AN 7 The Book of the Sevens – Sattakanipāta > AN 7.74 About Araka

Numbered Discourses 7.74 – Aṅguttara Nikāya 7.74

7. The Great Chapter – 7. Mahāvagga

AN 7.74 About Araka – Arakasutta

1.1

“Once upon a time, bhikkhū, there was a Teacher called Araka. He was a religious founder and was free of sensual desire.

“Bhūtapubbaṁ, bhikkhave, arako nāma satthā ahosi titthakaro kāmesu vītarāgo.

1.2

He had many hundreds of disciples,

Arakassa kho pana, bhikkhave, satthuno anekāni sāvakasatāni ahesuṁ.

1.3

and he taught them like this:

Arako satthā sāvakānaṁ evaṁ dhammaṁ deseti:

1.4

‘Brahmins, life as a human is short, brief, and fleeting, full of suffering and distress. Think about this and wake up! Do what’s good and lead the spiritual life, for no-one born can escape death.

‘appakaṁ, brāhmaṇa, jīvitaṁ manussānaṁ parittaṁ lahukaṁ bahudukkhaṁ bahupāyāsaṁ mantāyaṁ boddhabbaṁ, kattabbaṁ kusalaṁ, caritabbaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, natthi jātassa amaraṇaṁ.

2.1

It’s like a drop of dew on a grass tip. When the sun comes up it quickly evaporates and doesn’t last long.

Seyyathāpi, brāhmaṇa, tiṇagge ussāvabindu sūriye uggacchante khippaṁyeva paṭivigacchati, na ciraṭṭhitikaṁ hoti;

2.2

In the same way, life as a human is like a dew-drop. It’s brief and fleeting, full of suffering and distress. Think about this and wake up! Do what’s good and lead the spiritual life, for no-one born can escape death.

evamevaṁ kho, brāhmaṇa, ussāvabindūpamaṁ jīvitaṁ manussānaṁ parittaṁ lahukaṁ bahudukkhaṁ bahupāyāsaṁ mantāyaṁ boddhabbaṁ, kattabbaṁ kusalaṁ, caritabbaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, natthi jātassa amaraṇaṁ.

3.1

It’s like when the rain falls heavily. The bubbles quickly vanish and don’t last long.

Seyyathāpi, brāhmaṇa, thullaphusitake deve vassante udakabubbuḷaṁ khippaṁyeva paṭivigacchati, na ciraṭṭhitikaṁ hoti;

3.2

In the same way, life as a human is like a bubble. …

evamevaṁ kho, brāhmaṇa, udakabubbuḷūpamaṁ jīvitaṁ manussānaṁ parittaṁ lahukaṁ bahudukkhaṁ bahupāyāsaṁ mantāyaṁ boddhabbaṁ, kattabbaṁ kusalaṁ, caritabbaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, natthi jātassa amaraṇaṁ.

4.1

It’s like a line drawn in water. It vanishes quickly and doesn’t last long.

Seyyathāpi, brāhmaṇa, udake daṇḍarāji khippaṁyeva paṭivigacchati, na ciraṭṭhitikā hoti;

4.2

In the same way, life as a human is like a line drawn in water. …

evamevaṁ kho, brāhmaṇa, udake daṇḍarājūpamaṁ jīvitaṁ manussānaṁ parittaṁ …pe…

4.3

natthi jātassa amaraṇaṁ.

5.1

It’s like a mountain river traveling far, flowing fast, carrying all before it. It doesn’t turn back—not for a moment, a second, an instant—but runs, rolls, and flows on.

Seyyathāpi, brāhmaṇa, nadī pabbateyyā dūraṅgamā sīghasotā hārahārinī, natthi so khaṇo vā layo vā muhutto vā yaṁ sā āvattati, atha kho sā gacchateva vattateva sandateva;

5.2

In the same way, life as a human is like a mountain river. …

evamevaṁ kho, brāhmaṇa, nadīpabbateyyūpamaṁ jīvitaṁ manussānaṁ parittaṁ lahukaṁ …pe…

5.3

natthi jātassa amaraṇaṁ.

