AN 8.29

Akkhaṇasutta

“‘Khaṇakicco loko, khaṇakicco loko’ti, bhikkhave, assutavā puthujjano bhāsati, no ca kho so jānāti khaṇaṁ vā akkhaṇaṁ vā. Aṭṭhime, bhikkhave, akkhaṇā asamayā brahmacariyavāsāya. Katame aṭṭha? Idha, bhikkhave, tathāgato ca loke uppanno hoti arahaṁ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇasampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisadammasārathi satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā, dhammo ca desiyati opasamiko parinibbāniko sambodhagāmī sugatappavedito; ayañca puggalo nirayaṁ upapanno hoti. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭhamo akkhaṇo asamayo brahmacariyavāsāya.

Lost Opportunities

“‘Now is the time! Now is the time!’ So says an unlearned ordinary person. But they don’t know whether it’s time or not. Mendicants, there are eight lost opportunities for spiritual practice. What eight? Firstly, a Realized One has arisen in the world—perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those fit for training, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed. He teaches the Dhamma leading to peace, extinguishment, awakening, as proclaimed by the Holy One. But an individual has been reborn in hell. This is the first lost opportunity for spiritual practice.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, tathāgato ca loke uppanno hoti …pe… satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā, dhammo ca desiyati opasamiko parinibbāniko sambodhagāmī sugatappavedito; ayañca puggalo tiracchānayoniṁ upapanno hoti …pe….

Furthermore, a Realized One has arisen in the world … He teaches the Dhamma leading to peace, extinguishment, awakening, as proclaimed by the Holy One. But an individual has been reborn in the animal realm. This is the second lost opportunity …

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave …pe… ayañca puggalo pettivisayaṁ upapanno hoti …pe….

Furthermore, a Realized One has arisen in the world … But an individual has been reborn in the ghost realm. This is the third lost opportunity …

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave …pe… ayañca puggalo aññataraṁ dīghāyukaṁ devanikāyaṁ upapanno hoti …pe….

Furthermore, a Realized One has arisen in the world … But an individual has been reborn in one of the long-lived orders of gods. This is the fourth lost opportunity …

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave …pe… ayañca puggalo paccantimesu janapadesu paccājāto hoti, so ca hoti aviññātāresu milakkhesu, yattha natthi gati bhikkhūnaṁ bhikkhunīnaṁ upāsakānaṁ upāsikānaṁ …pe….

Furthermore, a Realized One has arisen in the world … But an individual has been reborn in the borderlands, among uneducated foreigners, where monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen do not go. This is the fifth lost opportunity …

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave …pe… ayañca puggalo majjhimesu janapadesu paccājāto hoti, so ca hoti micchādiṭṭhiko viparītadassano: ‘natthi dinnaṁ, natthi yiṭṭhaṁ, natthi hutaṁ, natthi sukatadukkaṭānaṁ kammānaṁ phalaṁ vipāko, natthi ayaṁ loko, natthi paro loko, natthi mātā, natthi pitā, natthi sattā opapātikā, natthi loke samaṇabrāhmaṇā sammaggatā sammā paṭipannā ye imañca lokaṁ parañca lokaṁ sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā pavedentī’ti …pe….

Furthermore, a Realized One has arisen in the world … And an individual is reborn in a central country. But they have wrong view and distorted perspective: ‘There’s no meaning in giving, sacrifice, or offerings. There’s no fruit or result of good and bad deeds. There’s no afterlife. There’s no such thing as mother and father, or beings that are reborn spontaneously. And there’s no ascetic or brahmin who is rightly comported and rightly practiced, and who describes the afterlife after realizing it with their own insight.’ This is the sixth lost opportunity …

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave …pe… ayañca puggalo majjhimesu janapadesu paccājāto hoti, so ca hoti duppañño jaḷo eḷamūgo appaṭibalo subhāsitadubbhāsitassa atthamaññātuṁ. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, sattamo akkhaṇo asamayo brahmacariyavāsāya.

Furthermore, a Realized One has arisen in the world … And an individual is reborn in a central country. But they’re witless, dull, idiotic, and unable to distinguish what is well said from what is poorly said. This is the seventh lost opportunity for spiritual practice.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, tathāgato ca loke anuppanno hoti arahaṁ sammāsambuddho …pe… satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā. Dhammo ca na desiyati opasamiko parinibbāniko sambodhagāmī sugatappavedito. Ayañca puggalo majjhimesu janapadesu paccājāto hoti, so ca hoti paññavā ajaḷo aneḷamūgo paṭibalo subhāsitadubbhāsitassa atthamaññātuṁ. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, aṭṭhamo akkhaṇo asamayo brahmacariyavāsāya.

