SN 1–11 The Group of Connected Discourses With Verses – Sagāthāvaggasaṁyutta > SN 4 Connected Discourses With Māra – Mārasaṁyutta > SN 4.9 Life Span (1st)

Linked Discourses 4.9 – Saṁyutta Nikāya 4.9

1. Life Span – 1. Paṭhamavagga

SN 4.9 Life Span (1st) – Paṭhamaāyusutta

So I have heard.

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—

At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe.

There the Buddha addressed the bhikkhū,

Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:

“Bhikkhū!”

“bhikkhavo”ti.

“Venerable sir,” they replied.

“Bhadante”ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ.

The Buddha said this:

Bhagavā etadavoca:

“Bhikkhū, the life span of humans is short.

“Appamidaṁ, bhikkhave, manussānaṁ āyu.

You must go to the next life. So you should do what is skillful, you should practice the spiritual life.

Gamanīyo samparāyo, kattabbaṁ kusalaṁ, caritabbaṁ brahmacariyaṁ.

No-one born is immortal.

Natthi jātassa amaraṇaṁ.

A long life is a hundred years or a little more.”

Yo, bhikkhave, ciraṁ jīvati, so vassasataṁ appaṁ vā bhiyyo”ti.

Then Māra the Wicked went up to the Buddha and addressed him in verse:

Atha kho māro pāpimā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:

“The life of humans is long!

“Dīghamāyu manussānaṁ,

A good person wouldn’t scorn it.

na naṁ hīḷe suporiso;

Live like a suckling babe,

Careyya khīramattova,

for Death has not come for you.”

natthi maccussa āgamo”ti.

“The life of humans is short,

“Appamāyu manussānaṁ,

and a good person scorns it.

hīḷeyya naṁ suporiso;

They should live as though their head was on fire,

Careyyādittasīsova,

for Death comes for everyone.”

natthi maccussa nāgamo”ti.

Then Māra … vanished right there.

Atha kho māro …pe… tatthevantaradhāyīti.