574 Unforeseen and unknown
is the extent of this mortal life—
hard and short
and bound to pain.

575 There is no way that
those born will not die.
On reaching old age death follows:
such is the nature of living creatures.

576 As ripe fruit
are always in danger of falling,
so mortals once born
are always in danger of death.

577 As clay pots
made by a potter
all end up being broken,
so is the life of mortals.

578 Young and old,
foolish and wise—
all go under the sway of death;
all are destined to die.

579 When those overcome by death
leave this world for the next,
a father cannot protect his son,
nor relatives their kin.

580 See how, while relatives look on,
wailing profusely,
mortals are led away one by one,
like a cow to the slaughter.

581 And so the world is stricken
by old age and by death.
That is why the wise do not grieve,
for they understand the way of the world.

582 For one whose path you do not know—
not whence they came nor where they went—
you lament in vain,
seeing neither end.

583 If a bewildered person,
lamenting and self-harming,
could extract any good from that,
then those who see clearly would do the same.

584 For not by weeping and wailing
will you find peace of heart.
It just gives rise to more suffering,
and distresses your body.

585 Growing thin and pale,
you hurt yourself.
It does nothing to help the dead:
your lamentation is in vain.

586 Unless a person gives up grief,
they fall into suffering all the more.
Bewailing those whose time has come,
you fall under the sway of grief.

587 See, too, other folk departing
to fare after their deeds;
fallen under the sway of death,
beings flounder while still here.

588 For whatever you imagine it is,
it turns out to be something else.
Such is separation:
see the way of the world!

589 Even if a human lives
a hundred years or more,
they are parted from their family circle,
they leave this life behind.

590 Therefore, having learned from the Perfected One,
dispel lamentation.
Seeing the dead and departed, think:
“I cannot escape this.”

591 As one would extinguish
a blazing refuge with water,
so too a sage—a wise,
astute, and skilled person—
would swiftly blow away grief that comes up,
like the wind a tuft of cotton.

592 One who seeks their own happiness
would pluck out the dart from themselves—
the wailing and moaning,
and sadness inside.

593 With dart plucked out, unattached,
having found peace of mind,
overcoming all sorrow,
one is sorrowless and extinguished.

574Animittamanaññātaṁ,
maccānaṁ idha jīvitaṁ;
Kasirañca parittañca,
tañca dukkhena saṁyutaṁ.

575 Na hi so upakkamo atthi,
yena jātā na miyyare;
Jarampi patvā maraṇaṁ,
evaṁdhammā hi pāṇino.

576 Phalānamiva pakkānaṁ,
pāto patanato bhayaṁ;
Evaṁ jātāna maccānaṁ,
niccaṁ maraṇato bhayaṁ.

577 Yathāpi kumbhakārassa,
katā mattikabhājanā;
Sabbe bhedanapariyantā,
evaṁ maccāna jīvitaṁ.

578 Daharā ca mahantā ca,
ye bālā ye ca paṇḍitā;
Sabbe maccuvasaṁ yanti,
sabbe maccuparāyaṇā.

579 Tesaṁ maccuparetānaṁ,
gacchataṁ paralokato;
Na pitā tāyate puttaṁ,
ñātī vā pana ñātake.

580 Pekkhataṁyeva ñātīnaṁ,
passa lālapataṁ puthu;
Ekamekova maccānaṁ,
govajjho viya nīyati.

581 Evamabbhāhato loko,
Maccunā ca jarāya ca;
Tasmā dhīrā na socanti,
Viditvā lokapariyāyaṁ.

582 Yassa maggaṁ na jānāsi,
āgatassa gatassa vā;
Ubho ante asampassaṁ,
niratthaṁ paridevasi.

583 Paridevayamāno ce,
Kiñcidatthaṁ udabbahe;
Sammūḷho hiṁsamattānaṁ,
Kayirā ce naṁ vicakkhaṇo.

584 Na hi ruṇṇena sokena,
Santiṁ pappoti cetaso;
Bhiyyassuppajjate dukkhaṁ,
Sarīraṁ cupahaññati.

585 Kiso vivaṇṇo bhavati,
Hiṁsamattānamattanā;
Na tena petā pālenti,
Niratthā paridevanā.

586 Sokamappajahaṁ jantu,
Bhiyyo dukkhaṁ nigacchati;
Anutthunanto kālaṅkataṁ,
Sokassa vasamanvagū.

587 Aññepi passa gamine,
Yathākammupage nare;
Maccuno vasamāgamma,
Phandantevidha pāṇino.

588 Yena yena hi maññanti,
Tato taṁ hoti aññathā;
Etādiso vinābhāvo,
Passa lokassa pariyāyaṁ.

589 Api vassasataṁ jīve,
Bhiyyo vā pana māṇavo;
Ñātisaṅghā vinā hoti,
Jahāti idha jīvitaṁ.

590 Tasmā arahato sutvā,
Vineyya paridevitaṁ;
Petaṁ kālaṅkataṁ disvā,
Neso labbhā mayā iti.

591 Yathā saraṇamādittaṁ,
Vārinā parinibbaye;
Evampi dhīro sapañño,
Paṇḍito kusalo naro;
Khippamuppatitaṁ sokaṁ,
Vāto tūlaṁva dhaṁsaye.

592 Paridevaṁ pajappañca,
Domanassañca attano;
Attano sukhamesāno,
Abbahe sallamattano.

593Abbūḷhasallo asito,
santiṁ pappuyya cetaso;
Sabbasokaṁ atikkanto,
asoko hoti nibbutoti.