1At Sāvatthī.

King Pasenadi of Kosala sat to one side, and the Buddha said to him: “So, great king, where are you coming from in the middle of the day?”

“Sir, there are anointed aristocratic kings who are infatuated with authority, and obsessed with greed for sensual pleasures. They have attained stability in the country, occupying a vast conquered territory. Today I have been busy fulfilling the duties of such kings.”

“What do you think, great king? Suppose a trustworthy and reliable man were to come from the east. He’d approach you and say: ‘Please sir, you should know this. I come from the east. There I saw a huge mountain that reached the clouds. And it was coming this way, crushing all creatures. So then, great king, do what you must!’

Then a second trustworthy and reliable man were to come from the west … a third from the north … and a fourth from the south. He’d approach you and say: ‘Please sir, you should know this. I come from the south. There I saw a huge mountain that reached the clouds. And it was coming this way, crushing all creatures. So then, great king, do what you must!’

Should such a dire threat arise — a terrible loss of human life, when human birth is so rare — what would you do?”

“Sir, what could I do but practice the teachings, practice morality, doing skillful and good actions?”

“I tell you, great king, I announce to you: old age and death are advancing upon you. Since old age and death are advancing upon you, what would you do?”

“Sir, what can I do but practice the teachings, practice morality, doing skillful and good actions?

Sir, there are anointed aristocratic kings who are infatuated with authority, and obsessed with greed for sensual pleasures. They have attained stability in the country, occupying a vast conquered territory. Such kings engage in battles of elephants, cavalry, chariots, or infantry. But there is no place, no scope for such battles when old age and death are advancing.

In this royal court there are ministers of wise counsel who are capable of dividing an approaching enemy by wise counsel. But there is no place, no scope for such diplomatic battles when old age and death are advancing.

In this royal court there is abundant gold coin and bullion stored in dungeons and towers. Using this wealth we can pay off an approaching enemy. But there is no place, no scope for such monetary battles when old age and death are advancing.

When old age and death are advancing, what can I do but practice the teachings, practice morality, doing skillful and good actions?”

“That’s so true, great king! That’s so true! When old age and death are advancing, what can you do but practice the teachings, practice morality, doing skillful and good actions?”

That is what the Buddha said. Then the Holy One, the Teacher, went on to say:

“Suppose there were vast mountains
of solid rock touching the sky
drawing in from all sides
and crushing the four quarters.

So too old age and death
advance upon all living creatures —
aristocrats, brahmins, merchants,
workers, outcastes, and scavengers.
They spare nothing.
They crush all beneath them.

There’s nowhere for elephants to take a stand,
nor chariots nor infantry.
They can’t be defeated
by diplomatic battles or by wealth.

That’s why an astute person,
seeing what’s good for themselves,
being wise, would place faith
in the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha.

Whoever lives by the teaching
in body, speech, and mind,
is praised in this life
and departs to rejoice in heaven.”

1Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho rājānaṁ pasenadiṁ kosalaṁ bhagavā etadavoca: "handa kuto nu tvaṁ, mahārāja, āgacchasi divā divassā"ti? "Yāni tāni, bhante, raññaṁ khattiyānaṁ muddhāvasittānaṁ issariyamadamattānaṁ kāmagedhapariyuṭṭhitānaṁ janapadatthāvariyappattānaṁ mahantaṁ pathavimaṇḍalaṁ abhivijiya ajjhāvasantānaṁ rājakaraṇīyāni bhavanti, tesu khvāhaṁ, etarahi ussukkamāpanno"ti.

2"Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, mahārāja, idha te puriso āgaccheyya puratthimāya disāya saddhāyiko paccayiko. So taṁ upasaṅkamitvā evaṁ vadeyya: ‘yagghe, mahārāja, jāneyyāsi, ahaṁ āgacchāmi puratthimāya disāya. Tatthaddasaṁ mahantaṁ pabbataṁ abbhasamaṁ, sabbe pāṇe nippothento āgacchati. Yaṁ te, mahārāja, karaṇīyaṁ, taṁ karohī’ti. Atha dutiyo puriso āgaccheyya pacchimāya disāya … pe … atha tatiyo puriso āgaccheyya uttarāya disāya … atha catuttho puriso āgaccheyya dakkhiṇāya disāya saddhāyiko paccayiko. So taṁ upasaṅkamitvā evaṁ vadeyya: ‘yagghe, mahārāja, jāneyyāsi, ahaṁ āgacchāmi dakkhiṇāya disāya. Tatthaddasaṁ mahantaṁ pabbataṁ abbhasamaṁ sabbe pāṇe nippothento āgacchati. Yaṁ te, mahārāja, karaṇīyaṁ taṁ karohī’ti. Evarūpe te, mahārāja, mahati mahabbhaye samuppanne dāruṇe manussakkhaye dullabhe manussatte kimassa karaṇīyan"ti?

