3:8 The Dart

574Without a sign, unknown
is the life of mortals here —
it is difficult and short,
and conjoined with suffering. (1) [113]

575For there is no way by which
those who have been born will not die.
Death occurs also when one has reached old age:
for such is the nature of living beings. (2)

576Just as when fruits have ripened,
there is always fear of their falling; I accept Norman’s suggestion that we read niccaṃ for pāto. Tena tāni phalāni pāto pāto niccakālaṃ patanti, nesaṃ pāto patanato bhayaṃ hoti, patanā bhayaṃ hotī ti attho. Following Norman (see GD 270), I take niccaṃ to be the preferred reading. Pj II, it seems, is trying to explain the verse on the basis of both pāto and niccaṃ. Ja IV 127,3 has phalānamiva pakkānaṃ, niccaṃ patanato bhayaṃ. The paraphrase at Ja IV 128,6–8 clearly supports niccaṃ: pakkānaṃ phalānaṃ pakkakālato paṭṭhāya “idāni vaṇṭā chijjitvā patissanti, idāni patissantī” ti patanato bhayaṃ niccaṃ dhuvaṃ ekaṃsikameva bhavati.
so for mortals who have taken birth,
there is always fear of death. (3)

577Just as the clay pots
produced by a potter
all finally end up by breaking,
such is the life of mortals. (4)

578Both the young and the old,
both the foolish and the wise,
all go under the control of death;
all have death as their destination. (5)

579When those overpowered by death
are going from here to the next world,I adopt the variant paralokito, divided as paralok’ito, following Norman at GD 73.
the father cannot protect his son,
nor can one protect one’s relatives. (6)

580Even as the relatives are looking on
and wailing profusely,
see how each of the mortals is led away
like a cow to be slaughtered. (7)

581Thus the world is stricken
by death and by old age;
therefore the wise do not sorrow,
having understood the way of the world. (8)

582You who do not know the path
by which he has come or gone,
not perceiving either end,
yet lament without purpose. (9)

583If while he is lamenting,
a bewildered person, injuring himself,
could derive some benefit,
a wise person too would do the same. (10)

584It is not by weeping or sorrowing
that one attains peace of mind.
One’s suffering arises still more
and one’s body is harmed. (11) [114]

585One becomes thin and pale,
and one inflicts injury upon oneself.
The departed are not thereby sustained;
thus lamentation is useless. (12)

586Without abandoning sorrow,
a person incurs still more suffering.
Bemoaning the one who has died,
one comes under the control of sorrow. (13)

587Behold others, too, about to depart,
people who fare according to their kamma:
living beings just trembling here,
having come under the control of death. (14)

588In whatever way they conceive it,
it turns out otherwise.
Such is separation:
see the way of the world! (15)

589Even if a person were to live
for a hundred years or longer,
there is separation from one’s group of relatives
when one abandons life here. (16)

590Therefore, having heard it from the arahant,
one should stop lamentation.
Having seen that he has departed and died,
realize, “I cannot [bring the dead back to life].”Literally “It is not possible for me.” I add the phrase in brackets based on Pj II. (17)

591Just as, if one’s shelter were blazing,
one would extinguish the fire with water,
so too a sensible person —
wise, learned, skilled —
would quickly blow away arisen sorrow,
as the wind does a tuft of cotton wool. (18)

592[Blow away] lamentation and muttering,
and one’s own dejection:
seeking happiness for oneself,
one should draw out the dart from oneself. (19)

593With the dart drawn out, unattached,
having attained peace of mind,
having overcome all sorrow,
sorrowless, one is quenched. (20) [115]

Sallasutta

574Animittamanaññātaṁ,
maccānaṁ idha jīvitaṁ;
Kasirañca parittañca,
tañca dukkhena saṁyutaṁ.

575 Na hi so upakkamo atthi,
yena jātā na miyyare;
Jarampi patvā maraṇaṁ,
evaṁdhammā hi pāṇino.

576 Phalānamiva pakkānaṁ,
pāto patanato bhayaṁ;
Evaṁ jātāna maccānaṁ,
niccaṁ maraṇato bhayaṁ.

577 Yathāpi kumbhakārassa,
katā mattikabhājanā;
Sabbe bhedanapariyantā,
evaṁ maccāna jīvitaṁ.

578 Daharā ca mahantā ca,
ye bālā ye ca paṇḍitā;
Sabbe maccuvasaṁ yanti,
sabbe maccuparāyaṇā.

579 Tesaṁ maccuparetānaṁ,
gacchataṁ paralokato;
Na pitā tāyate puttaṁ,
ñātī vā pana ñātake.

580 Pekkhataṁyeva ñātīnaṁ,
passa lālapataṁ puthu;
Ekamekova maccānaṁ,
govajjho viya nīyati.

581 Evamabbhāhato loko,
Maccunā ca jarāya ca;
Tasmā dhīrā na socanti,
Viditvā lokapariyāyaṁ.

582 Yassa maggaṁ na jānāsi,
āgatassa gatassa vā;
Ubho ante asampassaṁ,
niratthaṁ paridevasi.

583 Paridevayamāno ce,
Kiñcidatthaṁ udabbahe;
Sammūḷho hiṁsamattānaṁ,
Kayirā ce naṁ vicakkhaṇo.

584 Na hi ruṇṇena sokena,
Santiṁ pappoti cetaso;
Bhiyyassuppajjate dukkhaṁ,
Sarīraṁ cupahaññati.

585 Kiso vivaṇṇo bhavati,
Hiṁsamattānamattanā;
Na tena petā pālenti,
Niratthā paridevanā.

586 Sokamappajahaṁ jantu,
Bhiyyo dukkhaṁ nigacchati;
Anutthunanto kālaṅkataṁ,
Sokassa vasamanvagū.

587 Aññepi passa gamine,
Yathākammupage nare;
Maccuno vasamāgamma,
Phandantevidha pāṇino.

588 Yena yena hi maññanti,
Tato taṁ hoti aññathā;
Etādiso vinābhāvo,
Passa lokassa pariyāyaṁ.

589 Api vassasataṁ jīve,
Bhiyyo vā pana māṇavo;
Ñātisaṅghā vinā hoti,
Jahāti idha jīvitaṁ.

590 Tasmā arahato sutvā,
Vineyya paridevitaṁ;
Petaṁ kālaṅkataṁ disvā,
Neso labbhā mayā iti.

591 Yathā saraṇamādittaṁ,
Vārinā parinibbaye;
Evampi dhīro sapañño,
Paṇḍito kusalo naro;
Khippamuppatitaṁ sokaṁ,
Vāto tūlaṁva dhaṁsaye.

592 Paridevaṁ pajappañca,
Domanassañca attano;
Attano sukhamesāno,
Abbahe sallamattano.

593Abbūḷhasallo asito,
santiṁ pappuyya cetaso;
Sabbasokaṁ atikkanto,
asoko hoti nibbutoti.

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Sallasuttaṁ aṭṭhamaṁ.