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Numbered Discourses 5.48 – Aṅguttara Nikāya 5.48

5. With King Muṇḍa – 5. Muṇḍarājavagga

AN 5.48 Things That Cannot Be Had – Alabbhanīyaṭhānasutta

 

1.1

“Bhikkhū, there are five things that cannot be had by any ascetic or brahmin or god or Māra or Brahmā or by anyone in the world.

“Pañcimāni, bhikkhave, alabbhanīyāni ṭhānāni samaṇena vā brāhmaṇena vā devena vā mārena vā brahmunā vā kenaci vā lokasmiṁ.

1.2

What five?

Katamāni pañca?

1.3

That someone liable to old age should not grow old.

‘Jarādhammaṁ mā jīrī’ti alabbhanīyaṁ ṭhānaṁ samaṇena vā brāhmaṇena vā devena vā mārena vā brahmunā vā kenaci vā lokasmiṁ.

1.4

That someone liable to sickness should not get sick. … That someone liable to death should not die. … That someone liable to ending should not end. … That someone liable to perishing should not perish. …

‘Byādhidhammaṁ mā byādhīyī’ti …pe… ‘maraṇadhammaṁ mā mīyī’ti … ‘khayadhammaṁ mā khīyī’ti … ‘nassanadhammaṁ mā nassī’ti alabbhanīyaṁ ṭhānaṁ samaṇena vā brāhmaṇena vā devena vā mārena vā brahmunā vā kenaci vā lokasmiṁ.

2.1

An uneducated ordinary person has someone liable to old age who grows old.

Assutavato, bhikkhave, puthujjanassa jarādhammaṁ jīrati.

2.2

But they don’t reflect on old age:

So jarādhamme jiṇṇe na iti paṭisañcikkhati:

2.3

‘It’s not just me who has someone liable to old age who grows old. For as long as sentient beings come and go, pass away and are reborn, they all have someone liable to old age who grows old.

‘na kho mayhevekassa jarādhammaṁ jīrati, atha kho yāvatā sattānaṁ āgati gati cuti upapatti sabbesaṁ sattānaṁ jarādhammaṁ jīrati.

2.4

If I were to sorrow and wail and lament, beating my breast and falling into confusion, just because someone liable to old age grows old, I’d lose my appetite and my physical appearance would deteriorate. My work wouldn’t get done, my enemies would be encouraged, and my friends would be dispirited.’

Ahañceva kho pana jarādhamme jiṇṇe soceyyaṁ kilameyyaṁ parideveyyaṁ, urattāḷiṁ kandeyyaṁ, sammohaṁ āpajjeyyaṁ, bhattampi me nacchādeyya, kāyepi dubbaṇṇiyaṁ okkameyya, kammantāpi nappavatteyyuṁ, amittāpi attamanā assu, mittāpi dummanā assū’ti.

2.5

And so, when someone liable to old age grows old, they sorrow and wail and lament, beating their breast and falling into confusion.

So jarādhamme jiṇṇe socati kilamati paridevati, urattāḷiṁ kandati, sammohaṁ āpajjati.

2.6

This is called

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave:

2.7

an uneducated ordinary person struck by sorrow’s poisoned arrow, who only mortifies themselves.

‘assutavā puthujjano viddho savisena sokasallena attānaṁyeva paritāpeti’.

3.1

Furthermore, an uneducated ordinary person has someone liable to sickness … death … ending … perishing.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, assutavato puthujjanassa byādhidhammaṁ byādhīyati …pe… maraṇadhammaṁ mīyati … khayadhammaṁ khīyati … nassanadhammaṁ nassati.

3.2

But they don’t reflect on perishing:

So nassanadhamme naṭṭhe na iti paṭisañcikkhati:

3.3

‘It’s not just me who has someone liable to perishing who perishes. For as long as sentient beings come and go, pass away and are reborn, they all have someone liable to perishing who perishes.

‘na kho mayhevekassa nassanadhammaṁ nassati, atha kho yāvatā sattānaṁ āgati gati cuti upapatti sabbesaṁ sattānaṁ nassanadhammaṁ nassati.

3.4

If I were to sorrow and wail and lament, beating my breast and falling into confusion, just because someone liable to perishing perishes, I’d lose my appetite and my physical appearance would deteriorate. My work wouldn’t get done, my enemies would be encouraged, and my friends would be dispirited.’

Ahañceva kho pana nassanadhamme naṭṭhe soceyyaṁ kilameyyaṁ parideveyyaṁ, urattāḷiṁ kandeyyaṁ, sammohaṁ āpajjeyyaṁ, bhattampi me nacchādeyya, kāyepi dubbaṇṇiyaṁ okkameyya, kammantāpi nappavatteyyuṁ, amittāpi attamanā assu, mittāpi dummanā assū’ti.

3.5

And so, when someone liable to perishing perishes, they sorrow and wail and lament, beating their breast and falling into confusion.

So nassanadhamme naṭṭhe socati kilamati paridevati, urattāḷiṁ kandati, sammohaṁ āpajjati.

3.6

This is called

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave:

3.7

an uneducated ordinary person struck by sorrow’s poisoned arrow, who only mortifies themselves.

‘assutavā puthujjano viddho savisena sokasallena attānaṁyeva paritāpeti’.

4.1

An educated noble disciple has someone liable to old age who grows old.

Sutavato ca kho, bhikkhave, ariyasāvakassa jarādhammaṁ jīrati.

4.2

So they reflect on old age:

So jarādhamme jiṇṇe iti paṭisañcikkhati:

4.3

‘It’s not just me who has someone liable to old age who grows old. For as long as sentient beings come and go, pass away and are reborn, they all have someone liable to old age who grows old.

