5: The Book of the Fives
48. Situations
- DG BB TBW © Translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Bodhi (More copyright information)
1"Bhikkhus, there are these five situations that are unobtainable by an ascetic or a brahmin, by a deva, Māra, or Brahmā, or by anyone in the world. What five? (1) ‘May what is subject to old age not grow old!’: this is a situation that is unobtainable by an ascetic or a brahmin, by a deva, Māra, or Brahmā, or by anyone in the world. (2) ‘May what is subject to illness not fall ill!’: this is a situation that is unobtainable by an ascetic … or by anyone in the world. (3) ‘May what is subject to death not die!’: this is a situation that is unobtainable by an ascetic … or by anyone in the world. (4) ‘May what is subject to destruction not be destroyed!’: this is a situation that is unobtainable by an ascetic … or by anyone in the world. (5) ‘May what is subject to loss not be lost!’: this is a situation that is unobtainable by an ascetic or a brahmin, by a deva, Māra, or Brahmā, or by anyone in the world.
2(1) "Bhikkhus, for the uninstructed worldling, what is subject to old age grows old. When this happens, he does not reflect thus: ‘I am not the only one for whom what is subject to old age grows old. For all beings that come and go, that pass away and undergo rebirth, what is subject to old age grows old. If I were to sorrow, languish, lament, weep beating my breast, and become confused when what is subject to old age grows old, I would lose my appetite and my features would become ugly. I would not be able to do my work, my enemies would be elated, and my friends would become saddened.’ Thus, when what is subject to old age grows old, he sorrows, languishes, laments, weeps beating his breast, and becomes confused. This is called an uninstructed worldling pierced by the poisonous dart of sorrow who only torments himself.
3(2) "Again, for the uninstructed worldling, what is subject to illness falls ill … (3) … what is subject to death dies … (4) … what is subject to destruction is destroyed … (5) … what is subject to loss is lost. When this happens, he does not reflect thus: ‘I am not the only one for whom what is subject to loss is lost. For all beings who come and go, who pass away and undergo rebirth, what is subject to loss is lost. If I were to sorrow, languish, lament, weep beating my breast, and become confused when what is subject to loss is lost, I would lose my appetite and my features would become ugly. I would not be able to do my work, my enemies would be elated, and my friends would become saddened.’ Thus, when what is subject to loss is lost, he sorrows, languishes, laments, weeps beating his breast, and becomes confused. This is called an uninstructed worldling pierced by the poisonous dart of sorrow who only torments himself.
4(1) "Bhikkhus, for the instructed noble disciple, what is subject to old age grows old. When this happens, he reflects thus: ‘I am not the only one for whom what is subject to old age grows old. For all beings that come and go, that pass away and undergo rebirth, what is subject to old age grows old. If I were to sorrow, languish, lament, weep beating my breast, and become confused when what is subject to old age grows old, I would lose my appetite and my features would become ugly. I would not be able to do my work, my enemies would be elated, and my friends would become saddened.’ Thus, when what is subject to old age grows old, he does not sorrow, languish, lament, weep beating his breast, and become confused. This is called an instructed noble disciple who has drawn out the poisonous dart of sorrow pierced by which the uninstructed worldling only torments himself. Sorrowless, without darts, the noble disciple realizes nibbāna. [n.1039] The text uses a reflexive causative form: attānaṁyeva parinibbāpeti. This might also have been rendered: "He extinguishes himself," or "He quenches himself." What is literally extinguished is the bitter feeling of sorrow, but the verb parinibbāpeti, related to the noun nibbāna, implies that he reaches ultimate liberation.
5(2) "Again, for the instructed noble disciple, what is subject to illness falls ill … (3) … what is subject to death dies … (4) … what is subject to destruction is destroyed … (5) … what is subject to loss is lost. When this happens, he reflects thus: ‘I am not the only one for whom what is subject to loss is lost. For all beings that come and go, that pass away and undergo rebirth, what is subject to loss is lost. If I were to sorrow, languish, lament, weep beating my breast, and become confused when what is subject to loss is lost, I would lose my appetite and my features would become ugly. I would not be able to do my work, my enemies would be elated, and my friends would become saddened.’ Thus, when what is subject to loss is lost, he does not sorrow, languish, lament, weep beating his breast, and become confused. This is called an instructed noble disciple who has drawn out the poisonous dart of sorrow pierced by which the uninstructed worldling only torments himself. Sorrowless, without darts, the noble disciple realizes nibbāna.
6"These, bhikkhus, are the five situations that are unobtainable by an ascetic or a brahmin, by a deva, Māra, or Brahmā, or by anyone in the world.
7"It is not by sorrowing and lamenting
that even the least good here can be gained.
[n.1040] I read with Ee attho idha labbhā api appako pi (Be is essentially the same). Ce attho alabbho api appako pi means "even the least good cannot be gained," which undermines the point.
Knowing that one is sorrowful and sad,
one's enemies are elated.
