AN 8 The Book of the Eights – Aṭṭhakanipāta > AN 8.29 Lost Opportunities

Numbered Discourses 8.29 – Aṅguttara Nikāya 8.29

3. Householders – 3. Gahapativagga

AN 8.29 Lost Opportunities – Akkhaṇasutta

1.1

“‘Now is the time! Now is the time!’ So says an uneducated ordinary person. But they don’t know whether it’s time or not.

“‘Khaṇakicco loko, khaṇakicco loko’ti, bhikkhave, assutavā puthujjano bhāsati, no ca kho so jānāti khaṇaṁ vā akkhaṇaṁ vā.

1.2

Bhikkhū, there are eight lost opportunities for spiritual practice.

Aṭṭhime, bhikkhave, akkhaṇā asamayā brahmacariyavāsāya.

1.3

What eight?

Katame aṭṭha?

1.4

Firstly, a Realized One has arisen in the world—perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those who wish to train, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed. He teaches the Dhamma leading to peace, extinguishment, awakening, as proclaimed by the Holy One.

Idha, bhikkhave, tathāgato ca loke uppanno hoti arahaṁ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇasampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisadammasārathi satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā, dhammo ca desiyati opasamiko parinibbāniko sambodhagāmī sugatappavedito;

1.5

But a person has been reborn in hell.

ayañca puggalo nirayaṁ upapanno hoti.

1.6

This is the first lost opportunity for spiritual practice.

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭhamo akkhaṇo asamayo brahmacariyavāsāya.

2.1

Furthermore, a Realized One has arisen in the world.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, tathāgato ca loke uppanno hoti …pe… satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā, dhammo ca desiyati opasamiko parinibbāniko sambodhagāmī sugatappavedito;

2.2

But a person has been reborn in the animal realm. This is the second lost opportunity.

ayañca puggalo tiracchānayoniṁ upapanno hoti …pe….

3.1

Furthermore, a Realized One has arisen in the world.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave …pe…

3.2

But a person has been reborn in the ghost realm. This is the third lost opportunity.

ayañca puggalo pettivisayaṁ upapanno hoti …pe….

4.1

Furthermore, a Realized One has arisen in the world.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave …pe…

4.2

But a person has been reborn in one of the long-lived orders of gods. This is the fourth lost opportunity.

ayañca puggalo aññataraṁ dīghāyukaṁ devanikāyaṁ upapanno hoti …pe….

5.1

Furthermore, a Realized One has arisen in the world.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave …pe…

5.2

But a person has been reborn in the borderlands, among strange barbarian tribes, where monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen do not go. This is the fifth lost opportunity …

ayañca puggalo paccantimesu janapadesu paccājāto hoti, so ca hoti aviññātāresu milakkhesu, yattha natthi gati bhikkhūnaṁ bhikkhunīnaṁ upāsakānaṁ upāsikānaṁ …pe….

6.1

Furthermore, a Realized One has arisen in the world. And a person is reborn in a central country. But they have wrong view and distorted perspective:

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave …pe… ayañca puggalo majjhimesu janapadesu paccājāto hoti, so ca hoti micchādiṭṭhiko viparītadassano:

6.2

‘There’s no meaning in giving, sacrifice, or offerings. There’s no fruit or result of good and bad deeds. There’s no afterlife. There’s no obligation to mother and father. No beings are reborn spontaneously. And there’s no ascetic or brahmin who is well attained and practiced, and who describes the afterlife after realizing it with their own insight.’ This is the sixth lost opportunity …

‘natthi dinnaṁ, natthi yiṭṭhaṁ, natthi hutaṁ, natthi sukatadukkaṭānaṁ kammānaṁ phalaṁ vipāko, natthi ayaṁ loko, natthi paro loko, natthi mātā, natthi pitā, natthi sattā opapātikā, natthi loke samaṇabrāhmaṇā sammaggatā sammā paṭipannā ye imañca lokaṁ parañca lokaṁ sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā pavedentī’ti …pe….

7.1

Furthermore, a Realized One has arisen in the world.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave …pe…

7.2

And a person is reborn in a central country. But they’re witless, dull, stupid, and unable to distinguish what is well said from what is poorly said.

ayañca puggalo majjhimesu janapadesu paccājāto hoti, so ca hoti duppañño jaḷo eḷamūgo appaṭibalo subhāsitadubbhāsitassa atthamaññātuṁ.

7.3

This is the seventh lost opportunity …

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, sattamo akkhaṇo asamayo brahmacariyavāsāya.

8.1

Furthermore, a Realized One has not arisen in the world …

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, tathāgato ca loke anuppanno hoti arahaṁ sammāsambuddho …pe… satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā.

8.2

So he doesn’t teach the Dhamma leading to peace, extinguishment, awakening, as proclaimed by the Holy One. And a person is reborn in a central country. And they’re wise, bright, clever, and able to distinguish what is well said from what is poorly said.