3"Evarūpe me, bhante, mahati mahabbhaye samuppanne dāruṇe manussakkhaye dullabhe manussatte kimassa karaṇīyaṁ aññatra dhammacariyāya aññatra samacariyāya aññatra kusalakiriyāya aññatra puññakiriyāyā"ti?

4"Ārocemi kho te, mahārāja, paṭivedemi kho te, mahārāja, adhivattati kho taṁ, mahārāja, jarāmaraṇaṁ. Adhivattamāne ce te, mahārāja, jarāmaraṇe kimassa karaṇīyan"ti?

"Adhivattamāne ca me, bhante, jarāmaraṇe kimassa karaṇīyaṁ aññatra dhammacariyāya samacariyāya kusalakiriyāya puññakiriyāya?

Yāni tāni, bhante, raññaṁ khattiyānaṁ muddhāvasittānaṁ issariyamadamattānaṁ kāmagedhapariyuṭṭhitānaṁ janapadatthāvariyappattānaṁ mahantaṁ pathavimaṇḍalaṁ abhivijiya ajjhāvasantānaṁ hatthiyuddhāni bhavanti; tesampi, bhante, hatthiyuddhānaṁ natthi gati natthi visayo adhivattamāne jarāmaraṇe. Yānipi tāni, bhante, raññaṁ khattiyānaṁ muddhāvasittānaṁ … pe … ajjhāvasantānaṁ assayuddhāni bhavanti … pe … rathayuddhāni bhavanti … pe … pattiyuddhāni bhavanti; tesampi, bhante, pattiyuddhānaṁ natthi gati natthi visayo adhivattamāne jarāmaraṇe. Santi kho pana, bhante, imasmiṁ rājakule mantino mahāmattā, ye pahonti āgate paccatthike mantehi bhedayituṁ. Tesampi, bhante, mantayuddhānaṁ natthi gati natthi visayo adhivattamāne jarāmaraṇe. Saṁvijjati kho pana, bhante, imasmiṁ rājakule pahūtaṁ hiraññasuvaṇṇaṁ bhūmigatañceva vehāsaṭṭhañca, yena mayaṁ pahoma āgate paccatthike dhanena upalāpetuṁ. Tesampi, bhante, dhanayuddhānaṁ natthi gati natthi visayo adhivattamāne jarāmaraṇe. Adhivattamāne ca me, bhante, jarāmaraṇe kimassa karaṇīyaṁ aññatra dhammacariyāya samacariyāya kusalakiriyāya puññakiriyāyā"ti?

5"Evametaṁ, mahārāja, evametaṁ, mahārāja. Adhivattamāne jarāmaraṇe kimassa karaṇīyaṁ aññatra dhammacariyāya samacariyāya kusalakiriyāya puññakiriyāyā"ti?

Idamavoca bhagavā … pe … satthā: 

6"Yathāpi selā vipulā,
nabhaṁ āhacca pabbatā;
Samantānupariyāyeyyuṁ,
nippothento catuddisā.

7Evaṁ jarā ca maccu ca,
adhivattanti pāṇine;
Khattiye brāhmaṇe vesse,
sudde caṇḍālapukkuse;
Na kiñci parivajjeti,
sabbamevābhimaddati.

8Na tattha hatthīnaṁ bhūmi,
na rathānaṁ na pattiyā;
Na cāpi mantayuddhena,
sakkā jetuṁ dhanena vā.

9Tasmā hi paṇḍito poso,
sampassaṁ atthamattano;
Buddhe dhamme ca saṅghe ca,
dhīro saddhāṁ nivesaye.

10Yo dhammaṁ cari kāyena,
vācāya uda cetasā;
Idheva naṁ pasaṁsanti,
pecca sagge pamodatī"ti.

Tatiyo vaggo.

11Puggalo ayyikā loko,
issattaṁ pabbatūpamā;
Desitaṁ buddhaseṭṭhena,
imaṁ kosalapañcakanti.

Kosalasaṁyuttaṁ samattaṁ.