1At Sāvatthī.

Seated to one side, that mendicant said to the Buddha:

“Sir, is there any form at all that’s permanent, everlasting, eternal, imperishable, and will last forever and ever? Is there any feeling … perception … choices … consciousness at all that’s permanent, everlasting, eternal, imperishable, and will last forever and ever?”

“Mendicant, there is no form at all that’s permanent, everlasting, eternal, imperishable, and will last forever and ever. There’s no feeling … perception … choices … consciousness at all that’s permanent, everlasting, eternal, imperishable, and will last forever and ever.”

2Then the Buddha, picking up a lump of cow dung, said to the mendicants:

“There’s not even this much of any incarnation that’s permanent, everlasting, eternal, imperishable, and will last forever and ever. If there were, this living of the spiritual life for the complete ending of suffering would not be found. But since there isn’t, this living of the spiritual life for the complete ending of suffering is found.

3Once upon a time I was an anointed aristocratic king. I had 84, 000 cities, with the capital Kusāvatī the foremost. I had 84, 000 palaces, with the palace named Principle the foremost. I had 84, 000 chambers, with the great foyer the foremost. I had 84, 000 couches made of ivory or heartwood or gold or silver, spread with woolen covers — shag-piled or embroidered with flowers — and spread with a fine deer hide, with a canopy above and red pillows at both ends. I had 84, 000 bull elephants with gold adornments and banners, covered with gold netting, with the royal bull elephant named Sabbath the foremost. I had 84, 000 horses with gold adornments and banners, covered with gold netting, with the royal steed named Thundercloud the foremost. I had 84, 000 chariots with gold adornments and banners, covered with gold netting, with the chariot named Triumph the foremost. I had 84, 000 jewels, with the jewel-treasure the foremost. I had 84, 000 women, with Queen Subhaddā the foremost. I had 84, 000 aristocrat vassals, with the counselor-treasure the foremost. I had 84, 000 milk cows with silken reins and bronze pails. I had 8, 400, 000, 000 fine cloths of linen, silk, wool, and cotton. I had 84, 000 servings of food, which were presented to me as offerings in the morning and evening.

4Of those 84, 000 cities, I only stayed in one, the capital Kusāvatī. Of those 84, 000 mansions, I only dwelt in one, the Palace of Principle. Of those 84, 000 chambers, I only dwelt in the great foyer. Of those 84, 000 couches, I only used one, made of ivory or heartwood or gold or silver. Of those 84, 000 bull elephants, I only rode one, the royal bull elephant named Sabbath. Of those 84, 000 horses, I only rode one, the royal horse named Thundercloud. Of those 84, 000 chariots, I only rode one, the chariot named Triumph. Of those 84, 000 women, I was only served by one, a maiden of the aristocratic or merchant classes. Of those 8, 400, 000, 000 cloths, I only wore one pair, made of fine linen, silk, wool, or cotton. Of those 84, 000 servings of food, I only had one, eating at most a serving of rice and suitable sauce.

And so all those conditioned phenomena have passed, ceased, and perished. So impermanent are conditions, so unstable are conditions, so unreliable are conditions. This is quite enough for you to become disillusioned, dispassionate, and freed regarding all conditions.”

1Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

"atthi nu kho, bhante, kiñci rūpaṁ yaṁ rūpaṁ niccaṁ dhuvaṁ sassataṁ avipariṇāmadhammaṁ sassatisamaṁ tatheva ṭhassati? Atthi nu kho, bhante, kāci vedanā yā vedanā niccā dhuvā sassatā avipariṇāmadhammā sassatisamaṁ tatheva ṭhassati? Atthi nu kho, bhante, kāci saññā yā saññā … pe … atthi nu kho, bhante, keci saṅkhārā ye saṅkhārā niccā dhuvā sassatā avipariṇāmadhammā sassatisamaṁ tatheva ṭhassanti? Atthi nu kho, bhante, kiñci viññāṇaṁ, yaṁ viññāṇaṁ niccaṁ dhuvaṁ sassataṁ avipariṇāmadhammaṁ sassatisamaṁ tatheva ṭhassatī"ti?

"Natthi kho, bhikkhu, kiñci rūpaṁ, yaṁ rūpaṁ niccaṁ dhuvaṁ sassataṁ avipariṇāmadhammaṁ sassatisamaṁ tatheva ṭhassati. Natthi kho, bhikkhu, kāci vedanā … kāci saññā … keci saṅkhārā … kiñci viññāṇaṁ, yaṁ viññāṇaṁ niccaṁ dhuvaṁ sassataṁ avipariṇāmadhammaṁ sassatisamaṁ tatheva ṭhassatī"ti.

2Atha kho bhagavā parittaṁ gomayapiṇḍaṁ pāṇinā gahetvā taṁ bhikkhuṁ etadavoca:

"ettakopi kho, bhikkhu, attabhāvapaṭilābho natthi nicco dhuvo sassato avipariṇāmadhammo sassatisamaṁ tatheva ṭhassati. Ettako cepi, bhikkhu, attabhāvapaṭilābho abhavissa nicco dhuvo sassato avipariṇāmadhammo, nayidaṁ brahmacariyavāso paññāyetha sammā dukkhakkhayāya. Yasmā ca kho, bhikkhu, ettakopi attabhāvapaṭilābho natthi nicco dhuvo sassato avipariṇāmadhammo, tasmā brahmacariyavāso paññāyati sammā dukkhakkhayāya.