6.1

It’s like a strong man who has formed a glob of spit on the tip of his tongue. He could easily spit it out.

Seyyathāpi, brāhmaṇa, balavā puriso jivhagge kheḷapiṇḍaṁ saṁyūhitvā akasireneva vameyya;

6.2

In the same way, life as a human is like a glob of spit. …

evamevaṁ kho, brāhmaṇa, kheḷapiṇḍūpamaṁ jīvitaṁ manussānaṁ parittaṁ …pe…

6.3

natthi jātassa amaraṇaṁ.

7.1

Suppose there was an iron cauldron that had been heated all day. If you tossed a lump of meat in, it would quickly vanish and not last long.

Seyyathāpi, brāhmaṇa, divasaṁsantatte ayokaṭāhe maṁsapesi pakkhittā khippaṁyeva paṭivigacchati, na ciraṭṭhitikā hoti;

7.2

In the same way, life as a human is like a lump of meat. …

evamevaṁ kho, brāhmaṇa, maṁsapesūpamaṁ jīvitaṁ manussānaṁ parittaṁ …pe…

7.3

natthi jātassa amaraṇaṁ.

8.1

It’s like a cow being led to the slaughterhouse. With every step she comes closer to the slaughter, closer to death.

Seyyathāpi, brāhmaṇa, gāvī vajjhā āghātanaṁ nīyamānā yaṁ yadeva pādaṁ uddharati, santikeva hoti vadhassa santikeva maraṇassa;

8.2

In the same way, life as a human is like a cow being slaughtered. It’s brief and fleeting, full of suffering and distress. Think about this and wake up! Do what’s good and lead the spiritual life, for no-one born can escape death.’

evamevaṁ kho, brāhmaṇa, govajjhūpamaṁ jīvitaṁ manussānaṁ parittaṁ lahukaṁ bahudukkhaṁ bahupāyāsaṁ mantāyaṁ boddhabbaṁ, kattabbaṁ kusalaṁ, caritabbaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, natthi jātassa amaraṇan’ti.

9.1

Now, bhikkhū, at that time human beings had a life span of 60,000 years. Girls could be married at 500 years of age.

Tena kho pana, bhikkhave, samayena manussānaṁ saṭṭhivassasahassāni āyuppamāṇaṁ ahosi, pañcavassasatikā kumārikā alaṁpateyyā ahosi.

9.2

And human beings only had six afflictions:

Tena kho pana, bhikkhave, samayena manussānaṁ chaḷeva ābādhā ahesuṁ—

9.3

cold, heat, hunger, thirst, and the need to defecate and urinate.

sītaṁ, uṇhaṁ, jighacchā, pipāsā, uccāro, passāvo.

9.4

But even though humans were so long-lived with so few afflictions, Araka still taught in this way:

So hi nāma, bhikkhave, arako satthā evaṁ dīghāyukesu manussesu evaṁ ciraṭṭhitikesu evaṁ appābādhesu sāvakānaṁ evaṁ dhammaṁ desessati:

9.5

‘Life as a human is short, brief, and fleeting, full of suffering and distress. Think about this and wake up! Do what’s good and lead the spiritual life, for no-one born can escape death.’

10.1

These days it’d be right to say:

Etarahi taṁ, bhikkhave, sammā vadamāno vadeyya:

10.2

‘Life as a human is short, brief, and fleeting, full of suffering and distress. Think about this and wake up! Do what’s good and lead the spiritual life, for no-one born can escape death.’

‘appakaṁ jīvitaṁ manussānaṁ parittaṁ lahukaṁ bahudukkhaṁ bahupāyāsaṁ mantāyaṁ boddhabbaṁ, kattabbaṁ kusalaṁ, caritabbaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, natthi jātassa amaraṇan’ti.

10.3

For these days a long life is a hundred years or a little more.

Etarahi, bhikkhave, yo ciraṁ jīvati so vassasataṁ appaṁ vā bhiyyo.

10.4

Living for a hundred years, there are just three hundred seasons,

Vassasataṁ kho pana, bhikkhave, jīvanto tīṇiyeva utusatāni jīvati—

10.5

a hundred each of the winter, summer, and rains.

utusataṁ hemantānaṁ, utusataṁ gimhānaṁ, utusataṁ vassānaṁ.