8"When the wise person does not shake in adversities,
knowing how to determine what is good,
his enemies are saddened, having seen
that his former facial expression does not change.
9"Wherever one might gain one's good,
in whatever way—by chanting, mantras,
maxims, gifts, or tradition
[n.1041] Paveṇiyā. Mp: "By family custom (kulavaṁsena). The meaning is, ‘We have traditionally practiced this, and we have not practiced that.’"
—there
one should exert oneself in just that way.
10"But if one should understand: ‘This good
cannot be obtained by me or anyone else,’
one should accept the situation without sorrowing,
thinking: ‘The kamma is strong; what can I do now?’"
1"Pañcimāni, bhikkhave, alabbhanīyāni ṭhānāni samaṇena vā brāhmaṇena vā devena vā mārena vā brahmunā vā kenaci vā lokasmiṁ. Katamāni pañca? ‘Jarādhammaṁ mā jīrī’ti alabbhanīyaṁ ṭhānaṁ samaṇena vā brāhmaṇena vā devena vā mārena vā brahmunā vā kenaci vā lokasmiṁ. ‘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.
2Assutavato, bhikkhave, puthujjanassa jarādhammaṁ jīrati. So jarādhamme jiṇṇe na iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘Na kho mayhevekassa jarādhammaṁ jīrati, atha kho yāvatā sattānaṁ āgati gati cuti upapatti sabbesaṁ sattānaṁ jarādhammaṁ jīrati. 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. So jarādhamme jiṇṇe socati kilamati paridevati, urattāḷiṁ kandati, sammohaṁ āpajjati. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave: ‘assutavā puthujjano viddho savisena sokasallena attānaṁyeva paritāpeti’.
3Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, assutavato puthujjanassa byādhidhammaṁ byādhīyati … pe … maraṇadhammaṁ mīyati … khayadhammaṁ khīyati … nassanadhammaṁ nassati. So nassanadhamme naṭṭhe na iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘Na kho mayhevekassa nassanadhammaṁ nassati, atha kho yāvatā sattānaṁ āgati gati cuti upapatti sabbesaṁ sattānaṁ nassanadhammaṁ nassati. 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. So nassanadhamme naṭṭhe socati kilamati paridevati, urattāḷiṁ kandati, sammohaṁ āpajjati. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave: ‘assutavā puthujjano viddho savisena sokasallena attānaṁyeva paritāpeti’.
4Sutavato ca kho, bhikkhave, ariyasāvakassa jarādhammaṁ jīrati. So jarādhamme jiṇṇe iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘Na kho mayhevekassa jarādhammaṁ jīrati, atha kho yāvatā sattānaṁ āgati gati cuti upapatti sabbesaṁ sattānaṁ jarādhammaṁ jīrati. 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. So jarādhamme jiṇṇe na socati na kilamati na paridevati, na urattāḷiṁ kandati, na sammohaṁ āpajjati. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave: ‘sutavā ariyasāvako abbuhi savisaṁ sokasallaṁ, yena viddho assutavā puthujjano attānaṁyeva paritāpeti. Asoko visallo ariyasāvako attānaṁyeva parinibbāpeti’.
5Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, sutavato ariyasāvakassa byādhidhammaṁ byādhīyati … pe … maraṇadhammaṁ mīyati … khayadhammaṁ khīyati … nassanadhammaṁ nassati. So nassanadhamme naṭṭhe iti paṭisañcikkhati: ‘Na kho mayhevekassa nassanadhammaṁ nassati, atha kho yāvatā sattānaṁ āgati gati cuti upapatti sabbesaṁ sattānaṁ nassanadhammaṁ nassati. 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. So nassanadhamme naṭṭhe na socati na kilamati na paridevati, na urattāḷiṁ kandati, na sammohaṁ āpajjati. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave: ‘sutavā ariyasāvako abbuhi savisaṁ sokasallaṁ, yena viddho assutavā puthujjano attānaṁyeva paritāpeti. Asoko visallo ariyasāvako attānaṁyeva parinibbāpetī’ti.
6Imāni kho, bhikkhave, pañca alabbhanīyāni ṭhānāni samaṇena vā brāhmaṇena vā devena vā mārena vā brahmunā vā kenaci vā lokasminti.
7Na socanāya paridevanāya,
Atthodha labbhā api appakopi;
Socantamenaṁ dukhitaṁ viditvā,
Paccatthikā attamanā bhavanti.
8Yato ca kho paṇḍito āpadāsu,
Na vedhatī atthavinicchayaññū;
Paccatthikāssa dukhitā bhavanti,
Disvā mukhaṁ avikāraṁ purāṇaṁ.
9Jappena mantena subhāsitena,
Anuppadānena paveṇiyā vā;
Yathā yathā yattha labhetha atthaṁ,
Tathā tathā tattha parakkameyya.
10Sace pajāneyya alabbhaneyyo,
Mayāva aññena vā esa attho;
Asocamāno adhivāsayeyya,
Kammaṁ daḷhaṁ kinti karomi dānī"ti.
Aṭṭhamaṁ.
