṁyamo vācāya saṁyamo manasā saṁyamo, taṁ tassa petassa tāṇañca leṇañca dīpañca saraṇañca parāyaṇañcāti.

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3Ādittasmiṁ agārasmiṁ,
yaṁ nīharati bhājanaṁ;
Taṁ tassa hoti atthāya,
no ca yaṁ tattha ḍayhati.

4Evaṁ āditto kho loko,
jarāya maraṇena ca;
Nīharetheva dānena,
dinnaṁ hoti sunīhataṁ.

5Yodha kāyena saṁyamo,
Vācāya uda cetasā;
Taṁ tassa petassa sukhāya hoti,
Yaṁ jīvamāno pakaroti puññan"ti.

Dutiyaṁ.