10.6

Living for three hundred seasons, there are just twelve hundred months,

Tīṇi kho pana, bhikkhave, utusatāni jīvanto dvādasayeva māsasatāni jīvati—

10.7

four hundred in each of the winter, summer, and rains.

cattāri māsasatāni hemantānaṁ, cattāri māsasatāni gimhānaṁ, cattāri māsasatāni vassānaṁ.

10.8

Living for twelve hundred months, there are just twenty-four hundred fortnights,

Dvādasa kho pana, bhikkhave, māsasatāni jīvanto catuvīsatiyeva addhamāsasatāni jīvati—

10.9

eight hundred in each of the winter, summer, and rains.

aṭṭhaddhamāsasatāni hemantānaṁ, aṭṭhaddhamāsasatāni gimhānaṁ, aṭṭhaddhamāsasatāni vassānaṁ.

10.10

Living for 2,400 fortnights, there are just 36,000 days,

Catuvīsati kho pana, bhikkhave, addhamāsasatāni jīvanto chattiṁsaṁyeva rattisahassāni jīvati—

10.11

12,000 in each of the summer, winter, and rains.

dvādasa rattisahassāni hemantānaṁ, dvādasa rattisahassāni gimhānaṁ, dvādasa rattisahassāni vassānaṁ.

10.12

Living for 36,000 days, you just eat 72,000 meals,

Chattiṁsaṁ kho pana, bhikkhave, rattisahassāni jīvanto dvesattatiyeva bhattasahassāni bhuñjati—

10.13

24,000 in each of the summer, winter, and rains, including when you’re suckling at the breast, and when you’re prevented from eating.

catuvīsati bhattasahassāni hemantānaṁ, catuvīsati bhattasahassāni gimhānaṁ, catuvīsati bhattasahassāni vassānaṁ saddhiṁ mātuthaññāya saddhiṁ bhattantarāyena.

11.1

Things that prevent you from eating include anger, pain, sickness, sabbath, or being unable to get food.

Tatrime bhattantarāyā kapimiddhopi bhattaṁ na bhuñjati, dukkhitopi bhattaṁ na bhuñjati, byādhitopi bhattaṁ na bhuñjati, uposathikopi bhattaṁ na bhuñjati, alābhakenapi bhattaṁ na bhuñjati.

11.2

So bhikkhū, for a human being with a hundred years life span I have counted the life span, the limit of the life span, the seasons, the years, the months, the fortnights, the nights, the days, the meals, and the things that prevent them from eating.

Iti kho, bhikkhave, mayā vassasatāyukassa manussassa āyupi saṅkhāto, āyuppamāṇampi saṅkhātaṁ, utūpi saṅkhātā, saṁvaccharāpi saṅkhātā, māsāpi saṅkhātā, addhamāsāpi saṅkhātā, rattipi saṅkhātā, divāpi saṅkhātā, bhattāpi saṅkhātā, bhattantarāyāpi saṅkhātā.

11.3

Out of compassion, I’ve done what a teacher should do who wants what’s best for their disciples.

Yaṁ, bhikkhave, satthārā karaṇīyaṁ sāvakānaṁ hitesinā anukampakena anukampaṁ upādāya;

11.4

Here are these roots of trees, and here are these empty huts. Practice absorption, bhikkhū! Don’t be negligent! Don’t regret it later! This is my instruction to you.”

kataṁ vo taṁ mayā etāni, bhikkhave, rukkhamūlāni etāni suññāgārāni. Jhāyatha, bhikkhave, mā pamādattha; mā pacchā vippaṭisārino ahuvattha. Ayaṁ vo amhākaṁ anusāsanī”ti.

11.5

Dasamaṁ.

11.6

Mahāvaggo sattamo.

12.0

Tassuddānaṁ

12.1

Hirīsūriyaṁ upamā,

12.2

dhammaññū pārichattakaṁ;

12.3

Sakkaccaṁ bhāvanā aggi,

12.4

sunettaarakena cāti.