Five Warning Signs · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral
Parallels & more translations on SuttaCentral
this was saidVuttañhetaṁ by the Blessed Onebhagavatā said by the Perfected One, they sayvuttamarahatāti by meme heardsutaṁ:
This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard.
when“Yadā,
monksbhikkhave,
a goddevo
from the realm of the godsdevakāyā
due to pass awaycavanadhammo
ishoti,
five for himpañcassa
harbingerspubbanimittāni
appearpātubhavanti—
flower-garlandsmālā
withermilāyanti,
clothesvatthāni
become soiledkilissanti,
from the armpitskacchehi
sweatssedā
are releasedmuccanti,
on the bodykāye
uglinessdubbaṇṇiyaṁ
sets inokkamati,
in their ownsake
a goddevo
in the heavenly thronedevāsane
they do not delightnābhiramatīti.
himTamenaṁ,
monksbhikkhave,
godsdevā
due to pass away‘cavanadhammo
thisayaṁ
godlingdevaputto’ti
thusiti
having knownviditvā
with threetīhi
with wordsvācāhi
they wish wellanumodenti:
from here‘ito,
sirbho,
to a good placesugatiṁ
gogaccha.
“Mendicants, when a god is due to pass away from the realm of the gods, five harbingers appear. Their flower-garlands wither; their clothes become soiled; they sweat from the armpits; their physical appearance deteriorates; and they no longer delight in their heavenly throne. When the other gods know that that godling is due to pass away, they wish them well in three ways: ‘Sir, may you go from here to a good place!
to a good destinationSugatiṁ having gonegantvā good fortunesuladdhalābhaṁ may you obtainlabha.
When you have gone to a good place, may you be blessed with good fortune!
good fortuneSuladdhalābhaṁ having obtainedlabhitvā well groundedsuppatiṭṭhito may you becomebhavāhī’”ti.
When you have been blessed with good fortune, may you become well grounded!’”
thusEvaṁ
when saidvutte,
a certainaññataro
monkbhikkhu
to the Blessed Onebhagavantaṁ
said thisetadavoca:
what“kiṁ
thennu
indeedkho,
sirbhante,
of the godsdevānaṁ
reckoned as going to a good placesugatigamanasaṅkhātaṁ.
When he said this, one of the mendicants said to the Buddha, “Sir, what do the gods reckon to be going to a good place?
and whatKiñca, venerable sirbhante, by the devasdevānaṁ reckoned as well-gainedsuladdhalābhasaṅkhātaṁ.
What do they reckon to be blessed with good fortune?
whatKiṁ thenpana, venerable sirbhante, of the godsdevānaṁ reckoned to become well groundedsuppatiṭṭhitasaṅkhātan”ti?
What do they reckon to become well grounded?”
human existence“Manussattaṁ indeedkho, mendicantbhikkhu, of the godsdevānaṁ reckoned to be going to a good placesugatigamanasaṅkhātaṁ.
“It is human existence, mendicant, that the gods reckon to be going to a good place.
whenYaṁ
being a humanmanussabhūto
beingsamāno
proclaimed by the Realized Onetathāgatappavedite
in the teaching and trainingdhammavinaye
faithsaddhaṁ
gainspaṭilabhati;
thatidaṁ
indeedkho,
monkbhikkhu,
by the godsdevānaṁ
reckoned as blessed with good fortunesuladdhalābhasaṅkhātaṁ.
When a human being gains faith in the teaching and training proclaimed by the Realized One, that is what the gods reckon to be blessed with good fortune.
thatSā
indeedkho
and for himpanassa
faithsaddhā
settledniviṭṭhā
ishoti
rootedmūlajātā
planted deeppatiṭṭhitā
strongdaḷhā
unshakeableasaṁhāriyā
by an asceticsamaṇena
orvā
by a brahminbrāhmaṇena
orvā
by a goddevena
orvā
by Māramārena
orvā
by a divinitybrahmunā
orvā
by anyonekenaci
orvā
in the world;lokasmiṁ;
thisidaṁ
indeed,kho,
monk,bhikkhu,
by the godsdevānaṁ
what is reckoned to become well grounded.”suppatiṭṭhitasaṅkhātan”ti.
When that faith in the Realized One is settled, rooted, and planted deep; when it’s strong and can’t be shifted by any ascetic or brahmin or god or Māra or divinity or by anyone in the world, that is what the gods reckon to become well grounded.”
this matterEtamatthaṁ
the Blessed Onebhagavā
spokeavoca.
on thisTatthetaṁ
thusiti
it is saidvuccati:
The Buddha spoke this matter. On this it is said:
when“Yadā
a goddevo
from the realm of the godsdevakāyā,
passescavati
with the fading of lifeāyusaṅkhayā;
threeTayo
criessaddā
utterniccharanti,
of the godsdevānaṁ
of well-wishinganumodataṁ.
“When, with the fading of life, a god passes from the realm of the gods, the gods utter three cries of well-wishing:
from here‘Ito
worthy sirbho
to a good destinationsugatiṁ
gogaccha,
of humansmanussānaṁ
in the companysahabyataṁ;
as a human beingManussabhūto
in the true teachingsaddhamme,
gainlabha
faithsaddhaṁ
supremeanuttaraṁ.
‘Go, worthy sir, from here to a good place, in the company of humans. As a human being, gain supreme faith in the true teaching.
thatSā
of yourste
faithsaddhā
settledniviṭṭhassa,
with roots plantedmūlajātā
establishedpatiṭṭhitā;
all life longYāvajīvaṁ
unfalteringasaṁhīrā,
in the true teachingsaddhamme
well proclaimedsuppavedite.
May that faith of yours be settled, with roots planted deep, unfaltering all life long in the true teaching so well proclaimed.
bad bodily conductKāyaduccaritaṁ
having given uphitvā,
bad verbal conductsvacīduccaritāni
andca;
bad mental conductManoduccaritaṁ
having given uphitvā,
and whatever elseyañcaññaṁ
connected with corruptiondosasañhitaṁ.
Having given up bad conduct by way of body, speech, and mind, and whatever else is corrupt;
by way of bodyKāyena
goodkusalaṁ
having donekatvā,
by way of speechvācāya
goodkusalaṁ
muchbahuṁ;
by way of mindManasā
goodkusalaṁ
having donekatvā,
limitlessappamāṇaṁ
free of attachmentsnirūpadhiṁ.
and having done much good, by way of body, speech, and mind, limitless, free of attachments;
thenTato
worldlyopadhikaṁ
meritpuññaṁ,
having madekatvā
by givingdānena
thattaṁ
muchbahuṁ;
other tooAññepi
colleaguesmacce
in the true teachingsaddhamme,
in the spiritual lifebrahmacariye
establishnivesaya’.
then, having made much worldly merit by giving gifts, establish other colleagues in the true teaching, the spiritual life.’
by thisImāya
sympathyanukampāya,
godsdevā
a goddevaṁ
whenyadā
they knowvidū;
due to pass awayCavantaṁ
they wish them wellanumodenti,
come backehi
goddeva
again and againpunappunan”ti.
It is due to such sympathy that when the gods know a god is due to pass away, they wish them well: ‘Come back, god, again and again!’”
this tooAyampi
matterattho
spokenvutto
by the Blessed Onebhagavatā,
thusiti
by meme
was heardsutanti.
fourthCatutthaṁ.
This too is a matter that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.
Lite mode — plain HTML for e-readers and old browsers. Full version