Dhammo ca na desiyati opasamiko parinibbāniko sambodhagāmī sugatappavedito. Ayañca puggalo majjhimesu janapadesu paccājāto hoti, so ca hoti paññavā ajaḷo aneḷamūgo paṭibalo subhāsitadubbhāsitassa atthamaññātuṁ.

8.3

This is the eighth lost opportunity …

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, aṭṭhamo akkhaṇo asamayo brahmacariyavāsāya.

9.1

There are these eight lost opportunities for spiritual practice.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, aṭṭha akkhaṇā asamayā brahmacariyavāsāya.

10.1

Bhikkhū, there is just one opportunity for spiritual practice.

Ekova kho, bhikkhave, khaṇo ca samayo ca brahmacariyavāsāya.

10.2

What is that one?

Katamo eko?

10.3

It’s when a Realized One has arisen in the world, perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those who wish to train, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed.

Idha, bhikkhave, tathāgato ca loke uppanno hoti arahaṁ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇasampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisadammasārathi satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā.

10.4

He teaches the Dhamma leading to peace, extinguishment, awakening, as proclaimed by the Holy One. And a person is reborn in a central country. And they’re wise, bright, clever, and able to distinguish what is well said from what is poorly said.

Dhammo ca desiyati opasamiko parinibbāniko sambodhagāmī sugatappavedito. Ayañca puggalo majjhimesu janapadesu paccājāto hoti, so ca hoti paññavā ajaḷo aneḷamūgo paṭibalo subhāsitadubbhāsitassa atthamaññātuṁ.

10.5

This is the one opportunity for spiritual practice.

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, ekova khaṇo ca samayo ca brahmacariyavāsāyāti.

11.1

When you’ve gained the human state,

Manussalābhaṁ laddhāna,

11.2

and the true teaching has been so well proclaimed,

saddhamme suppavedite;

11.3

if you don’t seize the moment

Ye khaṇaṁ nādhigacchanti,

11.4

it’ll pass you by.

atināmenti te khaṇaṁ.

12.1

For many wrong times are spoken of,

Bahū hi akkhaṇā vuttā,

12.2

which obstruct the path.

maggassa antarāyikā;

12.3

Only on rare occasions

Kadāci karahaci loke,

12.4

do Realized Ones arise.

uppajjanti tathāgatā.

13.1

If you find yourself in their presence,

Tayidaṁ sammukhībhūtaṁ,

13.2

so hard to find in the world,

yaṁ lokasmiṁ sudullabhaṁ;

13.3

and if you’ve gained a human birth,

Manussapaṭilābho ca,

13.4

and the teaching of the Dhamma;

saddhammassa ca desanā;

13.5

that’s enough to make an effort,

Alaṁ vāyamituṁ tattha,

13.6

for a person who loves themselves.

attakāmena jantunā.

14.1

How is the true teaching to be understood

Kathaṁ vijaññā saddhammaṁ,

14.2

so that the moment doesn’t pass you by?

khaṇo ve mā upaccagā;

14.3

For if you miss your moment

Khaṇātītā hi socanti,

14.4

you’ll grieve when sent to hell.

nirayamhi samappitā.

15.1

If you fail to achieve

Idha ce naṁ virādheti,

15.2

certainty regarding the true teaching

saddhammassa niyāmataṁ;

15.3

you’ll regret it for a long time,

Vāṇijova atītattho,

15.4

like a trader who loses a profit.

cirattaṁ anutapissati.

16.1

A man shrouded by ignorance,

Avijjānivuto poso,

16.2

a failure in the true teaching,

saddhammaṁ aparādhiko;

16.3

will long undergo

Jātimaraṇasaṁsāraṁ,

16.4

transmigration through birth and death.

ciraṁ paccanubhossati.

17.1

Those who’ve gained the human state

Ye ca laddhā manussattaṁ,

17.2

when the true teaching has been so well proclaimed,

saddhamme suppavedite;

17.3

and have completed what the Teacher taught—

Akaṁsu satthu vacanaṁ,

17.4

or will do so, or are doing so now—

karissanti karonti vā.

18.1

have realized the right time in the world

Khaṇaṁ paccaviduṁ loke,

18.2

for the supreme spiritual life.

brahmacariyaṁ anuttaraṁ;

18.3

You should live guarded, ever mindful,

Ye maggaṁ paṭipajjiṁsu,

18.4

not soaked with defilements,

tathāgatappaveditaṁ.

19.1

among those restrained ones

Ye saṁvarā cakkhumatā,

19.2

who have practiced the path

desitādiccabandhunā;

19.3

proclaimed by the Realized One, the one with vision,

Tesu gutto sadā sato,

19.4

and taught by the Kinsman of the Sun.

vihare anavassuto.

20.1

Having cut off all underlying tendencies

Sabbe anusaye chetvā,

20.2

that follow those drifting in Māra’s dominion,

māradheyyaparānuge;

20.3

they’re the ones in this world who’ve truly crossed over,

Te ve pāraṅgatā loke,

20.4

having reached the ending of defilements.”

ye pattā āsavakkhayan”ti.

20.5

Navamaṁ.