1Thus I heard: At one time the Gracious One was dwelling near Sāvatthī, in Jeta's Wood, at Anāthapiṇḍika's monastery. Then at that time the Gracious One, in the darkness and dullness of the night, was sitting in the open air, while the oil-lamps were burning.

2Then at that time many moths rushing and falling down into those oil lamps, were coming to grief, were coming to ruin. The Gracious One saw those many moths who, rushing and falling down into those oil lamps, were coming to grief, were coming to ruin.

3Then the Gracious One, having understood the significance of it, on that occasion uttered this exalted utterance:

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4"They run beyond, not coming to the essential,
They cause new and fresh bonds to increase,
Like moths that fall into the lamp,
Some have settled thus on what is seen or heard."

1Evaṁ me sutaṁ — ​   ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tena kho pana samayena bhagavā rattandhakāratimisāyaṁ abbhokāse nisinno hoti telappadīpesu jhāyamānesu.

2Tena kho pana samayena sambahulā adhipātakā tesu telappadīpesu āpātaparipātaṁ anayaṁ āpajjanti, byasanaṁ āpajjanti, anayabyasanaṁ āpajjanti. Addasā kho bhagavā te sambahule adhipātake tesu telappadīpesu āpātaparipātaṁ anayaṁ āpajjante, byasanaṁ āpajjante, anayabyasanaṁ āpajjante.

3Atha kho bhagavā etamatthaṁ viditvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi: 

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4"Upātidhāvanti na sāramenti,
Navaṁ navaṁ bandhanaṁ brūhayanti;
Patanti pajjotamivādhipātakā,
Diṭṭhe sute itiheke niviṭṭhā"ti.

Navamaṁ.