The Sutta Nipata
The "Sutta Collection"
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Sutta Nipata III.8
Salla Sutta
The Arrow
Translated from the Pali by John D. Ireland.
Read an alternate translation by Thanissaro
Bhikkhu
"Unindicated and unknown is the length of life of those
subject to death. Life is difficult and brief and bound up with suffering. There
is no means by which those who are born will not die. Having reached old age,
there is death. This is the natural course for a living being. With ripe fruits
there is the constant danger that they will fall. In the same way, for those
born and subject to death, there is always the fear of dying. Just
as the pots made by a potter all end by being broken, so death is (the
breaking up) of life.
"The young and old, the foolish and the wise, all are
stopped short by the power of death, all finally end in death. Of those overcome
by death and passing to another world, a father cannot hold back his son, nor
relatives a relation. See! While the relatives are looking on and weeping, one
by one each mortal is led away like an ox to slaughter.
"In this manner the world is afflicted by death and
decay. But the wise do not grieve, having realized the nature of the world. You
do not know the path by which they came or departed. Not seeing either end you
lament in vain. If any benefit is gained by lamenting, the wise would do it.
Only a fool would harm himself. Yet through weeping and sorrowing the mind does
not become calm, but still more suffering is produced, the body is harmed and
one becomes lean and pale, one merely hurts oneself. One cannot protect a
departed one (peta) by that means. To grieve is in vain.
"By not abandoning sorrow a being simply undergoes more
suffering. Bewailing the dead he comes under the sway of sorrow. See other men
faring according to their deeds! Hence beings tremble here with fear when they
come into the power of death. Whatever they imagine, it (turns out) quite
different from that. This is the sort of disappointment that exists. Look at the
nature of the world! If a man lives for a hundred years, or even more, finally,
he is separated from his circle of relatives and gives up his life in the end.
Therefore, having listened to the Arahant,[1] one
should give up lamenting. Seeing a dead body, one should know, "He will not
be met by me again." As the fire in a burning house is extinguished with
water, so a wise, discriminating, learned and sensible man should quickly drive
away the sorrow that arises, as the wind (blows off) a piece of cotton. He who
seeks happiness should withdraw the arrow: his own lamentations, longings and
grief.
"With the arrow withdrawn, unattached, he would attain
to peace of mind; and when all sorrow has been transcended he is sorrow-free and
has realized Nibbana.
-- vv. 574-593
Note
1. The Perfect One, i.e., the Buddha.
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