‘na kho mayhevekassa jarādhammaṁ jīrati, atha kho yāvatā sattānaṁ āgati gati cuti upapatti sabbesaṁ sattānaṁ jarādhammaṁ jīrati.

4.4

If I were to sorrow and wail and lament, beating my breast and falling into confusion, just because someone liable to old age grows old, I’d lose my appetite and my physical appearance would deteriorate. My work wouldn’t get done, my enemies would be encouraged, and my friends would be dispirited.’

Ahañceva kho pana jarādhamme jiṇṇe soceyyaṁ kilameyyaṁ parideveyyaṁ, urattāḷiṁ kandeyyaṁ, sammohaṁ āpajjeyyaṁ, bhattampi me nacchādeyya, kāyepi dubbaṇṇiyaṁ okkameyya, kammantāpi nappavatteyyuṁ, amittāpi attamanā assu, mittāpi dummanā assū’ti.

4.5

And so, when someone liable to old age grows old, they don’t sorrow and wail and lament, beating their breast and falling into confusion.

So jarādhamme jiṇṇe na socati na kilamati na paridevati, na urattāḷiṁ kandati, na sammohaṁ āpajjati.

4.6

This is called

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave:

4.7

an educated noble disciple who has drawn out sorrow’s poisoned arrow, struck by which uneducated ordinary people only mortify themselves.

‘sutavā ariyasāvako abbuhi savisaṁ sokasallaṁ, yena viddho assutavā puthujjano attānaṁyeva paritāpeti.

4.8

Sorrowless, free of thorns, that noble disciple only extinguishes themselves.

Asoko visallo ariyasāvako attānaṁyeva parinibbāpeti’.

5.1

Furthermore, an educated noble disciple has someone liable to sickness … death … ending … perishing.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, sutavato ariyasāvakassa byādhidhammaṁ byādhīyati …pe… maraṇadhammaṁ mīyati … khayadhammaṁ khīyati … nassanadhammaṁ nassati.

5.2

So they reflect on perishing:

So nassanadhamme naṭṭhe iti paṭisañcikkhati:

5.3

‘It’s not just me who has someone liable to perishing who perishes. For as long as sentient beings come and go, pass away and are reborn, they all have someone liable to perishing who perishes.

‘na kho mayhevekassa nassanadhammaṁ nassati, atha kho yāvatā sattānaṁ āgati gati cuti upapatti sabbesaṁ sattānaṁ nassanadhammaṁ nassati.

5.4

If I were to sorrow and wail and lament, beating my breast and falling into confusion, just because someone liable to perishing perishes, I’d lose my appetite and my physical appearance would deteriorate. My work wouldn’t get done, my enemies would be encouraged, and my friends would be dispirited.’

Ahañceva kho pana nassanadhamme naṭṭhe soceyyaṁ kilameyyaṁ parideveyyaṁ, urattāḷiṁ kandeyyaṁ, sammohaṁ āpajjeyyaṁ, bhattampi me nacchādeyya, kāyepi dubbaṇṇiyaṁ okkameyya, kammantāpi nappavatteyyuṁ, amittāpi attamanā assu, mittāpi dummanā assū’ti.

5.5

And so, when someone liable to perishing perishes, they don’t sorrow and wail and lament, beating their breast and falling into confusion.

So nassanadhamme naṭṭhe na socati na kilamati na paridevati, na urattāḷiṁ kandati, na sammohaṁ āpajjati.

5.6

This is called

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave:

5.7

an educated noble disciple who has drawn out sorrow’s poisoned arrow, struck by which uneducated ordinary people only mortify themselves.

‘sutavā ariyasāvako abbuhi savisaṁ sokasallaṁ, yena viddho assutavā puthujjano attānaṁyeva paritāpeti.

5.8

Sorrowless, free of thorns, that noble disciple only extinguishes themselves.

Asoko visallo ariyasāvako attānaṁyeva parinibbāpetī’ti.

6.1

These are the five things that cannot be had by any ascetic or brahmin or god or Māra or Brahmā or by anyone in the world.

Imāni kho, bhikkhave, pañca alabbhanīyāni ṭhānāni samaṇena vā brāhmaṇena vā devena vā mārena vā brahmunā vā kenaci vā lokasminti.

7.1

Sorrowing and lamenting

Na socanāya paridevanāya,

7.2

doesn’t do even a little bit of good.

Atthodha labbhā api appakopi;

7.3

When they know that you’re sad,

Socantamenaṁ dukhitaṁ viditvā,

7.4

your enemies are encouraged.

Paccatthikā attamanā bhavanti.

8.1

When an astute person doesn’t waver in the face of adversity,

Yato ca kho paṇḍito āpadāsu,

8.2

as they’re able to assess what’s beneficial,

Na vedhatī atthavinicchayaññū;

8.3

their enemies suffer,

Paccatthikāssa dukhitā bhavanti,

8.4

seeing that their normal expression doesn’t change.

Disvā mukhaṁ avikāraṁ purāṇaṁ.

9.1

Chants, recitations, fine sayings,

Jappena mantena subhāsitena,

9.2

charity or traditions:

Anuppadānena paveṇiyā vā;

9.3

if by means of any such things you benefit,

Yathā yathā yattha labhetha atthaṁ,

9.4

then by all means keep doing them.

Tathā tathā tattha parakkameyya.

10.1

But if you understand that ‘this good thing

Sace pajāneyya alabbhaneyyo,

10.2

can’t be had by me or by anyone else’,

Mayāva aññena vā esa attho;

10.3

you should accept it without sorrowing, thinking:

Asocamāno adhivāsayeyya,

10.4

‘The karma is strong. What can I do now?’”

Kammaṁ daḷhaṁ kinti karomi dānī”ti.

10.5

 

Aṭṭhamaṁ.