Furthermore, a Realized One has not arisen in the world … So he doesn’t teach the Dhamma leading to peace, extinguishment, awakening, as proclaimed by the Holy One. And an individual is reborn in a central country. And they’re wise, bright, clever, and able to distinguish what is well said from what is poorly said. This is the eighth lost opportunity for spiritual practice.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, aṭṭha akkhaṇā asamayā brahmacariyavāsāya.

There are these eight lost opportunities for spiritual practice.

Ekova kho, bhikkhave, khaṇo ca samayo ca brahmacariyavāsāya. Katamo eko? Idha, bhikkhave, tathāgato ca loke uppanno hoti arahaṁ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇasampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisadammasārathi satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā. Dhammo ca desiyati opasamiko parinibbāniko sambodhagāmī sugatappavedito. Ayañca puggalo majjhimesu janapadesu paccājāto hoti, so ca hoti paññavā ajaḷo aneḷamūgo paṭibalo subhāsitadubbhāsitassa atthamaññātuṁ. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, ekova khaṇo ca samayo ca brahmacariyavāsāyāti.

Mendicants, there is just one opportunity for spiritual practice. What is that one? It’s when a Realized One has arisen in the world, perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those fit for training, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed. He teaches the Dhamma leading to peace, extinguishment, awakening, as proclaimed by the Holy One. And an individual is reborn in a central country. And they’re wise, bright, clever, and able to distinguish what is well said from what is poorly said. This is the one opportunity for spiritual practice.

Manussalābhaṁ laddhāna, saddhamme suppavedite; Ye khaṇaṁ nādhigacchanti, atināmenti te khaṇaṁ.

When you’ve gained the human state, and the true teaching has been so well proclaimed, those who don’t seize the moment are wasting their time.

Bahū hi akkhaṇā vuttā, maggassa antarāyikā; Kadāci karahaci loke, uppajjanti tathāgatā.

For many wrong times are spoken of, which obstruct the path. Only on rare occasions do Realized Ones arise.

Tayidaṁ sammukhībhūtaṁ, yaṁ lokasmiṁ sudullabhaṁ; Manussapaṭilābho ca, saddhammassa ca desanā; Alaṁ vāyamituṁ tattha, attakāmena jantunā.

If you find yourself in their presence, so hard to find in the world, and if you’ve gained a human birth, and the teaching of the Dhamma; that’s enough to make an effort, for a personage who desires self-knowledge.

Kathaṁ vijaññā saddhammaṁ, khaṇo ve mā upaccagā; Khaṇātītā hi socanti, nirayamhi samappitā.

How is the true teaching to be understood so that the moment doesn’t pass you by? For if you miss your moment you’ll grieve when sent to hell.

Idha ce naṁ virādheti, saddhammassa niyāmataṁ; Vāṇijova atītattho, cirattaṁ anutapissati.

If you fail to achieve certainty regarding the true teaching you’ll regret it for a long time, like the merchant in the story of the past.

Avijjānivuto poso, saddhammaṁ aparādhiko; Jātimaraṇasaṁsāraṁ, ciraṁ paccanubhossati.

A man shrouded by ignorance, a failure in the true teaching, will long undergo transmigration through birth and death.

Ye ca laddhā manussattaṁ, saddhamme suppavedite; Akaṁsu satthu vacanaṁ, karissanti karonti vā.

Those who’ve gained the human state when the true teaching has been so well proclaimed, and have completed what the Teacher taught— or will do so, or are doing so now—

Khaṇaṁ paccaviduṁ loke, brahmacariyaṁ anuttaraṁ; Ye maggaṁ paṭipajjiṁsu, tathāgatappaveditaṁ.

have realized the right time in the world for the supreme spiritual life. You should live guarded, ever mindful, not festering with defilements,

Ye saṁvarā cakkhumatā, desitādiccabandhunā; Tesu gutto sadā sato, vihare anavassuto.

among those restrained ones who have practiced the path proclaimed by the Realized One, the Clear-eyed One, and taught by the Kinsman of the Sun.

Sabbe anusaye chetvā, māradheyyaparānuge; Te ve pāraṅgatā loke, ye pattā āsavakkhayan”ti.

Having cut off all underlying tendencies that follow those drifting in Māra’s dominion, they’re the ones in this world who’ve truly crossed over, having reached the ending of defilements.”