1On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Rājagaha on Mount Vulture Peak. There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus thus: "Bhikkhus!"[n.260] The sutta, including the verses, is also at It 17–18.

1Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe vihārati gijjhakūṭe pabbate. Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: "bhikkhavo"ti.

"Venerable sir!" those bhikkhus replied. The Blessed One said this:

"Bhadante"ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā etadavoca: 

2"Bhikkhus, this saṁsara is without discoverable beginning. A first point is not discerned of beings roaming and wandering on hindered by ignorance and fettered by craving. One person, roaming and wandering on hindered by ignorance and fettered by craving, would leave behind a stack of bones, a heap of bones, a pile of bones as large as this Mount Vepulla, if there were someone to collect them and what is collected would not perish.[n.261] Spk: For these beings, the times when they are born as invertebrates is greater than the times when they are born as vertebrates; for when they become creatures such as worms, etc., they have no bones. But when they become fish and tortoises, etc., their bones are numerous. Therefore, skipping over the time when they are invertebrates and the time when they have extremely numerous bones, only the time when they have a moderate number of bones (samaṭṭhikakālo va) should be taken. For what reason? Because, bhikkhus, this saṁsara is without discoverable beginning … . It is enough to be liberated from them."

2"Anamataggoyaṁ, bhikkhave, saṁsāro … pe … ekapuggalassa, bhikkhave, kappaṁ sandhāvato saṁsarato siyā evaṁ mahā aṭṭhikaṅkalo aṭṭhipuñjo aṭṭhirāsi yathāyaṁ vepullo pabbato, sace saṁhārako assa, sambhatañca na vinasseyya. Taṁ kissa hetu? Anamataggoyaṁ, bhikkhave, saṁsāro … pe … alaṁ vimuccitun"ti.

3This is what the Blessed One said. Having said this, the Fortunate One, the Teacher, further said this:

3Idamavoca bhagavā. Idaṁ vatvāna sugato athāparaṁ etadavoca satthā: 

4"The heap of bones one person leaves behind
With the passing of a single aeon
Would form a heap as high as a mountain:
So said the Great Sage.

4"Ekassekena kappena,
puggalassaṭṭhisañcayo;
Siyā pabbatasamo rāsi,
iti vuttaṁ mahesinā.

5This is declared to be as massive
As the tall Vepulla Mountain
Standing north of Vulture Peak
In the Magadhan mountain raṅge.

5So kho panāyaṁ akkhāto,
vepullo pabbato mahā;
Uttaro gijjhakūṭassa,
magadhānaṁ giribbaje.

6"But when one sees with correct wisdom
The truths of the noble ones—
Suffering and its origin,
The overcoming of suffering,
And the Noble Eightfold Path
That leads to suffering's appeasement—
Then that person, having wandered on

6Yato ca ariyasaccāni,
sammappaññāya passati;
Dukkhaṁ dukkhasamup pādaṁ,
dukkhassa ca atikkamaṁ;
Ariyaṁ caṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ,
dukkhūpasamagāminaṁ.

7For seven more times at most, sn.ii.186
Makes an end to suffering
By destroying all the fetters."

7Sa sattakkhattuṁparamaṁ,
sandhāvitvāna puggalo;
Dukkhassantakaro hoti,
sabbasaṁyojanakkhayā"ti.

Dasamaṁ.
Paṭhamo vaggo.