3Bhūtapubbāhaṁ, bhikkhu, rājā ahosiṁ khattiyo muddhāvasitto. Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhu, rañño sato khattiyassa muddhāvasittassa caturāsītinagarasahassāni ahesuṁ kusāvatīrājadhānippamukhāni. Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhu, rañño sato khattiyassa muddhāvasittassa caturāsītipāsādasahassāni ahesuṁ dhammapāsādappamukhāni. Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhu, rañño sato khattiyassa muddhāvasittassa caturāsītikūṭāgārasahassāni ahesuṁ mahābyūhakūṭāgārappamukhāni. Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhu, rañño sato khattiyassa muddhāvasittassa caturāsītipallaṅkasahassāni ahesuṁ dantamayāni sāramayāni sovaṇṇamayāni goṇakatthatāni paṭikatthatāni paṭalikatthatāni kadalimigapavarapaccattharaṇāni sauttaracchadāni ubhatolohitakūpadhānāni. Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhu, rañño sato khattiyassa muddhāvasittassa caturāsītināgasahassāni ahesuṁ sovaṇṇālaṅkārāni sovaṇṇaddhajāni hemajālapaṭicchannāni uposathanāgarājappamukhāni. Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhu, rañño sato khattiyassa muddhāvasittassa caturāsītiassasahassāni ahesuṁ sovaṇṇālaṅkārāni sovaṇṇaddhajāni hemajālapaṭicchannāni valāhakaassarājappamukhāni. Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhu, rañño sato khattiyassa muddhāvasittassa caturāsītirathasahassāni ahesuṁ sovaṇṇālaṅkārāni sovaṇṇaddhajāni hemajālapaṭicchannāni vejayantarathappamukhāni. Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhu, rañño sato khattiyassa muddhāvasittassa caturāsītimaṇisahassāni ahesuṁ maṇiratanappamukhāni. Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhu … pe … caturāsītiitthisahassāni ahesuṁ subhaddādevippamukhāni. Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhu … pe … caturāsītikhattiyasahassāni ahesuṁ anuyantāni pariṇāyakaratanappamukhāni. Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhu … pe … caturāsītidhenusahassāni ahesuṁ dukūlasandānāni kaṁsūpadhāraṇāni. Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhu … pe … caturāsītivatthakoṭisahassāni ahesuṁ khomasukhumāni koseyyasukhumāni kambalasukhumāni kappāsikasukhumāni. Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhu … pe … caturāsītithālipākasahassāni ahesuṁ; sāyaṁ pātaṁ bhattābhihāro abhihariyittha.

4Tesaṁ kho pana, bhikkhu, caturāsītiyā nagarasahassānaṁ ekaññeva taṁ nagaraṁ hoti yamahaṁ tena samayena ajjhāvasāmi – kusāvatī rājadhānī. Tesaṁ kho pana, bhikkhu, caturāsītiyā pāsādasahassānaṁ ekoyeva so pāsādo hoti yamahaṁ tena samayena ajjhāvasāmi – dhammo pāsādo. Tesaṁ kho pana, bhikkhu, caturāsītiyā kūṭāgārasahassānaṁ ekaññeva taṁ kūṭāgāraṁ hoti yamahaṁ tena samayena ajjhāvasāmi – mahābyūhaṁ kūṭāgāraṁ. Tesaṁ kho pana, bhikkhu, caturāsītiyā pallaṅkasahassānaṁ ekoyeva so pallaṅko hoti yamahaṁ tena samayena paribhuñjāmi – dantamayo vā sāramayo vā sovaṇṇamayo vā rūpiyamayo vā. Tesaṁ kho pana, bhikkhu, caturāsītiyā nāgasahassānaṁ ekoyeva so nāgo hoti yamahaṁ tena samayena abhiruhāmi – uposatho nāgarājā. Tesaṁ kho pana, bhikkhu, caturāsītiyā assasahassānaṁ ekoyeva so asso hoti yamahaṁ tena samayena abhiruhāmi – valāhako assarājā. Tesaṁ kho pana, bhikkhu, caturāsītiyā rathasahassānaṁ ekoyeva so ratho hoti yamahaṁ tena samayena abhiruhāmi – vejayanto ratho. Tesaṁ kho pana, bhikkhu, caturāsītiyā itthisahassānaṁ ekāyeva sā itthī hoti yā maṁ tena samayena paccupaṭṭhāti – khattiyānī vā velāmikā vā. Tesaṁ kho pana, bhikkhu, caturāsītiyā vatthakoṭisahassānaṁ ekaññeva taṁ vatthayugaṁ hoti yamahaṁ tena samayena paridahāmi – khomasukhumaṁ vā koseyyasukhumaṁ vā kambalasukhumaṁ vā kappāsikasukhumaṁ vā. Tesaṁ kho pana, bhikkhu, caturāsītiyā thālipākasahassānaṁ ekoyeva so thālipāko hoti yato nāḷikodanaparamaṁ bhuñjāmi tadupiyañca sūpeyyaṁ.

Iti kho, bhikkhu, sabbe te saṅkhārā atītā niruddhā vipariṇatā. Evaṁ aniccā kho, bhikkhu, saṅkhārā. Evaṁ addhuvā kho, bhikkhu, saṅkhārā. Evaṁ anassāsikā kho, bhikkhu, saṅkhārā. Yāvañcidaṁ, bhikkhu, alameva sabbasaṅkhāresu nibbindituṁ, alaṁ virajjituṁ, alaṁ vimuccitun"ti.

Catutthaṁ.