SN 3.22

Ayyikāsutta

Sāvatthinidānaṁ. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho rājānaṁ pasenadiṁ kosalaṁ bhagavā etadavoca: “handa kuto nu tvaṁ, mahārāja, āgacchasi divādivassā”ti?

Grandmother

At Sāvatthī. King Pasenadi of Kosala sat to one side, and the Buddha said to him, “So, Great King, where are you coming from in the middle of the day?”

“Ayyikā me, bhante, kālaṅkatā jiṇṇā vuḍḍhā mahallikā addhagatā vayoanuppattā vīsavassasatikā jātiyā. Ayyikā kho pana me, bhante, piyā hoti manāpā. Hatthiratanena cepāhaṁ, bhante, labheyyaṁ ‘mā me ayyikā kālamakāsī’ti, hatthiratanampāhaṁ dadeyyaṁ: ‘mā me ayyikā kālamakāsī’ti. Assaratanena cepāhaṁ, bhante, labheyyaṁ ‘mā me ayyikā kālamakāsī’ti, assaratanampāhaṁ dadeyyaṁ: ‘mā me ayyikā kālamakāsī’ti. Gāmavarena cepāhaṁ, bhante, labheyyaṁ ‘mā me ayyikā kālamakāsī’ti, gāmavarampāhaṁ dadeyyaṁ: ‘mā me ayyikā kālamakāsī’ti. Janapadapadesena cepāhaṁ, bhante, labheyyaṁ ‘mā me ayyikā kālamakāsī’ti, janapadapadesampāhaṁ dadeyyaṁ: ‘mā me ayyikā kālamakāsī’”ti. “Sabbe sattā, mahārāja, maraṇadhammā maraṇapariyosānā maraṇaṁ anatītā”ti. “Acchariyaṁ, bhante, abbhutaṁ, bhante. Yāvasubhāsitamidaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā— sabbe sattā maraṇadhammā maraṇapariyosānā maraṇaṁ anatītā’”ti.

“Sir, my grandmother has passed away. She was old, elderly and senior. She was advanced in years and had reached the final stage of life; she was a hundred and twenty years old. But I loved my grandmother; she was dear to me. If by giving away the elephant-treasure I could get my grandmother back, I’d do it. If by giving away the horse-treasure I could get my grandmother back, I’d do it. If by giving away a prize village I could get my grandmother back, I’d do it. If by giving away the whole country I could get my grandmother back, I’d do it.” “Great king, all sentient beings are liable to die. Death is their end; they’re not exempt from death.” “It’s incredible, sir, it’s amazing, how well said this was by the Buddha: ‘All sentient beings are liable to die. Death is their end; they’re not exempt from death.’”

“Evametaṁ, mahārāja, evametaṁ, mahārāja. Sabbe sattā maraṇadhammā maraṇapariyosānā maraṇaṁ anatītā. Seyyathāpi, mahārāja, yāni kānici kumbhakārabhājanāni āmakāni ceva pakkāni ca sabbāni tāni bhedanadhammāni bhedanapariyosānāni bhedanaṁ anatītāni; evameva kho, mahārāja, sabbe sattā maraṇadhammā maraṇapariyosānā maraṇaṁ anatītā”ti. Idamavoca …pe…

“That’s so true, Great King! That’s so true! All sentient beings are liable to die. Death is their end; they’re not exempt from death. It’s like the vessels made by potters. Whatever kind they are, whether baked or unbaked, all of them are liable to break apart. Breaking is their end; they’re not exempt from breakage. In the same way, all sentient beings are liable to die. Death is their end; they’re not exempt from death.” That is what the Buddha said. …

“Sabbe sattā marissanti, maraṇantañhi jīvitaṁ; Yathākammaṁ gamissanti, puññapāpaphalūpagā; Nirayaṁ pāpakammantā, puññakammā ca suggatiṁ.

“All beings will die, for life ends in death. They pass on according to their deeds, reaping the fruits of good and bad. Those who do bad go to hell, and if you do good you go to heaven.

Tasmā kareyya kalyāṇaṁ, nicayaṁ samparāyikaṁ; Puññāni paralokasmiṁ, patiṭṭhā honti pāṇinan”ti.

That’s why you should do good, investing in the future life. The good deeds of sentient beings support them in the next world.”