The Dart · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral
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⚠ Glossing did not finish. The original text is shown below.
Animittamanaññātaṁ, maccānaṁ idha jīvitaṁ; Kasirañca parittañca, tañca dukkhena saṁyutaṁ.
Unforeseen and unknown is the extent of this mortal life— hard and short and bound to pain.
Na hi so upakkamo atthi, yena jātā na miyyare; Jarampi patvā maraṇaṁ, evaṁdhammā hi pāṇino.
There is no way that those born will not die. On reaching old age death follows: such is the nature of living creatures.
Phalānamiva pakkānaṁ, pāto patanato bhayaṁ; Evaṁ jātāna maccānaṁ, niccaṁ maraṇato bhayaṁ.
As ripe fruit are always in danger of falling, so mortals once born are always in danger of death.
Yathāpi kumbhakārassa, katā mattikabhājanā; Sabbe bhedanapariyantā, evaṁ maccāna jīvitaṁ.
As clay pots made by a potter all end up being broken, so is the life of mortals.
Daharā ca mahantā ca, ye bālā ye ca paṇḍitā; Sabbe maccuvasaṁ yanti, sabbe maccuparāyaṇā.
Young and old, foolish and wise— all go under the sway of death; all are destined to die.
Tesaṁ maccuparetānaṁ, gacchataṁ paralokato; Na pitā tāyate puttaṁ, ñātī vā pana ñātake.
When those overcome by death leave this world for the next, a father cannot protect his son, nor relatives their kin.
Pekkhataṁyeva ñātīnaṁ, passa lālapataṁ puthu; Ekamekova maccānaṁ, govajjho viya nīyati.
See how, while relatives look on, wailing profusely, mortals are led away one by one, like a cow to the slaughter.
Evamabbhāhato loko, Maccunā ca jarāya ca; Tasmā dhīrā na socanti, Viditvā lokapariyāyaṁ.
And so the world is stricken by old age and by death. That is why the attentive do not grieve, for they understand the way of the world.
Yassa maggaṁ na jānāsi, āgatassa gatassa vā; Ubho ante asampassaṁ, niratthaṁ paridevasi.
For one whose path you do not know— not whence they came nor where they went— you lament in vain, seeing neither end.
Paridevayamāno ce, Kiñcidatthaṁ udabbahe; Sammūḷho hiṁsamattānaṁ, Kayirā ce naṁ vicakkhaṇo.
If a bewildered person, lamenting and self-harming, could extract any good from that, then those who see clearly would do the same.
Na hi ruṇṇena sokena, Santiṁ pappoti cetaso; Bhiyyassuppajjate dukkhaṁ, Sarīraṁ cupahaññati.
For not by weeping and wailing will you find peace of heart. It just gives rise to more suffering, and distresses your body.
Kiso vivaṇṇo bhavati, Hiṁsamattānamattanā; Na tena petā pālenti, Niratthā paridevanā.
Growing thin and pale, you hurt yourself. It does nothing to help the dead: your lamentation is in vain.
Sokamappajahaṁ jantu, Bhiyyo dukkhaṁ nigacchati; Anutthunanto kālaṅkataṁ, Sokassa vasamanvagū.
Unless a personage gives up grief, they fall into suffering all the more. Bewailing those whose time has come, you fall under the sway of grief.
Aññepi passa gamine, Yathākammupage nare; Maccuno vasamāgamma, Phandantevidha pāṇino.
See, too, other folk departing, passing on according to their deeds; fallen under the sway of death, beings flounder while still here.
Yena yena hi maññanti, Tato taṁ hoti aññathā; Etādiso vinābhāvo, Passa lokassa pariyāyaṁ.
For however they imagine it, it turns out to be something else. Such is separation: see the way of the world!
Api vassasataṁ jīve, Bhiyyo vā pana māṇavo; Ñātisaṅghā vinā hoti, Jahāti idha jīvitaṁ.
Even if a human lives a hundred years or more, they are parted from their family circle, they leave this life behind.
Tasmā arahato sutvā, Vineyya paridevitaṁ; Petaṁ kālaṅkataṁ disvā, Neso labbhā mayā iti.
Therefore, having learned from the Perfected One, dispel lamentation. Seeing the dead and departed, think: “I cannot escape this.”
Yathā saraṇamādittaṁ, Vārinā parinibbaye; Evampi dhīro sapañño, Paṇḍito kusalo naro; Khippamuppatitaṁ sokaṁ, Vāto tūlaṁva dhaṁsaye.
As one would extinguish a blazing refuge with water, so too an attentive one—a wise, astute, and skilled person— would swiftly blow away grief that comes up, like the wind a tuft of cotton.
Paridevaṁ pajappañca, Domanassañca attano; Attano sukhamesāno, Abbahe sallamattano.
One who seeks their own happiness would pluck out the dart from themselves— the wailing and praying, and sadness inside.
Abbūḷhasallo asito, santiṁ pappuyya cetaso; Sabbasokaṁ atikkanto, asoko hoti nibbutoti. Sallasuttaṁ aṭṭhamaṁ.
With dart plucked out, unattached, having found peace of mind, overcoming all sorrow, one is sorrowless and quenched.
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